DETROIT — Boston Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel was named MVP of the 2025-26 PWHL season Tuesday night, becoming the first netminder to win the award in the league’s short history.Frankel finished ahead of Montreal goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens and Minnesota forward Kelly Pannek, who paced the league in both goals (16) and points (33) this season.The award was presented to Frankel by tennis legend and PWHL advisory board member Billie Jean King, who is also the MVP trophy’s namesake.The 27-year-old Frankel was steady all year, helping lead the Fleet to a second-place finish in the regular season. Her 19 wins — including 14 in regulation — co-lead the league with Desbiens and set a new single-season record. Frankel led the league with eight shutouts, double the previous single-season high. She also set new benchmarks with three consecutive shutouts and a clean streak spanning 226:09, and finished with a record 18 starts with one or fewer goals against.Desbiens, who earned her first MVP finalist nod this season, led all goalies with an absurd 1.11 goals-against average and .955 save percentage. Frankel wasn’t far behind, however, setting new career highs with a 1.17 goals against average and .953 save percentage. That Montreal had so much firepower at the top of the lineup, led by 2025 MVP Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Abby Roque, likely cannibalized some of Desbiens’ MVP case.Frankel also won her first Goaltender of the Year award, after being a top-three finalist in three consecutive seasons. This year, she beat Desbiens and Ottawa goalie Gwyneth Philips.