It's no wonder that Princeton's Issy Wunder will be a top prospect for the 2026 PWHL Draft, and is set to become one of the league's rising young talents.
Issy Wunder has a big impact on the ice. The 5-foot-11 right shot forward put up big numbers in the NCAA with Princeton the past two seasons scoring 93 points in 66 games during her junior and senior seasons.
It's why it's no wonder that Wunder is set to be a top pick at the 2026 PWHL Draft and immediately step into sizeable expectations at the pro ranks. Having watched the PWHL grow the past three seasons, Wunder is excited to enter the league alongside the best in the world.
"I could not be more excited about what the PWHL offers as a league, both for the women getting to play in it and for the fans worldwide," she said. "The fact that young girls get to grow up watching women play hockey on their televisions, on social media, and at the rink, offers a huge opportunity to inspire the next generation of female hockey players and grow the game globally."
Wunder, expected to be a late first round pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft, will be entering in what many are calling a generational draft class featuring Olympic gold medalists Caroline Harvey, Laila Edwards, Abbey Murphy, Tessa Janecke, and Kirsten Simms, the NCAA's leading scorer and two-time World Champion Lacey Eden, and European Olympians Petra Nieminen, Viivi Vainikka, Nelli Laitinen, Thea Johansson, Josefin Bouveng, Andrea Brandli and many others.
"The chance to play in the league would be a true honour and dream come true, because if it weren’t for the trailblazing women who came before us and worked so hard to make this a possibility, women’s hockey wouldn’t be where it is today," says Wunder. "I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to give back to the sport and community that has done so much for me over the course of my lifetime."Is
Immediate Impact Wunder's Goal
Coming from the same program that produced PWHL stars like Sarah Fillier and Claire Thompson, and contributors like Mariah Keopple and Maggie Connos, Wunder knows what's possible in the PWHL and she's ready to step in and make an immediate impact herself.
"My goal for next season on the ice is to make an immediate impact for my team," she said. "This is such a strong league with so many talented players, and I am excited for the chance to play and learn from the best. I know that the pace of play and physicality is an adjustment from college, so I will be working hard all summer to prepare myself, and make sure I am ready to compete every day in practice to help the team succeed. Whatever role that may be in, I will be excited to tackle it and put my best foot forward."
Without knowing where she'll go in the PWHL Draft, the Toronto product and former Durham West Lightning captain is set to embrace whichever market she lands in, and hit the ice in full stride.
"I am also thrilled about getting to potentially play and live in a new city, explore a new place, meet new people and experience new things. Each of the PWHL teams are in such renowned and cool cities, which offer so much history and culture off the ice to embrace," said Wunder. "I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know the fans, youth teams, and community wherever I end up, and really make the most of my time as a professional hockey player to maximize success on the ice, while giving back off the ice. "
Already an ambassador for the game, Wunder is the type of player and person who a PWHL team and fan base will embrace immediately. And bringing her heavy yet skilled game to the league, with the potential to hit the ice as an immediate contributor will help her case further. When the 2026-27 PWHL season commences, wherever Issy Wunder calls home, it will be no wonder to see her flourish as a rookie to pro hockey.