N.B. goalie re-signs with PWHL's Minnesota Frost after 'roller-coaster' season

The off-season isn't downtime for goaltender Marlène Boissonnault of the Professional Women's Hockey League.

The last few months have been a "roller-coaster" for the Minnesota Frost goalie originally from Dundee, a small community on the north shore of New Brunswick.

Boissonnault just re-signed with the Frost for a one-year contract, calling it special to be able to continue on with an organization that sets itself apart from others and also has a winning record.

On top of that, Boissonnault said, the fan base really drives the Minnesota Frost.

"It's very much so a question of how can we feed off of them, and it's for any teams in the league, how can we feed off our fans?" she said. 

"And the Minnesota Frost makes it so darn easy. They create their own chance, they create their own vibes, they bring the energy day in, day out, every single day."

In April, Boissonnault experienced the energy from the fans on the ice as a starting goalie. She had her first career start with the PWHL, meaning she played her first game as the starting goaltender since making her league debut.

"It was unbelievable," Boissonnault recalled. "It's one of those things where a lot of people say, like, 'Oh, it must have felt like, you know, it was finally the finish line of what you wanted to achieve.' But truly, to me, it felt like the first step to so many."

The Professional Women's Hockey League had its inaugural season in 2024. Boissonnault played her first season with the Montréal Victoire before moving in her second season to the Frost, which took home the coveted Walter Cup.

This season, the Frost made it to the playoffs but were eliminated in the best-of-five semifinals by the Victoire in Game 5. 

N.B. goalie re-signs with PWHL's Minnesota