Kelly Pannek was so determined to carve out a future in hockey while still at college, the forward made the conscious decision to sacrifice offense to focus on her shutdown skills.
The choice led to Pannek becoming a U.S. national team fixture as a three-time Olympian, beginning in 2018, and establish herself as one of women’s hockey’s best defensive forwards.
Some eight years later, Pannek discovered she hasn鈥檛 lost her scoring touch in closing her third PWHL season with Minnesota.
In a league featuring proven offensive stars in Hilary Knight and Marie-Philip Poulin, and teammates Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield, Pannek topped them all as the two-time defending Walter Cup champion .
Pannek led the PWHL with 16 goals and a league-record 33 points, and was one assist from completing what would have been rare hockey triple crown 鈥� for men or women.
鈥淚 think more than anything, it鈥檚 reassuring and confidence-building to know that I used to be someone who was often relied on to provide offense for teams, and I still am that player,鈥� Pannek said by phone this week. 鈥淚 just needed to kind of re-find it, I guess.鈥�
Her 33 points in 30 games this year surpassed her total production in her first two seasons, when she combined for seven goals and 27 points in 54 games.
Still thriving on defense
And the offensive output didn鈥檛 hinder Pannek鈥檚 defensive play.
She finished sixth in the PWHL with a plus-13 plus-minus rating. She also won 341 of 575 faceoffs for a 59.3% success rate, third among players with 200 or more attempts.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to say no, because I think she鈥檚 a great player,鈥� Frost coach Ken Klee said when asked whether he expected this much production from Pannek.
鈥淔rom the beginning of the year, she seemed different. Our very first coach鈥檚 meeting, we had her in the office, and she just seemed lighter, she seemed more energetic,” Klee added. 鈥淚 really think she just said, 鈥楬ey, I鈥檓 going to play free, and if it’s time to play offense, I’m going to play offense.’ She’s just really taken a next step.鈥�
There are several reasons behind Pannek flipping the offensive switch.
An offseason roster shake-up caused by Minnesota losing talent in the expansion process led to Pannek realizing she was going to have to contribute more offensively.
Confidence and perspective grow with age
Another factor was Pannek growing in confidence while turning 30 in December.
In her early Team USA days, Pannek stuck to defense and shied away from opening up on offense in fear of making mistakes that could cost her ice time or even her roster spot.
In the PWHL, Pannek came to realize she had more job security and, with it, the leeway to make a mistake or two over a 30-game season, as opposed to the pressure that comes with competing in two-week international tournaments where miscues are magnified.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of implications with points and stuff on the line, but you also accept that you鈥檙e going to make mistakes, and goals are going to go in and it鈥檚 not life or death,鈥� Pannek said of PWHL play. 鈥淚鈥檒l still be on the team if I have a bad game and if I have a great game. … So I think a lot of it was a little bit of a mentality shift.鈥�
She’s had far more good games than bad, and called this season 鈥渋nvigorating.鈥�
Former U.S. star Meghan Duggan is not surprised by Pannek鈥檚 development: 鈥淪he always had it in her, but it just started to come out as of late.鈥�
What stood out to Duggan was the maturity and reliability Pannek brought to the ice even as a 22-year-old.
鈥淜elly Pannek is a player I would choose 10 times out of 10 to go into the biggest game with right by my side, because I know what she鈥檚 going to bring: stability, predictability, high character,鈥� said Duggan, now the New Jersey Devils’ player development director. 鈥淜elly to me is the type of player that you win championships with, and she’s done that multiple times.鈥�
Always a winner
Pannek was a two-way star during her four college seasons at Minnesota, where she won two national titles and finished with 72 goals and 186 points in 157 career games. At the Olympics, she won gold in 2018 , along with a silver in 2022.
鈥淚鈥檝e changed as a player over these last almost eight years, but also my role has changed,鈥� Pannek said. 鈥淚 pride myself on being someone who can do any role up and down the lineup.鈥�
Today, her sole focus is on the upcoming playoffs.
鈥淲hatever it takes,” Pannek said. 鈥淚f I have zero points the rest of the playoffs and we win 鈥� it鈥檚 all about the winning.鈥�
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