PWHL fans across the globe have watched their favorite players in action with Canada, USA, and Czechia leading the way in volume of PWHL players. Finland and Sweden will close that gap next season with more national team members making the jump.

For some, it was an opportunity to move from depth roles in the PWHL to top line and top pairing minutes for their national teams. Others found the chemistry and spark they'd been missing in the PWHL.

With the second half of the PWHL season ready to begin, here's a look at five PWHL players who could parlay a strong Olympics into better results in the PWHL.

Laura Kluge has been shackled into a fourth line role in Boston, and with the Fleet winning, they've been hesitant to alter their lineup significantly. With Germany however, Kluge has shown the two-way game that first earned her interest from the PWHL. She's a long, competitive, and team driven player, but she can also score. Kluge competes hard for loose pucks and has produced as a top line player should with Germany. Elevating Kluge to a more fitting third line role in Boston could help them over the hump.

Take note Toronto, you have more than six players. It's been a difficult trend to watch in Toronto where Troy Ryan plays the same contingent on repeat whether they're producing or not. Sara Hjalmarsson isn't always the prettiest player, but she's physical, defensively reliable, and dangerous around the net. Giving her that opportunity in Toronto couldn't hurt the beleaguered Sceptres. Hjalmarsson's line was Sweden's best, and she was the key.

After missing the first 10 games of her rookie PWHL season, Nina Jobst-Smith, the fifth defender selected in the 2025 PWHL Draft, had a slow return being eased back into the Goldeneyes' roster averaging only 11:54 in ice in the six games she played. As Germany's number one defender at the 2026 Olympics, Jobst-Smith played more than 25 minutes per night in Group B, which was the perfect opportunity to get her game back. Vancouver will need to make a serious push to make the playoffs in the second half, and a healthy and sharp Jobst-Smith will be like a trade addition.

Mlynkova flashed the skill with Czechia that earned her a World Championship All-Star nod in 2024 when she was also named the Hockey East Player of the Year. Montreal has searched for chemistry in their top six, but done it largely without Mlynkova. Giving her a longer look and time to develop alongside some of the best in the world could be an offensive game changer for the Victoire. She's creative, has slick hands, and can finish. 

Already one of the best in the world internationally, and one of the best in the PWHL, Muller showed how much she can individually alter a game at Worlds with Switzerland. When she chose, she walked through entire lines of opponents. She looked sharper, and more consistent and driven than ever. Muller has been a slow starter and hot finisher in the PWHL to date, and the Olympics could jumpstart that process, which is bad news for opponents of the first place Fleet.