Alex Carpenter, Marie-Philip Poulin and Natalie Spooner named finalists for PWHL Billie Jean King MVP Award

Spooner was the most efficient scorer in the PWHL this season. The Scarborough, Ontario native was the only player to pot 20 goals, earning her Top Goal Scorer honors. She ended up leading the league with 27 points, placing her as the Points Leader as well. Spooner scored seven power-play goals during the regular season, also tops in the PWHL. She posted six multi-goal games, including a hat trick against Boston on Feb. 14. Spooner was a key factor in Toronto finishing first in the PWHL standings.

It almost goes without saying how good Poulin is. She’s Captain Clutch, one of the most decorated players in the game and arguably one of the best hockey players in the world today–regardless of gender. Poulin’s impact was noticeably absent when a lower-body injury kept her out of the lineup for three games in March, in which Montreal lost each time. She ended up tied for second in the PWHL in scoring with 23 points, second in points per game (1.1) behind Spooner.

The player Poulin is tied for second with is Carpenter, a bright spot on an overall underachieving New York team. With eight goals and 15 assists, the Reading, Massachusetts native was part of almost 44% of her team’s goals this season, which saw N.Y. finish at the bottom of the league. Carpenter was an effective player at both ends of the rink, and proved she has the clutch gene in her as well, scoring back-to-back overtime goals earlier in the year.

The Billie Jean King Award is named after the legendary tennis star, who is an advisory board member. Billie Jean King Enterprises was a driving force behind the league’s creation.

Winners of the PWHL Awards will be announced in June.

Check out the DFO Walter Cup Playoffs hub