Megan Keller named top defender at PWHL awards in Detroit

Emerging as the PWHL’s Defender of the Year made Tuesday night a special one for Megan Keller. Doing so in her hometown made it doubly so.Keller, a Farmington Hills native, earned recognition as the PWHL’s top blueliner this season with the Boston Fleet during a ceremony at One Campus Martius. She recorded 22 points in 30 games in addition to her stout defense.

“It’s an incredible honor,” Keller said. “Obviously, though, it’s a reflection of the team. I’ve got such great teammates. My D partner, also up for the award, Haley Winn.

“And goaltending Aerin Frankel, MVP, one of the best goalies in the world — makes my job super easy, and it was just so fun to come to the rink every day. We had such a special group, so to be a part of that, I’m just really thankful.”Winn earned Rookie of the Year, and Boston Fleet coach Kris Sparre earned Coach of the Year in his first campaign at the helm. He’s on to PWHL Hamilton next year, one of four expansion teams alongside Detroit. He had high praise for Keller, particularly for her athleticism and skill set. “I’ve said this before, and I’m sure this will ruffle some feathers from players that I’ve coached in the past, but she’s hands down my favorite professional athlete that I’ve coached in my 11 years,” Sparre said. “She deserves all the accolades that she gets.”

Keller’s name may ring a bell for her Olympic heroics, particularly February’s nifty move she used to score the golden goal for Team USA over Canada in the Milano-Cortina games. That’s the 30-year-old’s second Olympic gold medal of her career.Keller has also been a major proponent of expanding women’s hockey in Michigan, through both the creation of a varsity team at the University of Michigan and through a PWHL team. Fans who chanted “we want a team” at Little Caesars Arena will get their wish this year. Keller is ecstatic.“I’m so happy for the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan,” Keller said. “I think they’ve deserved a team for a long time.“I’ve gotten the opportunity to come back and play in the takeover tour games here at LCA, and the crowd that showed up, all the girls that were in the stands — I was a youth hockey player just like them growing up in all these rinks across Michigan.

“And for them to have a women’s professional team and role models to look up to every single night is going to be huge for them. I thought I was going to play on the Red Wings growing up, and to see their role models each and every day and know that they have a dream that can turn it into reality —  it’s super special, and I’m so excited for what’s to come for them.”cearegood@detroitnews.com

@ConnorEaregood

J.T. Compher and Jesse Compher are the first NHL/PWHL siblings to play in the same city.

J.T. Compher and Jesse Compher are the first NHL/PWHL siblings to play in the same city.