Orchard Park’s Brooke Becker takes next step as she prepares for PWHL career
- Joe Kraus
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
Former FLOP, Providence defenseman picked by two-time champion Minnesota
Brooke Becker knew she wanted to keep playing. She just didn’t know how fast everything would change with a single announcement.
Becker accomplished plenty in her hockey career up to this point, ranging from winning a state championship with Frontier/Lake Shore/Orchard Park (FLOP) seven years ago to wrapping up a five-year run at Providence in March. And although there were requests for her to compete professionally in Sweden, Becker wanted to throw her name in the ring and pursue the Professional Women’s Hockey League, located in the United States and Canada.
Becker was selected as the 46th overall pick by the Minnesota Frost during the sixth round of the 2025 PWHL Draft on June 24 in Ottawa, Ontario. Now, the 23-year-old Orchard Park resident is determined to take her game to the next level, with the two-time league champions set to start training camp in November.
“I felt like I was still at the top of my game at Providence,” Becker said. “I felt like I still had more to do and I didn’t want to just leave it there and not even try. Regardless, I was going to try and put my name in, so that’s kind of where I sit with that. I just couldn’t fight the itch, to just throw my name in and hope and pray that something would happen. And thankfully, it did.”
Entering the draft, Minnesota wanted to continue building its roster. Becker’s selection could be a good fit for the Frost, with her strong sense of puck movement and ice awareness providing another option of a defenseman with offensive flare to her game.
After tallying 136 points in 101 games with FLOP in the Federation, Becker recorded 18 goals and 58 assists (76 points total) with Providence. Defensively, Becker grew into one of the top shot blockers for the Friars on the blue-line, stopping at least 25 attempts in each of her last four seasons, including a career-high 43 last season, the second-highest on the team.
Improving her footwork and stick positioning have been main aspects of Becker’s year-to-year development, dating back to when she began training in the offseason with former FLOP coach Jim McCarthy in seventh grade. Skating at either Holiday Rink, North Buffalo or Leisure Rink, or doing cardio workouts or Pilates classes, Becker is preparing herself to be whatever kind of player Minnesota wants her to be in the lineup, like Providence wanted.
“I think part of what they’re looking for are some depth players, people that are just solid for them,” Becker said. “They can rely on them, they can put them out there and they don’t have to worry about anything else, right? I think that’s kind of the role that I am hoping and looking to play is just reliable all the time, consistent all the time and just (a) total shutdown defenseman… I’m not saying that there won’t be any offensive aspect to my game, but I think, first and foremost, my job is going to be defense.”
Becker’s growth within the Providence program began during the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020-21 season. It was a season where Becker played in all 21 games for the Friars and recorded the first of only four career games with at least three points during a 4-3 win against Boston University in the Hockey East Tournament quarterfinal on Feb. 28.
But as the accolades grew, including being selected as a Hockey East All-Star in each of her last two seasons, Becker’s physicality helped Providence find success defensively. With Becker in the lineup, the Friars won 91 of 163 games, including 34 games decided by one goal or less.
“She was always strong down low in the corners, but I think, just over time, just understanding stick position and how to separate opponents from the puck were the big things she grew with,” Providence head coach Matt Kelly said. “… If you're the first on the puck, you need body contact and you need separation from the puck. And she started doing that really well. So, teams couldn't really get set up in the offensive zone, especially if she was on someone with the puck, she would take their time and space away, and then put them in the wall. And then we were able to transition to offense.”
As the 16th season of the Federation begins in November, Becker’s draft selection and journey still stands out. Becker is believed to be the only player to have competed in the Federation and was later drafted professionally.
“I think the best thing they can do for themselves as a league is just keep promoting it on social (media) and doing the best they can to make it engaging,” Becker said about the Federation’s growth and future. “Trying their best to advocate for better ice time, better places to play, better practice times. I know that's always been a big, big focus for high school hockey, but I think that'll be key to their success moving forward.”
Five years after graduating from Orchard Park High School, Becker still keeps tabs on her former program, including this season. A 4-1 win over Hamburg/Eden/West Seneca on Feb. 17 helped FFLOP — now including Franklinville — win the Section VI championship and advance to the state semifinal.
On top of her personal training to get ready for life in the PWHL, Becker gives back to the next generation in Western New York. Becker coached a 14-U team in Amherst and worked with some of FLOP’s eighth-graders last season: Brooklyn Forcucci, Peyton Forcucci, Chloe Gearhart, Campbell Rutz, Sophia Quinn and Gabby Sojda.
The connection went further last season as the six skaters visited Becker after competing in a travel tournament in Boston. The visit included showing the group the campus and the team locker room.
“She had the shot, she had all the all the tools, all the intangibles to be able to take it that far and she showed that in her career at Providence,” FLOP head coach Bob Klimowicz said. “… It's one of those pleasures, throughout your lifetime, you hoped that you could eventually coach a player of Brooke’s talent level and from a great person as well.
Sometimes you got the talent and that person is too full of themselves. Not Brooke.”
Feature Image Courtesy/University of Providence Athletics
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