With the breakup of the two-time PWHL champions via the expansion draft now complete, Frost general manager Melissa Caruso begins the process of rebuilding what she hopes will be a roster capable of making a run at their third consecutive Walter Cup.

Caruso spoke with the media on Tuesday, the day after the expansion draft, and expressed confidence that the team will be able to fill the holes caused by the loss of defensemen Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson in free agency, and forwards Brooke McQuigge and Denisa Krizova in the expansion draft.

The Frost have their regular draft coming up June 24, and Caruso and head coach Ken Klee expect some current players to accept bigger roles.

“Everything that has happened the past week, it certainly stings,” Caruso said. “It’s tough to watch a team kind of be dismantled a little bit out of your control. But at this point we can start to rebuild.”The Frost do feel as though they “dodged a bullet” when they were able to designate forward Britta Curl-Salemme, 25, as their fourth protected player after losing Jaques and Thompson to Vancouver. Sources say that Curl-Salemme received “significant” free agent offers from both Vancouver and Seattle prior to being protected by the Frost.

Both Caruso and head coach Ken Klee consider Curl-Salemme to be a key player moving forward. She can play center or wing, she can score and she plays a physical style that is in short supply on the current roster.

In protecting Curl-Salemme, the Frost left some other key players exposed, including forwards Kelly Pannek and Grace Zumwinkle, and goaltender Nicole Hensley. The team first protected forwards Kendall Coyne Schofield and Taylor Heise, and defender Lee Stecklein.

“We had various plans in place and contingencies for that fourth spot,” Caruso said. “When it did become time, personally I was watching how these teams were spending their money, and ultimately decided it would be in our best interests to transition a little bit more to the longevity of the team.

“With Britta being one of the top young forwards in the game, we felt we needed to lock her in. We obviously took a huge gamble that some of our more tenured contracts were not going to be selected at that point. Obviously, it all worked out to be able to secure Britta for next season at least.”

Caruso said the league’s $1.3 million salary cap figured into the equation on both sides.

“There were a lot of big contracts on the table for those teams to select,” she said. “I thought we might lose one of those three. Economics did work in our favor in order to keep those three.”

The free agent signing period begins on Monday and runs through the day of the draft. The Frost’s biggest challenge now will be trying to fill the void left by Jaques and Thompson. Both played heavy minutes and were major contributors on offense.

“It’s no secret that we need to rebuild our ‘D’ corps right now,” Caruso said. “I’d say that’s priority No. 1.”

The Frost undoubtedly will use both the draft and free agency. It seems imperative that they add at least one experienced blue liner via free agency.

“We certainly have some money left over to spend here,” Caruso said. “I wouldn’t say we have a ton, but it’s manageable. Hopefully there’s a fair amount of athletes out there who think Minnesota is going to be a great place to play and advance their careers.

“We obviously have a winning culture here, and I think it’s a place where players want to be.”

Mae Batherson, a sixth-round pick in last year’s draft, had a limited role with the Frost this season, but Caruso mentioned her as someone who remains in their plans.

“Hopefully we can lock her in for next season,” Caruso said. “There’s opportunity for development and bigger roles for her.”

The Frost’s top free agent is goaltender Maddie Rooney, and re-signing the Andover native is a priority.

“Conversations are ongoing with her agent,” Caruso said. “We’d love to have her back in Minnesota moving forward.”