Projecting the PWHL expansion draft
The 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft will fill out the rosters for Seattle and Vancouver, but each team already has a foundation. The 10 players inked during the league's exclusive signing window are officially the first faces of the new franchises.
"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity for pro hockey in Seattle," said forward Hilary Knight. "I'd like to think that we do things right when we bet on ourselves. … I think this is another one of those organizations that's going to be extremely successful."
Knight is one of five players signed by Seattle, joining Alex Carpenter, Danielle Serdachny, Cayla Barnes, and Corinne Schroeder in setting the tone for a team and city making its PWHL debut.
New Vancouver players spoke about building both culture and identity from the ground up. "I really see us being a fast, very competitive group who works every single day to push each other to be the best possible players that we can be," said inaugural signee Sarah Nurse.
"We have a lot of work ethic, a lot of talent, a lot of skill, and a lot of heart in this group already." Nurse joins Jennifer Gardiner, Sophie Jaques, Claire Thompson, and Emerance Maschmeyer as the first names on Vancouver's roster.
With the cornerstones in place, attention now turns to who these teams could add next and which unprotected players will become key building blocks.
The following are our projected 12-player rosters for each club and what we consider some of the toughest decisions GMs will face when Monday's draft gets underway.
Seattle pillaged elite talent in the signing window and already gave itself the option to ice a filthy top line. Carpenter could center Knight, an MVP finalist, and Serdachny, the 2024 second overall pick. On the back end, the smooth Barnes and unflappable Schroeder are budding stars at their positions.
Salary cap constraints prevent expansion teams from overloading on high-end big earners, so we expect general manager Meghan Turner to target youth, championship pedigree, and more netminding.
Carpenter and Knight could leave as free agents as early as next summer, but scoring forward Hannah Bilka - Boston's top draft choice in 2024 - can be a centerpiece for years. Brooke McQuigge and Grace Zumwinkle brought power and finishing touch to Minnesota's latest Walter Cup team. The right-shooting Ashton Bell played a leading defensive role as Ottawa surged to the final.
We think Turner, Boston's former assistant GM, will swipe all four skaters lost by the Fleet. That group includes Daniela Pejsova, whose six years of pro experience in Sweden mask the fact that she's one of the league's youngest players.
And we see New York paying the price for declining to protect a goalie. Seattle winds up with Schroeder and backup Kayle Osborne, whose combined save percentage for the Sirens last season was .918.
Second-line center is a void to fill in the June 24 entry draft or free agency. - Nick Faris
Vancouver came up big in the signing window, landing a veteran goaltending talent in Maschmeyer and a veritable star and goal-scorer in Nurse, who can hold the team to high standards and use her profile to build a fan base. Similarly, Gardiner hails from Surrey, B.C., and can give the local fans a homegrown talent to root for. Canadian Olympian Emma Maltais could round out Vancouver's top line with her aggressive and relentless approach.
Although the PWHLPA voted to make salaries transparent, that move hasn't taken effect. Still, we can be sure that Vancouver's early signees will take up the lion's share of the cap space, which might leave GM Cara Gardner Morey looking for a bargain to fill in the depth and defense.
That's where upcoming talent could prove valuable for Vancouver. Former Patty Kazmaier winner Izzy Daniel, coming off an impressive rookie year in Toronto, would have the potential to move up and down the lineup, contributing minutes to the top line when needed or strengthening Vancouver's depth.
Defensively, Vancouver already has incredible anchors in Jaques and Thompson, but the club has to properly build around them to avoid squandering such a coup. Toronto's Megan Carter immediately comes to mind as someone who can take care of the puck and pair with either top defender, providing that extra layer of focus.
Ottawa's Aneta Tejralova would also be a solid choice for the same reasons. Her versatility allows her to excel in various situations, and she can absorb big minutes. The same goes for Anna Wilgren, who can play a disciplined game while complementing the style of a puck-moving defender.
Vancouver can add a No. 2 goalie through free agency or in the entry draft. -Jolene Latimer
Jolene Latimer and Nick Faris cover the PWHL for theScore.