Each PWHL team is set to relinquish four players in the upcoming PWHL expansion draft and exclusive signing window.

It will reshape the six existing rosters, and provide the base for the PWHL's two newest teams in Seattle and Vancouver.

In essence, each existing PWHL team will need to identify six players that they'd ideally like to protect. From that group, each PWHL team will be able to keep four, and risk losing the others. It doesn't mean that will happen without question. For example, in Toronto, if Vancouver were to pursue Hannah Miller in the exclusive signing window instead of (perhaps more wisely) waiting until league-wide free agency, Toronto would be able to keep an extra player from their top six list. 

From each team's top six, they'll get to initially protect three. They'll then lose two, before they can protect one final player. Here's a look at the top six for each PWHL team, where it's most likely four will stay, and two will go. We also list a Wildcard Player for each team.

Boston Fleet

1. Aerin Frankel - She's their starter, their backbone, and perennially one of the top three netminders in the PWHL. Frankel is a goalie you can't afford to lose.
2. Hilary Knight - With time running out on her career, Boston could choose to look to the future and protect one or both of Muller and Bilka, but don't count on it. Exposing the league's leading scorer just isn't happening, no matter where she is in her career.
3. Alina Muller - The fact Boston will be guaranteed to lose Muller and/or Bilka hurts. The league's decision to allow all of their young draft picks to face immediate shuffling isn't good for development. Muller led Boston in scoring in year one, and when healthy this year, was perhaps their most impactful player. If it wasn't for their lack of puck moving talent on the blueline, Muller would be a lock to be protected.
4. Megan Keller - Given the lack of depth at the position in the league, particularly when it comes to elite puck moving defenders, expect Boston to protect Megan Keller. She remains one of the top four blueliners in this league.
5. Hannah Bilka - Made a significant difference in Boston this year, but it was almost certainly a one and done for the fourth overall pick in the 2024 PWHL Draft as she's destined for an expansion team unless an act of God happens.
6. Daniela Pejsova - Some might debate this pick given Boston's lack of use of Pejsova this year. Given a better shot, Pejsova certainly has the potential to take a massive step forward and become an elite defender in this league...whether it's in Boston or elsewhere.

Boston's Wildcard: Susanna Tapani can't be protected, but she could be signed. The only hope Boston has of keeping their top young players is if a team wants Tapani bad enough to sign her in free agency. She'll certainly have plenty of suitors come league-wide free agency, including Boston. The Fleet need to find a way to keep Tapani, but losing her could also be a blessing in disguise if it happens in the exclusive signing window.

Minnesota Frost

1. Taylor Heise - Don't expect the Frost to expose the first ever first overall pick. Heise remains one of the top players in the league, and one of the most offensively gifted players in the world. Her career is still ahead of her, and she is Minnesota's franchise player.
2. Kendall Coyne Schofield - Minnesota's highest paid player is unlikely to go anywhere. She provides speed and saw her offensive output improve this year. Coyne Schofield still has plenty of gas in the tank. When she retires, it will be her choice, not her ability that drives the decision.
3. Lee Stecklein - This is the most difficult pick in Minnesota. Stecklein still has 4-5 good seasons of hockey ahead before an expected decline will happen. In fact, her game looks to be taking new life with Stecklein choosing to push herself offensively at the tail end of the season. No player in Minnesota plays more, and defenders like Stecklein who can shut down top opponents are hard to find.
4. Sophie Jaques - One of the top offensive threats in the PWHL at any position, Jaques won't last long in the expansion process if she's left unprotected. Her game continues to get better since arriving in Minnesota, and there's no telling where her offensive output will max out.
5. Claire Thompson - Minnesota fans won't be happy about this, but the 2024 third overall pick is as good as gone. Vancouver will likely push hard for her in the exclusive signing window since her former Princeton coach Cara Gardner Morey is now general manager there. Thompson never expected to be in Minnesota, and she likely won't be next season. She remains an elite offensive defender.
6. Britta Curl-Salemme - Love her or hate her, Curl-Salemme is a fantastic hockey player. She's powerful, skilled, and clutch. Getting her physicality under control is the next step, and one that is necessary before it hurts her team, and the league. There's a gamble here where a new market might not be pleased to gain Curl-Salemme, but they won't want to play against her either.

Minnesota's Wildcard: Nicole Hensley isn't Minnesota's starter. That role was grabbed by Maddie Rooney this offseason. The problem is, Rooney is a free agent, and if she likes what she hears in the exclusive signing window, it wouldn't be surprising to see Rooney take a slight raise, something Minnesota might not be able to offer, to go out West and start. How the expansion teams approach their crease will be one of the biggest points to watch, but how Minnesota approaches the chance of being without a goalie is another.

Montreal Victoire

1. Marie-Philip Poulin - You don't expose the best all-around player on the planet. You just don't. Few impact the game like Poulin, and she's the heart and soul of not only women's hockey in Quebec, but in Canada.
2. Ann-Renee Desbiens - What a spectacular season for Desbiens. She sat at or near the top of the PWHL in every statistical category from start to finish. She showed there's no sign the veteran's game is slowing down.
3. Cayla Barnes - As much as splitting up Poulin and Laura Stacey would be an unpopular decision, allowing both Barnes and Erin Ambrose to be scooped in expansion would be a devastating blow to Montreal. They'd face depth issues up front, and on the blueline, and become even more reliant on a small number of players. Protecting one of two defenders makes sense, even if it doesn't happen.
4. Laura Stacey - One of the quintessential power forwards in the game, Stacey brings strength, speed, and scoring ability to Montreal. It would be a significant blow to Montreal to lose Stacey, and she's likely one of their protected players, but Montreal might get a chance to keep her if the free agency period doesn't go their way even if she's left unprotected.
5. Erin Ambrose - A cerebral player who was the league's inaugural Defender of the Year, Ambrose is a top pairing defender on any team in this league. She's the type of player you can't get in expansion, but Montreal is destined to lose one or both of their top two D, and Ambrose would be a huge grab for either new team.
6. Jennifer Gardiner - Fans place a lot of focus on Gardiner being from British Columbia. The job of Gadner Morey in Vancouver however, is building the best possible team. Locals will come to Vancouver when they can, and that might mean a few more seasons of waiting for Gardiner. If Vancouver however, aims at younger players, Gardiner could be in the mix. Montreal might get lucky by getting to protect Gardiner with their fourth slot.

Montreal's Wildcard: If Montreal does lose one of both of their top pairing defenders, and if Mariah Keopple gets grabbed by her former coach in Vancouver via free agency after expansion, Montreal might opt to protect Anna Wilgren with their fourth slot. It's unlikely, but there's a legitimate risk Montreal could lose Ambrose and Barnes in expansion, and Keopple, Dominika Laskova, and Kati Tabin in free agency. 

New York Sirens

1. Sarah Fillier - This is a precarious situation. With expansion done, and big contracts expiring after next season, there's a realistic risk Fillier digs in and only signs for one season again. Still, you have to protect the PWHL's co-leading scorer and likely consensus Rookie of the Year. She's too valuable, and all New York can do now is protect her, and hope enough salary goes out in expansion that they can lock her in on a multi-year deal.
2. Alex Carpenter - New York's defensive depth, and lack of scoring up front means they need to lock in as much of their offensive punch as possible. Alex Carpenter and Sarah Fillier had impeccable chemistry this year, and protecting the duo could mean New York has the best first line in the league next year.
3. Corinne Schroeder - This is no guarantee. It's also impossible to say that Schroeder is not regularly New York's most valuable player. She has kept them in games where they had no business being. At the same time, if New York thinks they can get by with Kayle Osborne, Schroeder will likely be exposed, and selected. She's too good for an expansion team to pass, and too good not to consider protecting. If they lose Schroeder, watch for New York to selected Hannah Murphy, a Colgate connection of head coach Greg Fargo, in the draft.
4. Ella Shelton - As much as New York has a healthy selection of defenders, they might choose to protect Ella Shelton to ensure they have a two-way threat on the back end. Shelton is one of Canada's best, and if they think they can survive without Schroeder, Shelton is the obvious pick to protect.
5. Micah Zandee-Hart - Not to play into the geograph schtick, but Zandee-Hart is from British Columbia and would likely be interested in heading home. But she's New York's captain, and led the team in time on ice this season. Her game really blossomed in her first full season in the league after missing most of the inaugural season with injury.
6. Jessie Eldridge - She manages to produce in almost every situation, and on an offensively starved roster, it wouldn't be surprising to see New York attempt to protect Eldridge with their fourth slot. It's either Eldridge or Roque, and the team can expect to lose the other.

New York's Wildcard - It isn't because they'd consider protecting her, it's because they might consider not protecting Corinne Schroeder if New York believes Kayle Osborne can be a starter. Abbey Levy hasn't panned out and likely should be let go unless she remains as a third. Osborne is more of a tandem goalie at this point, so watch for New York to target a goalie in the draft or free agency to pair with Osborne if it's the direction they choose.

Ottawa Charge

1. Gwyneth Philips - Protect Philips at all costs. It means risking losing Emerance Maschmeyer in expansion, and truly, having Vancouver or Seattle select Maschmeyer could be a blessing allowing Ottawa to pursue free agents to fill any hole that forms in expansion. Philips has turned into a shining star in this league. She was lights out in Ottawa's run to the Walter Cup finals.
2. Emily Clark - No forward has been as consistent in regular season and playoff action as Clark, and few are as integral to the identity of Ottawa's fan base. Clark has plenty of runway left on her career, and provides scoring, defensive acumen, speed, and in the eyes of Ottawa fans, she's a beloved member of their community, and a quality person.
3. Ashton Bell - If you didn't think Ashton Bell was the pick to protect, her playoff performance may have changed that. Bell came into the PWHL known for her offensive upside and ability to transport the puck. She's shown this season she's so much more including an elite shot blocker who can play a shutdown role.
4. Gabbie Hughes - Ottawa views Gabbie Hughes as the heart of their lineup. She provides character, is physically capable, can score, and makes their team harder to play against. She may never be a top five scorer in the league, but Hughes brings so many intangibles to the table, that Ottawa will likely want to protect her with their fourth slot if they can.
5. Aneta Tejralova - Ottawa's blueline was effective by committee, but also struggled to move pucks up ice cleanly at times. One of their better and more consistent blueliners this season was Aneta Tejralova. She played big minutes in all situations, and if Ottawa needs a solid two-way defender who doesn't break the bank, she's the perfect player.
6. Ronja Savolainen - Locking in Savolainen for three years shows Ottawa's commitment and belief in the blueliner. She got better every game, and next season should have an impact similar to Megan Keller, who plays a style that mirrors the big Finn.

Ottawa's Wildcard(s) - It was hard to put just one here as Ottawa will be watching several players, from captain Brianne Jenner and veteran Jocelyne Larocque, to goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer, and also rookie Danielle Serdachny. There have been a few instances where teams have struggled to develop their young stars, whether it was Boston with Sophie Jaques and Daniela Pejsova, or Toronto with Julia Gosling. Watching Ottawa's lack of trust in Serdachny grow to where she was one of their least utilized forwards, including playing players who started the year as reserves more than her in the playoffs, it might be best for Serdachny to go somewhere else. She's a star in the making, but her confidence can't be beaming based on how Ottawa deployed her this year. Will the expansion teams see past her numbers to the potential waiting for a big time boost next year?

Toronto Sceptres

1. Renata Fast - The best defender in pro women's hockey without rival. It won't be until Caroline Harvey arrives in the PWHL that Fast will have legitimate competition for that moniker. She's a top three blueliner in the world even on her off night's. 
2. Daryl Watts - What's was Toronto's best forward this season dazzling with her speed, skill, and tenacity. She also comes at an extremely discounted price which goes a long way in terms of Toronto's roster building efforts.
3. Sarah Nurse - Toronto needs a healthy Sarah Nurse to boost this offense. This year, it was Hannah Miller and Watts who carried the Sceptres, while their year one stars took a slide. Nurse put up decent numbers despite missing nearly half the year. It's too much of a risk to lose her on and off-ice star power.
4. Blayre Turnbull - Exposing your captain, a physical presence, and two-way pivot is a decision no team wants to make. But Toronto doesn't have many options. They are going to lose at least four excellent players this offseason.
5. Savannah Harmon - It would be a very steep price to pay to lose Harmon for nothing after trading away Jocelyne Larocque for the mobile defender. She slotted into Toronto's top pairing. Harmon underperformed all season, but it was likely an aberration.
6. Emma Maltais - In year one, Maltais drove so many opportunities for Toronto through her persistence and playmaking. She also played a valuable role on special teams. Expansion teams will be frothing at the chance to steal a young player of Maltais' calibre. Can Toronto keep her?

Toronto's Wildcard: This could be a two horse race. Will Toronto accept the loss of first round pick Julia Gosling whose upside wasn't even explored this season to let her thrive elsewhere? The bigger question is, if Toronto does decide to protect a second defender after Fast, will it be Harmon or assistant captain Allie Munroe. Munroe is as underrated as they come in the PWHL, but those who know the league, and can see beyond the scoresheet, know Munroe's impact is immense.