When the PWHL hits free agency this year, there will be no shortage of interest from Europe, including from North American born players currently competing overseas.
With players knowing the PWHL is an option, and with a regularly schedule start to the season anticipated for the 2024-2025 season, there's bound to be interest from North American players who have been biding time in Europe. This group includes a handful of defenders who could immediately step in and contribute, as well as a speckling of goaltenders and forwards who could challenge for depth positions.
Here's a look at nine North American players currently competing in Europe who could draw interest from PWHL teams this summer.
Skylar Fontaine, D, ZSC Lions, Switzerland - Only a year ago, Skylar Fontaine was suiting up for USA at the Rivalry Series. That should tell you a little bit about her level of play. Only 25, Fontaine was a four time NCAA All-American, twice being named a First Team All-American, and was the back-to-back-to-back Hockey East Defender of the Year. Prior to Fontaine, Megan Keller won the award two of the previous three seasons. Fontaine is a modern defender who averaged more than a point per game in her final four seasons at Northeastern. She is currently playing with the ZSC Lions in Switzerland, where she was named the 2023 SWHL Defender of the Year and scored the championship clinching goal for the Lions. Fontaine will certainly be a target of most PWHL teams with defensive depth an issue across the league.
Emma Seitz, D, MoDo, Sweden - The back-to-back reigning ECAC Defender of the Year, Seitz is a defender who could immediately upgrade a middle or bottom pairing on almost any team in the PWHL. The Yale grad is intelligent and mobile, and would also make a positive impact on a locker room in the PWHL. Currently Seitz has another year on her deal in the SDHL, but nothing is locked in stone right now in the world of women's hockey. If Seitz, 24, signals she wants to play pro in North America, there will be a lineup for her services.
Lindsay Agnew, D, Frolunda, Sweden - Another name on the defensive wish list for PWHL teams will be Lindsay Agnew, a former captain of Canada's U-18 national team who won a pair of silver medals at the tournament, and later captained Boston College in the NCAA. Her leadership has been recognized througout her career, and Agnew contributes in all areas. She certainly takes care of her own zone first, but as a reliable first pass defender, Agnew will put up the odd point as well.
Kaitlyn Tougas and Ryleigh Houston, F, KRS Shenzhen, China - The duo have starred for KRS in Russia and China in recent seasons, and both have plied their trade in various leagues from the CWHL, SDHL and PWHPA since graduating from the NCAA. Houston has two silver medals with Canada's U-18 national team, and Tougas has flashed her offensive skills everywhere she's gone. Forward positions will be hard to come by, but it's expected there will be significant turnover from the bottom of rosters, and both could find their way into the lineup in the PWHL.
Anneke Linser, F, Djurgardens, Sweden - Linser is a big forward who immediately made her presence known scoring close to a point per game in the SDHL this year. She's flashed some high end potential, which after five consistent years of development at Minnesota-Duluth, and a U-18 World Championship gold medal with USA before that, Linser is already on the radar of teams. It would not be surprising to see her challenging for a bottom six role next year.
Stephanie Neatby, G, Frolunda, Sweden - Goaltending is tough. Currently, only Toronto has a true need for added support in net, and next year they could look for solutions from third netminders in the league, at the draft, or via free agency. Neatby is perhaps the closest it comes from a North American netminder playing in Europe to being a player who could challenge for a backup role in the league. She's had a solid four season run in Sweden, including being named the SDHL's Goalie of the Year in 2021, following her NCAA career at Princeton and a U-18 World Championship silver with Canada. The six-foot netminder fits the trend of bigger goalies in women's hockey, but space is extremely limited in the crease.
Jaycee Magwood, F, Lulea, Sweden - In her fourth season in the SDHL, Magwood is having her best professional season after moving from MoDo to powerhouse Lulea. A veteran out of Canada's USports loop, Magwood would be a mature add to a bottom six. She's more likely to stay in Europe, but might be a player a few PWHL teams kick the tires on this summer.
Shae Demale, F, SDE, Sweden - Keeping with former USports standouts, Demale was a second-team All-Canadian last season and is off to a strong first campaign with SDE. Thinking of the success Jade Downie-Landry and other USports grads are seeing in the PWHL right now, the league should start considering more players from this pathway. Demale put in four stellar seasons at Saint Mary's scoring 109 career points in 101 games, and capped it off last year winning gold with Canada at the Universaide where she totalled 10 points in seven games.
Others to watch: Naomi Rogge, Lauren Dabrowski, Brette Pettet, Shay Maloney, Justine Reyes, Tanner Gates.