Minnesota Frost Staring Down A Challenging Situation In Expansion Process

How Will Each Phase Impact Minnesota?

In reality, teams across the league could lose varying numbers of players. Unlike last year, the only restriction this time around is that no team can lose more than four contracted players.

For Minnesota, their top players under contract through next season include Maddie Rooney, Kendall Cooper, Britta Curl-Salemme, Abby Hustler, Sidney Morin, Natalie Buchbinder, Mae Batherson, and Dominique Petrie.

In Phase 1, Minnesota will protect three players. If they choose to protect the same three members of their core, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Taylor Heise, and Lee Stecklein, Phase 2 gets interesting.

In Phase 2, Minnesota fans should not be shocked if one or two of the unprotected free agents on their roster are signed to Expansion Franchise Offers. Whether it's Pannek or Stecklein who's exposed, they'll be prime candidates. If someone wants to spend their money on a younger star, Zumwinkle fits that level.

Phase 2 could also prove problematic for Minnesota if any of the expansion teams don't sign five free agents. At that point when it shifts to a more traditional draft style process. If that occurs, it could spell trouble for Minnesota in that Rooney, Cooper, Curl-Salemme, and Hustler would become immediate targets.

In Phase 3, Minnesota's free agents will be able to negotiate with any team again, and could sign with an expansion team, although there's no mechanism to force them to leave Minnesota in this Phase.

Beyond the opening round of protections, Minnesota will get to protect or sign three additional players ahead of Phase 4. At this point, free agents maintain their own say and can return to Minnesota if they choose, but if the expansion teams have not reached 10 players, at this point they can select any unprotected player on contract from the eight existing teams.

Who Is Minnesota Likely To Lose?

It's likely Minnesota will lose one or two of Kelly Pannek, Grace Zumwinkle, or Lee Stecklein in Phase 2.

Depending on which 20 players appear on each of the expansion team's lists, it is possible an expansion team does not complete their five signings in Phase 2 to target Rooney, Cooper, or Curl-Salemme.

Beyond this top group, Abby Hustler, Sidney Morin, and Mae Batherson, and Natalie Buchbinder could all be Phase 4 targets if teams need to make selections to fill out their ten.

However you look at it, Minnesota is likely to lose five players in the 2026 expansion process, which is set to begin May 28.