PWHL leading scorer Grace Zumwinkle on lighting up the State of Hockey

There is just one perfect team remaining in the PWHL through a couple of weeks of play, and on Sunday, Minnesota will put that flawless record to the test as they host New York, 1-2 to start.

It’s still very early in this inaugural season, but the 3-0 State of Hockey is looking awfully good. Minnesota’s goalie duo of Maddie Rooney (0 GAA in one game) and Nicole Hensley (1.5 GAA in two games) leads the PWHL in save percentage. And Minnesota forwards Taylor Heise and Grace Zumwinkle are tied for the league lead in goals scored, with four apiece (also tied with Montreal captain, Marie-Philip Poulin).

It was the 24-year-old Zumwinkle who scored the PWHL’s first-ever hat trick in a 3-0 win in her team’s home opener on Jan. 6. Last season, in her senior year at the University of Minnesota, the 2022 Olympic silver medallist became just the sixth Gopher ever to record 100 career goals. 

Ahead of Minnesota’s Sunday tilt at Xcel Energy Center — the puck drops at 4 p.m. ET on Sportsnet — Zumwinkle took time to discuss her team’s start, what it was like to record a natural hat trick in front of a record-breaking crowd, and how she might not be playing hockey if it wasn’t for her kindergarten crush.    

SPORTSNET: How long will this win streak last?
ZUMWINKLE: Oh, you're really putting me on the spot. Well, you would like to say, ‘the whole season,’ but I don't know if that's realistic. Maybe seven or eight? I feel like that’s a common one you see in the NHL, so maybe it’ll be similar for us.

You played your home opener in front of a world-record crowd for women’s pro hockey, more than 13,000 people. What was that like?
We had heard we were getting a big turnout, but to actually see it and be playing in the arena was just so surreal. I think a lot of people being from the state of Minnesota on our team, or having ties to Minnesota, it made the game that much more meaningful. And I think so many people that come from Minnesota have so much pride about the state. And the state of Minnesota certainly showed up for that game. I think ‘pride’ is the first word that comes to my mind. 

And then you went and scored a hat trick.
[Laughs.] I mean, I'm still kind of speechless about it. I feel like maybe it hasn't sunk in — and then you just go on to the next game, or whatever it is. But playing at home, having my family in the stands, especially with the record crowd, was awesome. I think outside of the three goals, it was just an awesome day for the sport and for our team in particular. 

Who did you have in the crowd at the opener?
My parents and my older sister [Anna] and some family friends. My little sister [Emily] plays for the University of Minnesota, and they had a game at the same time, so she wasn't able to make it.

Do all Zumwinkles play a similar brand of hockey?
No, both my sisters play defence. I guess nobody wanted to play offence, except me.

Did you start playing after Anna started?
No, it's actually a funny story. Hockey was never really a part of my family. Then when I was in kindergarten, I went to school, and my kindergarten class crush at the time had a flyer about hockey, and I found out he was going to be joining. And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I want to do it because he's doing it.’ And then I brought the flyer home and my dad went and bought me the little starter equipment kit. We were all signed up, and then the night before the first practice, I sat in my bed crying — I didn't want to go anymore. My dad's like, ‘No, we're going, we've spent all this money.’ I showed up and had never skated before. All these NHL player’s sons were all out there skating around me. I didn't even move the entire practice. When I got off the ice, I looked at my parents and I was like, ‘I was the best one out there.’ My parents didn't want to shatter the confidence. That's how I got into hockey, and my sisters started playing shortly thereafter.

That’s amazing. But living in the State of Hockey, how was this sport not already in your family?
I don't know. My dad played football in college and my mom was a tennis player. And I guess it was just never really in the bloodlines.

You thought you were good in kindergarten, but when did you realize you were actually good?
Probably when I started playing high school hockey, or maybe right before then. Parents and coaches had started going up to my dad and being like, ‘Your daughter has a lot of potential.’ And I think it was something that I always just focused on, what was the next step, what was the next goal I wanted to achieve. I started climbing the ladder of achieving more and more success. I was never one to sit back and look at, ‘Oh, this is what I’ve accomplished.’ It was always, ‘What's the next thing that I want to achieve?’

In 2017 you were named Minnesota Ms. Hockey. Do you get a sash? A parade? What happens?  
Minnesota Ms. Hockey is technically awarded to the best female high-school hockey player, and it's usually when you’re a senior. You’re given a [Minnesota] Wild jersey with your last name and number on it. And then they also have an award for the best goalie of the year. And then you and that person get to announce: ‘Let's play hockey’ [the iconic opening announcement] at the Wild game, whenever they play next.

Do you think the winner might get a PWHL Minnesota jersey going forward?
That's a good question… maybe. I never thought about that. I think the Wild currently sponsor the award, but I can see that changing.

Have you always been No. 13?
No, I was actually No. 4 in high school because it was either that or 39. And then at [the University of] Minnesota I was No. 12. When I made the national team for the first time, 13 was the closest number to 12 that was available. And then [Team USA and Minnesota forward] Kelly Pannek had 12, and I just kind of landed with 13, but it's kind of growing on me. 

Four goals in three games — it hasn’t been bad luck.
Knock on wood.

How would you describe yourself as a player?
I would say I'm a power forward that likes to get to the net and leverage my shot as much as possible. [Zumwinkle’s five shots on net paced Minnesota in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Toronto]. You can't score unless you shoot. I try not to focus on goals necessarily, but I focus on getting shots and generating chances.

If you could take a skill from any of your teammates, what skill would you take?
I think I would take Taylor Heise’s creativity and vision, along with her stickhandling and playmaking abilities.

That’s more than one thing.
[Laughs.] Yeah, that is a lot of things.

How long have you been playing with Heise?
Oh gosh, I want to say we were in seventh grade. We played on AAA teams together. We were on the Team USA under-18 team together. And then she committed to the University of Minnesota and I was already committed there. It was just all these things that have led us together. We’ve always been by each other’s side through everything. It’s been a super-special ride together. [Heise was drafted No. 1 overall by Minnesota, and Zumwinkle was drafted 13^th.] 

What was it like to see your captain, Kendall Coyne Schofield, get her first goal [in Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Toronto]?
It was so special. She's done so much for the league and for the team. And I think everything is just kind of coming full circle, and it’s been awesome to witness it and be a part of it with her. And her coming back, it was her third game after having Drew, her son [born July 1, 2023]. Every time I watch her, she amazes us with her speed, and I think it's just so crazy. She’s picking up right where she left off, and that’s a huge credit to her and how much work she’s put in.

What were your plans after you graduated if this league didn't exist?
You see so many players that continue to play for the national team that were working a side job or coaching, still being involved in the sport. I don't know, I probably would have had a career in finance or something.

Your timing for graduation was perfect. 
Yeah, that's something Taylor Heise and I were talking about the other day: We're so fortunate to be able to graduate from college and come right into this. And obviously everyone across this league has had a different journey getting to this point. If it's college, playing overseas, playing in one of the other leagues that came before. I think we're so lucky to not have had to go through things that other players have had to. And I also think it makes it that much more special when you come into a locker room and it's like everyone comes from a different background, has played in different places before this point.

What do your teammates call you? The full ‘Zumwinkle’?
My last name is one you don’t hear often. Usually I’m called Zum or Zummy, but so is everyone in my family, so sometimes I just get ‘G’ [for Grace]. But Zum and Zummy are the go-tos.

New York is up on Sunday, and your winning streak is on the line.
Yeah, that’s right. They're a very skilled team, and they have a lot of depth, so that's something that we'll definitely have to pay close attention to.

But the win is in the books, right? How many games did you say Minnesota’s streak would last?
Seven or eight, something like that.