PWHL Detroit has built a roster that followed the formula used by the Seattle Torrent last season. It failed miserably in Seattle. Detroit will hope from different results from similar ingredients, benefiting from a fresh league ecosystem, and an experienced coach.
PWHL Detroit used a familiar formula building their inaugural 2026-27 roster, but they'll be looking to avoid a familiar fate as well.
On paper, Detroit's roster is constructed similarly to how the Seattle Torrent built for 2025-26. Seattle however, floundered from start to finish ending up last overall in the PWHL standings. Many anticipated that Seattle would be not only a playoff team, but a contender for a Walter Cup title.
But it didn't work for Seattle, and it might not work for Detroit.
In many ways, it's more than similar, as Detroit signed Hilary Knight, Hannah Bilka, and Cayla Barnes, who were all members of Seattle last season.
They also built, similar to Seattle, a top heavy forward group with questionable depth, along with a deep, but defensively minded blueline.
Barnes is Detroit's top scoring defender, but she finished 17th among defenders in the PWHL last season, recording eight points in 30 games. In fact, if you add up the offensive totals of Detroit's blueline from last season, you get a grand total of four goals and 18 assists for 22 points. 2026 PWHL Defender of the Year Megan Keller finished her season with seven goals and 22 points herself.
Up front, much like Seattle, Detroit added several talented veterans in Knight, Bilka, Daryl Watts, Britta Curl-Salemme, Jesse Compher, Shiann Darkangelo, and Taylor Girard. They then drafted four forwards in front of 4,000 rowdy home fans at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Similar to Seattle, there was a focus on size for their forward group. It includes 5-foot-10 forwards Compher and Girard, and 5-foot-11 forwards Knight, Darkangelo, and Kyla Josifovic.
The acquisition of Knight ended up costing Detroit the chance to select Laila Edwards or Tessa Janecke at third overall, a result no one could have predicted. No one questions Knight's value, but the chance to add one of those young stars may have been too costly if the option were brought forward today.
In Seattle, the defensively minded blueline and sizeable forward group resulted in a team that couldn't keep up. Detroit won't be the fastest team in the league either. It's an element of their build they'll need to work around, as they do have players who can push the pace sprinkled throughout the lineup.
The similarities between the two clubs have some questioning Detroit's build, which unlike Seattle, will also include a trio of netminders who have never played a minute in the PWHL. Andrea Brändli has the potential to be a starter in the league, but nothing is guaranteed, and Detroit has no safety net behind her, although camp invite Michelle Pasiechnyk could be a surprise steal for the team.
If Detroit has an advantage over Seattle, it's that they'll be geographically central in the league, making travel significantly easier. They're also entering a league with depleted depth across the board. Some markets maintained admirable depth this offseason, but few return with complete rosters at all positions, and some look drained of talent with more question marks than answers.
Last season, Seattle couldn't escape top shutdown pairings, and also suffered their share of injuries. This time around, Detroit should be able to find more favourable match ups, particularly at home, which could allow their top heavy offense to thrive. Similarly, with other teams across the league hoping to capitalize off similar mismatches, Detroit's defensive depth and reliability on the blueline could play in their favour as well.
Perhaps the key difference for Detroit was GM Manon Rheaume's decision to hire a coach with not only experience in the league, but experience in women's hockey in general. Josh Sciba has spent the past two seasons learning the ins and outs of the PWHL as an assistant coach with the New York Sirens. He's also been an assistant for Team USA through their World Championship and Olympic gold medal run the last 12 months. His role included a focus on their offensive group and power play, and USA was dominant in both. It makes the additions of Knight, Curl-Salemme, Bilka, and even Jesse Compher more important as Sciba has a group of familiar faces.
While the builds look similar, with similar flaws, the environment PWHL Detroit is entering differs greatly from the one Seattle experienced.
Will it result in a different result through similar ingredients? PWHL Detroit fans will hope it does.
