The expectation is that the PWHL will continue with aggressive expansion. This year the league will grow from six to eight teams, and the expectation is the league will expand again after the 2025-26 season.
This week however, the idea was floated that the PWHL's next expansion could in fact be four teams, not simply two. Just over a week ago, PWHL executive board member Stan Kasten told the Sports Business Journal that the PWHL is "going to be adding more teams much sooner than other people thought because the demand is there, the players are there.”
While that idea will bring excitement from potential markets, it will also be met with trepidation among existing fans after the impact to rosters during the league's inaugural expansion process.
Still, the interest from potential markets in both Canada and the United States is immense. And it could coincide with what looks to be a generational draft class.
While the fans might be there, are the players? Can the PWHL maintain the level of talent in the league expanding this rapidly?
2026 Draft Will Provide Multiple Teams Worth Of Talent
Coming out of the NCAA, there is more than a team worth of players who can immediately step into PWHL lineups net season. In fact, if you offered a new general manager coming into the league an NCAA roster made entirely of 2026 prospects, they'd likely jump at the opportunity.
Here's a mock lineup that could be made from the 2026 PWHL Draft, considering only NCAA players.
Forward #1: Kirsten Simms - Tessa Janecke - Abbey Murphy
Defence #1: Emma Peschel - Caroline Harvey
Forward #2: Lacey Eden - Elyssa Biederman - Laila Edwards
Defence #2: Nelli Laitinen - Sydney Morrow
Forward #3: Issy Wunder - Sloane Matthews - Sarah Paul
Defence #3: Grace Dwyer - Vivian Jungels
Forward #4: Thea Johansson - Avi Adam - Josephine Bouveng
Defence #4: Tova Henderson
Goaltender: Tia Chan - Michelle Pasiechynk - Hailey MacLeod
This roster leaves out several NCAA standouts, including many who played this summer in the series between Canada's national development team and USA's Collegiate select roster including players like Sara Swiderski, Alyssa Regalado, MaryKate O'Brien, Rhea Hicks, Reichen Kirchmair, Casey Borgiel, Jules Constantinople, Jamie Nelson, Brooke Disher, Lily Shannon and others. It's easy to see that the incoming NCAA cohort could provide players for close to two new franchises alone.
All Eyes On Europe
The most important factor for the PWHL's plans for rapid expansion is to find a way to draw in European players. The league currently features players from Czechia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Russia, and Norway, and that roster of international players is sure to grow following the 2026 Olympics. Many players made the choice to remain in Europe through the 2026 Olympics to ensure they were getting ample ice time leading up to Milano Cortina. With those fears about to disappear, another wave of international players could be incoming. The success of Russian players Anna Shokhina and Fanuza Kadirova who are both signed to play in Ottawa this year, could also open the floodgates for Russia's top players to come to North America. If the top eligible players from Europe came to the PWHL next season, it could add another roster of PWHL-ready players.
Here's a mock lineup that could be made from the 2026 PWHL Draft, considering only European players competing in Europe.
Forward #1: Lara Stalder - Petra Nieminen - Elisa Holopainen
Defence #1: Nadia Mattivi - Sanni Rantala
Forward #2: Viivi Vainikka - Jennina Nylund - Michela Pejzlova
Defence #2: Jenni Hiirikoski - Sara Cajanova
Forward #3: Sofie Lundin - Estelle Duvin - Hanna Thuvik
Defence #3: Maria Batalova - Nina Pirogova
Forward #4: Elin Svensson - Rahel Enzler - Julia Liikala
Defence #4: Anna Shibanova
Goaltender: Andrea Brandli - Ena Nystrom
The list goes well beyond this group including Emily Nix, Emma Forsgren, Valeria Ivanova, Emilia Vesa, Linnéa Johansson, Lara Christen, Ida Kuoppala, Nicole Vallario, Sinja Leeman, Annika Fazokas and others who could all step in and play veteran roles in the middle to bottom half of lineups.
Can The Free Agent Pool Help?
Most of the top free agent invites are going to land roster spots in 2025-26, whether it's experienced veterans like Alexa Vasko and Brooke Bryant, of the handful of undratted NCAA invites.
If the PWHL could manage to entice a return from past players like Noora Tulus, Klara Peslarova, Kassidy Sauve, Gabrielle David, Samantha Cogan, Sarah Bujold, Charlotte Akervik, Akane Shiga, and Noemi Neubauerova, it would help the efforts. There's also a large group of North American and international veterans playing overseas like Lindsay Agnew and Maggie MacEachern who could come over and step in immediately.
Do The Numbers Add Up?
When you look at the player pool available, the numbers add up. The biggest challenge for the PWHL will be to recruit these players and ensure they choose to declare for the draft, and then sign with teams in the league.
The PWHL will also need to recognize that to make this shift, it will significantly impact the talent pool for European clubs reducing the competitiveness of the SDHL and other leagues.
The Risk Of Not Expanding Fast Enough Is Significant
If the PWHL wants to expand by four teams, prior to the 2026-27 season is the time to do it. Waiting beyond the 2026 Draft for expansion would create a catastrophic decline to their player pool as the influx of talent in 2026 would lead to the likely replacement of two existing rosters worth of players, at minimum.
Any "dip" in the depth of the league would be temporary and rectified by the 2027 Draft which will include NCAA players such as Joy Dunne, Emma Pais, Jocelyn Amos, Eve Gascon, Ava McNaughton, Annelies Bergmann, Laney Potter, Ava Murphy, Cassie Hall, and Kelly Gorbatenko. By 2028, the league could look to add another team with incoming talent like Chloe Primerano, Caitlin Kraemer, Maggie Scannell, Claire Murdoch, Emma Venusio, Mackenzie Alexander, Mira Jungaker, Tuva Kandell, Lisa Jonsson, Hannah Clark, Eloise Caron, and others set to take the league by storm. In 2029 the list grows again to include Hilda Svensson, Stryker Zablocki, Maxine Cimeroni, Jenna Raunio, Sanni Vanhanen, Tereza Plosova, Bella Fanale, Adela Sapovalivova, Sara Manness and many more.
The key for the PWHL is to not lose the depth they have by not expanding when the opportunity presents. The 2025 PWHL Draft was the weakest of the three years the league has existed, but 2026 will more than make up for it, and will allow at least two, potentially four new franchises to compete from day one without completely starving the existing teams of talent.