Nobody will look at the Seattle Torrent's 2026-27 roster and believe they're seeing the next Walter Cup champions. Then again, nobody looked at the Torrent's 2025-26 roster and saw a team they expected to finish last overall. 

And for a team who finished last in their inaugural season, things could, on paper at least, look like they're going to get worse. The team lost captain Hilary Knight, Hannah Bilka, Cayla Barnes, Corinne Schroeder, Megan Carter, Natalie Snodgrass, Mariah Keopple, Brooke Bryant, Jada Habisch, and Sydney Langseth, and traded Jenna Buglioni in the offseason.

But somehow, when you look at the roster the Seattle Torrent are bringing to the ice for the team's second season, the belief is there in many that Seattle will be improved.

Bringing in Abbey Murphy is a major moment for Seattle. She's set to become an elite scorer and presence in this league, and should outproduce any player they lost, if not in year one, by year two for sure. Murphy projects as a top ten scorer in the league, and playing alongside someone like Alex Carpenter is a perfect match as few can play and see the game at the same speed as Murphy, but Carpenter can.

While they lost Barnes and Carter on the blueline, Sydney Morrow brings a unique combination of the skill sets with significant offensive upside, along with a bullish style in puck battles. 

Add in Emerson Jarvis, who plays the game with pace and a relentless nature, combined with the ability to execute highly skilled plays at top speed, and there is some excitement coming to the Torrent roster.

The also picked 6-foot-2 forward Grace Elliott, who has some of the most intriguing upside of any player, and analytical standout Grace Gilkyson on the blueline.

Seattle also signed Emma Nuutinen up front who brings a combination of size and scoring. The 5-foot-10 Finnish Olympian has scored at every level she's played, whether it be the NCAA, PHF, or Auroraliiga where she's averaged more than two points per game over the last three seasons. If Nuutinen, 29, can step in and provide a power play threat, or secondary scoring, it's a major win.

They also signed Czech Olympian Noemi Neubauerova who has PWHL experience, and brings versatility having played forward for most of her career, including with the Toronto Sceptres, before transitioning last year to the blueline with Czechia and overseas.

What didn't work in Seattle during year one went far beyond bad bounces or personal struggles. It was a lesson in chemistry. There were multiple parts to the equation, including Steven O'Rourke's inability to get the talent he had on the same page, and a mix of players collected from around the league that just didn't gel on the ice. Several coaches and GMs across the PWHL believed Seattle's main issue was the combination of personalities they brought in, and the roles they expected to play.

Some of those players remain, some have departed, but the deck has been shuffled. 

What remains is a better mix where roles will be more clearly defined. Last season Seattle had too many players who all believed they were top six forwards, and not enough willing to transition their game into checking line roles. This season, that looks more clear cut. 

Up front they still have Julia Gosling, Carpenter, Murphy, and Danielle Serdachny who are clearly part of their top six. Beyond that there will be honest competition for the final two spots, whether it's Nuutinen, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, Theresa Schafzahl, Gabrielle David, or Jarvis.

One of Seattle's biggest issues in year one for the franchise was the inability or unwillingness to develop young players. In the PWHL, without a farm system, teams must be able to develop their draft picks on the fly, in season. 

Teams that have thrived at that process, like the Minnesota Frost and Ottawa Charge, have stayed competitive, improved as the year went on, and managed to fill voids when they've lost players.

Other teams, like the Seattle Torrent and Toronto Sceptres last season, failed at that process, and they finished the year without finding the same internal growth as other teams.

In Seattle, the Torrent completely buried and stifled the growth of picks like Jenna Buglioni, Lily Delianedis, and Lyndie Lobdell. Coming into this season, only Delianedis, Lobdell, and Hannah Murphy remain members of the Seattle Torrent from their inaugural draft class. 

Lobdell and Delianedis however, are nearly starting from scratch after spending most of the season on the bench. Lobdell was Seattle's seventh defender averaging only 10:04 in ice. Delianedis sat 15th among Seattle forward averaging only 6:55 in the games she played. 

It was massive mismanagement of player development. With a new head coach, Christine Bumstead, taking the lead, and the need to find internal solutions, don't expect a repeat in year two.

While they found skill in the draft, filled roles in free agency, and are entering the 2026-27 season with more defined roles and what looks like a better mix, there are still concerns with Seattle's roster.

Hannah Murphy enters as their unquestioned starter with only 12 career games to her name. She'll need to be healthy and play the bulk of Seattle's games. Behind Murphy, CJ Jackson and Gabriella Durante will fight it out for the backup role. Both will likely get opportunities. Their crease is far from proven, but Murphy has the potential to become a starter in short order.

Blueline depth is another concern in Seattle. They have a serviceable top four, but it's one that lacks the star power some teams are bringing to the ice. Last season Seattle's blueline failed to jumpstart their offense. They lack offensive skill on the blueline, but Morrow should help. It's a serviceable group, but Seattle will need Neubauerova, Lobdell, and Gilkyson to step up with at least one proving they can carry a larger load.

Things didn't go as planned for the Seattle Torrent in their inaugural season. But the Torrent will head into the 2026-27 season with the potential for more. That potential rests in a new head coach, top draft picks, and a new mix with better chemistry. The result should be a team no longer worried about being a basement dweller, and instead worried about fighting for a playoff spot.