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One of the most exciting leagues on the rise is the PWHL. That is the Professional Women’s Hockey League, which currently has six teams, but has two new teams joining the league. Half of the league is in Canada, and the other half in the United States. The four franchises north of the border are the Montreal Victoire, Toronto Sceptres, Ottawa Charge, and the new franchise in Vancouver. The four that are in the states are Minnesota Frost, Boston Fleet, New York Sirens, and the new franchise in Seattle. In this year’s playoffs, the Minnesota Frost won again for back-to-back championships. It’s time for the expansion draft, which is like the one in the NHL. Each team is now tasked with signing players, evaluating the protection list, and setting the foundation of their franchises.
The protection lists are for the original six teams that give the two new general managers a chance to build their teams in Seattle’s Meghan Turner and Vancouver’s Cara Gardner Morey. Both general managers have different strategies. Turner, who was the assistant GM in Boston, wants to build a roster that has a good leadership group. On the other hand, in Vancouver, she wants a high-intensity group of players. The signing window opened today at 9 A.M yesterday. and closes on Sunday at 5 P.M. The expansion draft is on Monday at 8:30 P.M. and the entry draft takes place on the 24th at 7 P.M. Both Seattle and Vancouver can sign up to five unprotected players and unrestricted free agents. Here are 12 players who could help the two newest franchises.
The first unprotected player is Hilary Knight, who is the captain of the Boston Fleet. She is also the team captain for Team USA and stays in the running for MVP. Knight was the top scorer for the Fleet and tied Sarah Filler with a league lead of 29 points. One of her setbacks is that at the age of 36, next year will be her last Olympics and full season before she retires. Yesterday, PWHL Seattle announced that forward Hilary Knight has agreed to terms on a one-year Professional Women’s Hockey League Standard Player Agreement to join the team for the 2025-26 season.
The next player is Alex Carpenter of the New York Sirens, who nearly made the near-lock protection list. Carpenter was a major contributor on the first line for the Sirens. She will be a good leader, and she also has Olympic experience, winning two silver medals.
Sarah Nurse of the Toronto Sceptres is one of the most recognizable faces in women’s hockey. She helped Team Canada win a gold medal in 2022. At the age of 30, Nurse is still making a big impact and would be a great player to add to a new franchise.
Erin Ambrose of the Montreal Victoire is one of the premier two-way defensemen and is known for her hockey IQ. Just this past season, Ambrose won the Top Defender award. Even at 31 years of age, she is still a great defenseman who would be a good blue-liner. Even the champs have players on the unprotected list, with both defensemen in Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson. They combined for 40 points during the regular season. The reason that they are both available is because of teammate Lee Stecklein, who had a league-high four goals and eight points.
One of the available goalies is Emerance Maschmeyer, the Ottawa Charge netminder. Last season, she got a standing ovation for making her 1,000th career save. Maschmeyer would shift her address from Ottawa to maybe Vancouver.
The first of the unrestricted free agents is Hannah Miller, who picked the best time to have a standout year. She tied for a league high in power-play points with 13 for Toronto. Miller has Olympic experience with China and played there till 2023. Michela Cava of the Minnesota Frost has been on both championship teams and has played in many different leagues, like a defunct Premier Hockey Federation just two years ago in 2023, in 2022 in the Russian league, and in 2021 in Sweden. Cava is the leading scorer in PWHL playoff history. Another player from the champions is goaltender Maddie Rooney, who is the most accomplished netminder. Rooney helped by having a great three-game series, saving 105 of 108 shots by the Ottawa Charge. She has also been one of the best US goalies.
Tereza Vanisova is another and played for the team that lost in the championship in the Charge. She is known as a clinical finisher who tied for second in the PWHL with 15 goals. Vanisova also leads all skaters with career penalty minutes. These are the types of players every team needs. The last of the players that could impact the PWHL expansion is Kati Tabin, who is a shot blocker who can also score. In the league’s longest playoff game, she skated over 50 minutes. Tabin is a great blue liner and could be a good player to build your defense behind. These are not the only players that are going to help Seattle and Vancouver, and new franchises moving forward in the PWHL.
What are your thoughts on these players at the expansion of the PWHL? Leave a comment below.
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Author Profile
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Director of Operations for NGSC Sports
Covers USF Athletics in Football, Baseball, Lacrosse, and Softball.
Also covered both major and minor league baseball in the Tampa Bay Rays and Clearwater Threshers.
He also covers college football bowl and conference championship games.
It might seem like just covers team sports he also covers both the PGA & LIV Tours and writes and announces for the Pinellas Park High School Patriots in football and basketball.
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