Two of the top players in Europe, Finland's Elisa Holopainen and Emilia Vesa are unlikely to be entering the 2026 PWHL Draft next season after extending their contracts through the 2026-27 season.
After Finland's Petra Nieminen announced her intentions to declare for the 2026 PWHL Draft, the belief was a wave of European players may be following her to the top league in the world.
It appears however, that list will not include Finnish national team veterans Elisa Holopainen and Emilia Vesa.
The duo were among three players to sign contract extensions with Frolunda HC in the SDHL on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old Holopainen is considered one of the top offensive players outside North America. Last season she tied for the SDHL league lead in scoring in her first season in the league with Nieminen. Holopainen recorded 24 goals and 45 points in 36 games to be named league MVP.
Her performance in Europe's top league followed multiple seasons being crowned the Best Player in Finland's Auroraliiga.
Internationally Holopainen has won three bronze and a silver with Finland at the World Championships, and won an Olympic bronze medal in 2022. She'll be a core piece of Finland's roster again this February at the 2026 Olympics.
"Fun, and important – she's one of the league's very best players," Frolunda general manager Kim Martin Hasson said of Holopainen in a translated news release.
Vesa, 24, is a two-way player who uses her 5-foot-10 frame well, but doesn't match the offensive output of players like Nieminen and Holopainen.
Vesa is in her third season in the SDHL, all spent playing for Frolunda. Through 23 games this season she's recorded 13 points. Vesa has three World Championship bronze, and an Olympic bronze medal to her name with Finland.
Holopainen and Vesa join Swiss superstar Lara Stalder as players who can now be scratched off the deep 2026 Draft board.