2026 PWHL Draft
4th PWHL Draft
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The 2026 PWHL Draft was the fourth annual draft in the Professional Women's Hockey League, and took place at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan.[1]
DateJune 17, 2026
LocationFox Theatre
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
First selectionCaroline Harvey (Vancouver Goldeneyes)
| 2026 PWHL Draft | |
|---|---|
| |
| General information | |
| Date | June 17, 2026 |
| Location | Fox Theatre Detroit, Michigan |
| Overview | |
| League | Professional Women's Hockey League |
| First selection | Caroline Harvey (Vancouver Goldeneyes) |
Eligibility
The declaration period for the draft opened on March 1, 2026, and closed on May 8. Undrafted players will become free agents; players must declare for the draft to reach free agency. Selected players may re-enter the draft if they are not signed to their draft club after two years. No player may declare for more than two drafts.[2]
Top prospects
Top skaters
- Source: The Hockey News (April 25, 2026) ranking.[3]
| Ranking | Player | School/club team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Caroline Harvey (D) |
Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 2 | Abbey Murphy (RW) |
Minnesota (NCAA) |
| 3 | Laila Edwards (D/RW) |
Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 4 | Tessa Janecke (C) |
Penn State (NCAA) |
| 5 |  Nelli Laitinen (D) |
Minnesota (NCAA) |
| 6 | Kirsten Simms (LW) |
Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 7 | Lacey Eden (RW) |
Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 8 | Emma Peschel (D) |
Ohio State (NCAA) |
| 9 |  Issy Wunder (C) |
Princeton (NCAA) |
| 10 | Sydney Morrow (D) |
Minnesota (NCAA) |
Top goaltenders
- Source: The Hockey News (April 25, 2026) ranking.[3]
| Ranking | Player | School/club team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Andrea Brändli |
Frolunda (SDHL) |
| 2 |  Tia Chan |
UConn (NCAA) |
| 3 | Hailey MacLeod |
Ohio State (NCAA) |
Expansion
The PWHL expanded by four new teams for the 2026–27 season, creating teams in Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose.
Protected lists and Expansion Player Distribution Process
The league created a six-phase expansion process for existing teams to protect some players, and for expansion teams to sign players. Phase 1, which was June 2–3, allowed existing teams to sign and protect three players. Phase 2, from June 5–8, allows expansion teams to acquire five players from existing teams. Phase 3, June 10–12, allows unsigned and unprotected players to negotiate with all teams. Phase 4, June 14–15, will see expansion teams build their rosters to reach 10 players. Phase 5, June 16 and 18, allows existing teams to negotiate with and sign their own remaining players on expiring contracts. Finally, Phase 6 (after June 18) allows all remaining eligible players on expiring contracts to sign with any team.[4]
Protected players
Signed players
Format
The top selection in the draft was determined by the Gold Plan, where standings points accumulated by a team that can no longer make the playoffs count as draft order points, and the team with the most draft order points received the first overall selection.[11]
Draft order
On June 15, 2026, the PWHL announced the draft order of selection.[12]
| Order | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver Goldeneyes |
| 2 | Seattle Torrent |
| 3 | PWHL Detroit |
| 4 | PWHL San Jose |
| 5 | PWHL Las Vegas |
| 6 | PWHL Hamilton |
| 7 | New York Sirens |
| 8 | Toronto Sceptres |
| 9 | Minnesota Frost |
| 10 | Boston Fleet |
| 11 | Ottawa Charge |
| 12 | Montreal Victoire |
Selections by round
Round one
| # | Player | Nationality | PWHL team | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caroline Harvey (D) |  United States |
Vancouver Goldeneyes | Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 2 | Abbey Murphy (F) | United States |
Seattle Torrent | Minnesota (NCAA) |
| 3 | Tessa Janecke (F) | United States |
PWHL Las Vegas (from Detroit) [Trade 1] | Penn State (NCAA) |
| 4 | Laila Edwards (D) | United States |
PWHL San Jose | Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 5 | Lacey Eden (F) | United States |
PWHL Las Vegas | Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 6 | Nelli Laitinen (D) | Finland |
PWHL Hamilton | Minnesota (NCAA) |
| 7 | Emma Peschel (D) | United States |
New York Sirens | Ohio State (NCAA) |
| 8 | Kirsten Simms (F) | United States |
Toronto Sceptres | Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 9 | Sara Swiderski (D) | Canada |
Minnesota Frost | Ohio State (NCAA) |
| 10 | Grace Dwyer (D) | United States |
Boston Fleet | Cornell (NCAA) |
| 11 | Vivian Jungels (D) | United States |
Ottawa Charge | Wisconsin (NCAA) |
| 12 | Petra Nieminen (F) | Finland |
Montreal Victoire | Luleå (SDHL) |
Round two
| # | Player | Nationality | PWHL team | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Issy Wunder (F) | Canada |
PWHL Las Vegas (from Vancouver)[Trade 2] | Princeton (NCAA) |
| 14 | Sydney Morrow (D) | United States |
Seattle Torrent | Minnesota (NCAA) |
| 15 | Andrea Brändli (G) | Switzerland |
PWHL Detroit | Frölunda HC (SDHL) |
| 16 | Sloane Matthews (F) | United States |
PWHL San Jose | Ohio State (NCAA) |
| 17 | Thea Johansson (F) |  Sweden |
Vancouver Goldeneyes (from Las Vegas)[Trade 2] | Minnesota Duluth (NCAA) |
| 18 | Jade Iginla (F) | Canada |
PWHL Hamilton | Brown (NCAA) |
| 19 | Elisa Holopainen (F) | Finland |
New York Sirens | Frölunda HC (SDHL) |
| 20 | Jamie Nelson (F) | United States |
Toronto Sceptres | Minnesota (NCAA) |
| 21 | Viivi Vainikka (F) | Finland |
Minnesota Frost | Brynäs (SDHL) |
| 22 | Casey Borgiel (D) | United States |
PWHL Detroit (from Boston)[Trade 3] | Colgate (NCAA) |
| 23 | Jordan Ray (F) | United States |
Ottawa Charge | Yale (NCAA) |
| 24 | Avi Adam (F) | Canada |
Montreal Victoire | Cornell (NCAA) |
Round three
| # | Player | Nationality | PWHL team | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Jules Constantinople (D) | United States |
Vancouver Goldeneyes | Northeastern (NCAA) |
| 26 | Emerson Jarvis (F) | Canada |
Seattle Torrent | Quinnipiac (NCAA) |
| 27 | Leah Stecker (D) | United States |
Boston Fleet (from Detroit)[Trade 3] | Penn State (NCAA) |
| 28 | Tia Chan (G) | China |
PWHL San Jose | Connecticut (NCAA) |
| 29 | Josefin Bouveng (F) | Sweden |
PWHL Las Vegas | Minnesota (NCAA) |
| 30 | Elyssa Biederman (F) | United States |
PWHL Hamilton | Colgate (NCAA) |
| 31 | Carina DiAntonio (F) | Canada |
New York Sirens | Yale (NCAA) |
| 32 | Brooke Disher (D) | Canada |
Toronto Sceptres | Ohio State (NCAA) |
| 33 | Madelyn Christian (F) | United States |
Minnesota Frost | Penn State (NCAA) |
| 34 | MK O'Brien (F) | United States |
PWHL Detroit (from Boston)[Trade 3] | Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA) |
| 35 | Tereza Pištěková (F) |  Czech Republic |
Ottawa Charge | SDE Hockey (SDHL) |
| 36 | Zoe Uens (D) | Canada |
Montreal Victoire | Quinnipiac (NCAA) |
Round four
| # | Player | Nationality | PWHL team | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | Katie DeSa (G) | United States |
Vancouver Goldeneyes | Penn State (NCAA) |
| 38 | Grace Elliott (F) | Canada |
Seattle Torrent | University of British Columbia (U Sports) |
| 39 | Kyla Josifovic (F) | Canada |
PWHL Detroit | Connecticut Huskies (NCAA) |
| 40 | Lily Shannon (F) | United States |
PWHL San Jose | Northeastern Huskies (NCAA) |
| 41 | Saskia Maurer (G) | Switzerland |
PWHL Las Vegas | SC Bern (Switzerland) |
| 42 | Megan Woodworth (F) | Canada |
PWHL Hamilton | Connecticut Huskies (NCAA) |
| 43 | Katelyn Roberts (F) | United States |
New York Sirens | Penn State (NCAA) |
| 44 | Jane Kuehl (F) | United States |
Toronto Sceptres | Princeton Tigers (NCAA) |
| 45 | Tova Henderson (D) | Canada |
Minnesota Frost | Minnesota Duluth (NCAA) |
| 46 | Jaden Bogden (F) | Canada |
Boston Fleet | Northeastern Huskies (NCAA) |
| 47 | Tory Mariano (D) | United States |
Ottawa Charge | Northeastern (NCAA) |
| 48 | Hailey MacLeod (G) | Canada |
Montreal Victoire | Ohio State (NCAA) |
Round five
| # | Player | Nationality | PWHL team | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | Kendall Butze (D) | United States |
PWHL Las Vegas (from Vancouver)[Trade 2] | Penn State (NCAA) |
| 50 | Gracie Gilkyson (D) | Canada |
Seattle Torrent | Yale (NCAA) |
| 51 | Sena Catterall (F) | Canada |
PWHL Detroit | Clarkson (NCAA) |
| 52 | McKenna Van Gelder (F) | Canada |
PWHL San Jose | Cornell (NCAA) |
| 53 | Alexis Petford (F) | Canada |
PWHL Las Vegas | Colgate (NCAA) |
| 54 | Emma-Sofie Nordström (G) |  Denmark |
PWHL Hamilton | St. Lawrence (NCAA) |
| 55 | Grace Wolfe (D) | United States |
New York Sirens | St. Cloud State (NCAA) |
| 56 | Emerson O'Leary (F) | United States |
Toronto Sceptres | Princeton (NCAA) |
| 57 | Darya Gredzen (G) |  Russia |
Minnesota Frost | Biryusa Krasnoyarsk (ZhHL) |
| 58 | Jenna Goodwin (F) | Canada |
Boston Fleet | Frölunda HC (SDHL) |
| 59 | Neena Brick (F) | Canada |
Ottawa Charge | MoDo (SDHL) |
| 60 | Erica Rieder (D) | Canada |
Montreal Victoire | Luleå (SDHL) |
Round six
| # | Player | Nationality | PWHL team | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | Ashley Messier (D) | United States |
Vancouver Goldeneyes | Minnesota Duluth (NCAA) |
| 62 | Gabriella Durante (G) |  Italy |
Seattle Torrent | Real Torino (IHLW) |
| 63 | Georgia Schiff (F) | United States |
PWHL Detroit | Cornell (NCAA) |
| 64 | Reichen Kirchmair (F) | Canada |
PWHL San Jose | Providence (NCAA) |
| 65 | Sydney Healey (F) | Canada |
PWHL Las Vegas | Boston University (NCAA) |
| 66 | Mya Vaslet (F) | Canada |
PWHL Hamilton | Penn State (NCAA) |
| 67 | Naomi Boucher (F) | Canada |
New York Sirens | Yale (NCAA) |
| 68 | Alyssa Regalado (D) | Canada |
Toronto Sceptres | Cornell (NCAA) |
| 69 | Lara Beecher (F) | United States |
Minnesota Frost | Clarkson (NCAA) |
| 70 | Maeve Kelly (D) | United States |
Boston Fleet | Boston University (NCAA) |
| 71 | Taylor Otremba (F) | United States |
Ottawa Charge | Minnesota State (NCAA) |
| 72 | Émilie Lavoie (F) | Canada |
Montreal Victoire | Concordia (U Sports) |
Trade notes
- Detroit → Las Vegas. Detroit's first-round pick went to Las Vegas as the result of a trade on June 15, 2026, that sent a first-round pick (3rd overall) to Las Vegas in exchange for Hilary Knight.
- Vancouver → Las Vegas. Vancouvers second-round pick went to Las Vegas as the result of a trade on June 17, 2026, that sent a second-round pick (13th overall) and fifth-round pick (49th overall) to Las Vegas in exchange for a second-round pick (17th overall) and Abby Boreen.
- Boston → Detroit. Boston's second-round pick went to Detroit as the result of a trade on June 16, 2026, that sent a second-round pick (22nd overall) and third-round pick (34th overall) to Detroit in exchange for a third-round pick (27th overall) and Ella Huber.