Four-team expansion magnifies PWHL draft, defender Caroline Harvey top prospect

The Professional Women’s Hockey League draft Wednesday in Detroit arrives amid unprecedented player movement in the league’s short history.

Expansion teams in Hamilton, Detroit, Las Vegas and San Jose Calif., joining the league in 2026-27 will attempt to flesh out their rosters after each signed an initial 10 women from other PWHL clubs.

The “existing eight” in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Boston, New York and Minnesota want to replenish their ranks with new talent in the six-round draft of 72 players.

A cohort of American NCAA players, who were key cogs for the U.S. in claiming Olympic gold in February, will dominate the opening picks.

The Vancouver Goldeneyes own the first pick after winning the derby between non-playoff teams. Once a team is mathematically eliminated from post-season contention, points earned in remaining regular-season games are “Gold Plan” points determining which club gets the first overall pick.

American defender Caroline Harvey is the top prospect among the 236 players who declared their eligibility for the PWHL’s fourth draft. 

The Seattle Torrent have the second pick as the last-place team in the regular season. 

The four expansion teams were to pick next by randomized drawing, but Detroit gave up the third overall selection to Las Vegas to acquire forward Hilary Knight in a deal finalized on the eve of the draft.

So Las Vegas has both the third and fifth picks, San Jose the fourth and Hamilton the sixth.

Non-playoff teams and playoff teams in inverse order have the New York Sirens picking seventh, the Toronto Sceptres eighth, Minnesota ninth, Boston Fleet 10th, Ottawa Charge 11th and the Walter Cup champion Montreal Victoire 12th.

Alongside Olympic tournament MVP Harvey are her NCAA-champion Wisconsin Badgers teammates Laila Edwards and Kirsten Simms. Minnesota’s Abbey Murphy and Penn State’s Tessa Janecke will also hear their names called early.

There are 23 players available who represented their respective countries in February’s Olympic Games, including Switzerland’s Andrea Braendli, who was named the tournament’s top goalie.

Detroit was the only expansion team not to sign a goalie among its first 10 player acquisitions. 

Canada’s draft-day contingent is eclectic. 

Defender Laura Fortino won Olympic gold (2014) and silver (2018) with Canada and played for host Italy in February. Four-time Olympian and three-time gold medallist Meghan Agosta last played for Canada six years ago.

But also there’s 21-year-old forward Jade Iginla, daughter of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome, who completed her college career at Brown. 

Forward Isabel Wunder (Princeton) and goalie Tia Chan (Connecticut) were both among finalists for this year’s Patty Kazmaier Award. Goalie Hailey MacLeod was a standout at Ohio State.

PWHL rosters are 23 players plus up to three reserves. A capsule look at each team and what their first-pick decisions may look like:

1. Vancouver 

Lost a pair of defenders to expansion, so the addition of Harvey deepens a blue-line that already boasts Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson.

2. Seattle

Will the Torrent go for defender Laila Edwards at No. 2 with the departure of Cayla Barnes for Detroit? But who can resist Abbey Murphy’s elite offensive skills and sandpaper style?

3. Las Vegas 

Acquired the third pick from Detroit for Knight. Either Edwards or Murphy, the first pick for Vegas will be a PWHL star.

4. San Jose

Could use more firepower up front in the form of Janecke, Simms or Lacey Eden.

5. Las Vegas 

Built good bones on defence and brought in players with Walter Cup experience in expansion. Janecke, Simms or Eden a solid complement.

6. Hamilton

Who will complement Nicole Gosling on the top defensive pairing? That might not get answered in the first round. Canada’s newest PWHL team could still get one of the aforementioned big-name forwards. 

7. New York

Lost workhorse goalie Kayle Osborne to Hamilton so Braendli a likely choice.

8. Toronto Sceptres

Departure of top scorer Darryl Watts and forward Jesse Compher for Detroit left urgent need for proven scorers. Finnish forwards Petra Nieminen and Elisa Hopolainen were 1-2 in Swedish league scoring last season.

9. Minnesota

Rebuilding defensive depth key with loss of Mae Batherson and Kendall Cooper to Las Vegas. Finnish defender Nelli Laitinen or Ohio State alum Emma Peschel possible fits.

10. Boston

Lost half of its defenders but also top forward Alina Mueller to expansion, so which position do the Fleet address with their first pick? Laitinen, Peschel or Toronto forward Wunder options.

11. Ottawa

Walter Cup finalists the last two years lost both captain Brianne Jenner and top forward Emily Clark to Hamilton, so Charge look for both presence and production in one player. Nieminen or Hopolainen could work in Ottawa.

12. Montreal

Retained key cogs from championship run, but needs to replace some positional depth. Right-handed defender Sydney Morrow a candidate for the blue-line.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2026.