Five women’s hockey seniors were selected in the 2026 Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft, leaving the Red in need of new star power. Only one school, Pennsylvania State, had more players chosen for professional careers.
However, all returning and incoming faces might be enough to replace the lost talent.
Goaltender Annelies Bergmann, the starter for 65 of the Red’s 70 wins since Oct. 2023, will return for her senior season.
Forward Karel Prefontaine and defenseman Piper Grober, both of whom scored 20+ points last year, will return for their senior seasons.
Six of the seven skaters who scored ten or more points, but less than 20, will return for their respective seasons.
But if the Red is to reach the heights of their 2024-25 season, which included a Frozen Four Appearance and an ECAC Tournament Championship, consistency will be key.
After racing out to a 7-0-0 record last season, with convincing wins over No. 14 Yale and No. 15 Brown, the Red finished the year 13-11-2, with several unexpected losses along the way.
The Sun has selected three defining games of the Red’s upcoming season that are sure to be competitive matches. Should the Red prevail in all three, it may be a season to remember.
Vs. University of Vermont, Oct. 16
Vermont is not just your run-of-the-mill out of conference opponent.
The Catamounts have serious potential to upset an unsuspecting team, which the Catamounts did against No. 12 St. Lawrence and No. 8 Cornell last season.
After the Catamounts handed the Red a 4-3 defeat in Burlington, Vermont, the Red avoided an embarrassing sweep, earning a 5-1 victory against Vermont the next day.
Even though the Catamounts finished an unremarkable 16-17-5 overall last season, that was an improvement from the 2024-25 season, in which the team finished 9-25-2 overall.
Given that the Catamounts return their top six scorers this season, Vermont will look to substantially improve their record again.
Vermont certainly has the goaltending to win games this season.
Sophomore Zoe Cliche, the Catamount’s presumed starting netminder, played in 15 games last season, winning nine and posting a .929 save percentage in the process. Cliche was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week on three occasions last season.
Stella Retrum, Vermont’s top scorer last year, was selected as Hockey East Player of the Month in January. Despite her Hockey East production, Retrum was left off the scoresheet entirely and finished minus three in Vermont’s series against the Red.
Minimizing Retrum’s impact will be the Red’s first test of the season. A passing grade makes victory much more likely.
The Catamounts are not the most talented team the Red will face this season, but a winning start can inspire confidence that can carry through a season.
Vs. Northeastern University, Nov. 28
It’s been 13 years since Northeastern University took the ice at Lynah Rink.
In the meantime, the schools have combined for appearances in five Frozen Fours and won eight conference championships, but only Cornell still plays in the same arena. Northeastern’s historic Matthews Arena was demolished in Dec. 2025 and a new rink will be built in its place.
N.U. will play their home games at Walter Brown Arena on Boston University’s campus for the foreseeable future. This should not be a radical departure from standard procedure, since B.U. and N.U.’s campuses are less than a mile apart.
The Huskies have dominated recent matchups, winning the last three contests. The Red’s most recent triumph dates back to a 3-2 overtime victory in the 2019 NCAA regional final.
Breaking the losing streak will be tough considering the weapons in N.U.’s arsenal.
Last season, the Huskies attacked and defended at almost equal competency, with the second highest tally of goals scored and the third-lowest number of goals allowed in Hockey East. This balanced style of play helped lead Northeastern to the Frozen Four, before losing to No. 1-seeded Ohio State.
N.U. can boast of individual brilliance too.
As a freshman, Stryker Zablocki led Hockey East in goals, scoring and plus minus, taking home Hockey East Player of the Year Honors.
The Red must take all necessary measures to limit Zablocki’s impact.
The Huskies are also highly skilled in net.
Junior Lisa Jönsson is N.U’s “brick wall.” Jönsson posted a .939 save percentage last season, making an incredible 54 saves in a single game against the University of Connecticut. Jonsson also authored a 45 save performance against the University of Minnesota in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals.
As if that wasn’t enough, Jönsson was named a semifinalist for the National Goaltender of the Year Honors.
The Huskies and the Red last played in the Smashville Women’s Collegiate Showcase on Nov. 26, 2022 with the Huskies claiming a 5-1 victory in Nashville.
If the Red can best N.U. this year, it will immediately announce to the national college hockey landscape that it is a force to be reckoned with.
At Yale, Feb. 12
When Yale and Cornell last squared off, the Bulldogs cruised to a 7-2 victory and earned a ticket to the ECAC Tournament Final.
Only once before had the Red conceded so many goals to the Bulldogs.
On paper, the Red will have ample opportunity to avenge this defeat, as four of Yale’s top six scorers graduated at the end of last year and were each drafted into the PWHL. Notably, Jordan Ray was selected in the first round by the Ottawa Charge.
Arguably, the most impactful loss Yale’s roster experienced was goaltender Samson Frey, who was nominated to the All-ECAC rookie team and posted a .936 save percentage across 19 outings.
Yale’s new crop of goaltenders is comparatively inexperienced, as the three netminders on the roster have a combined ten collegiate wins between them.
The Bulldogs still have some extremely talented players on their roster, though. The Red will have to contend with defenseman Molly Boyle, the incumbent ECAC Defender and Rookie of the Year.
Forward Stephanie Stainton will look to emerge as Yale’s star forward this year. Stainton scored 15 goals last season, including five game-winners and added 17 assists to boot.
After the game against Yale, the Red only has one other match before the ECAC Tournament commences. The Bulldogs will therefore be a good test of the Red’s strength — if it emerges victorious, higher seeding in the ECAC Tournament could be the reward.
