There are plenty of stats that earn PWHL players accolades. Primarily, the talk is of goals and assists, or save percentage. Montreal rookie defender Anna Wilgren however, is piling up numbers in another statistical category: blocked shots.
Wilgren leads the PWHL in blocked shots this season with 39 in 17 games. The five defenders behind her in the category are Renata Fast, Erin Ambrose, Mariah Keopple, Lee Stecklein, and Megan Keller. Wilgren is leading the way alongside two other Victoire defenders in Ambrose and Keopple, but her blocks related to time on ice are miles ahead of any player in the league.
Wilgren’s blocks per 60 minutes are 9.6, followed by Keopple at 6.8, Ambrose at 5.9, Fast at 4.4, Stecklein at 4.0, and 3.8 blocks per 60 for Keller. Wilgren also has seven games this season with three or more blocks, a statistic that is also leading the league.
Wilgren played her final NCAA season at Wisconsin last year before Montreal selected her in the Round 5, 29th overall. Prior to transferring to Wisconsin, Wilgren spent four seasons with Minnesota State.
In 17 games this season Wilgren is averaging just over 14 minutes per game as a rookie, and has scored a goal and three points in 17 games.
