Four-time U.S. Olympian and Minnesota Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield is taking a leave from hockey because she is pregnant with her second child. The 34-year-old announced the news on X, sharing a photo of her son Drew wearing a cap that reads "big bro". Coyne Schofield will miss the entire PWHL season and the women's world ice hockey championship tournament opening in Denmark next week.
Though she practiced with Team USA at its pretournament camp in Plymouth, Michigan, she will not join the team overseas. Minnesota Frost GM Melissa Caruso expressed support, stating the leadership and experience Coyne Schofield brings to the team extends far beyond the game. Coyne Schofield is married to former NFL offensive lineman Michael Schofield.
In August, she signed a two-year contract to continue playing for the Frost, with whom she opened her PWHL career as one of the team's first three foundational players in 2023. She won her second Olympic gold medal in February at the Milan Cortina Games and is a two-time silver medalist. She is also a two-time PWHL Walter Cup champion.
Coyne Schofield played an integral role in PWHL negotiations, including securing childcare provisions through a player's first birthday. In 77 career PWHL games, she is tied for fourth on the league list with 30 goals and tied for third with 63 points. Overall, she has 41 goals and 98 points in 89 international career games, along with six world championship gold medals.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing