The first two days of PWHL free agency saw some team-to-team movement, but was dominating by players re-signing in their existing markets. For most who signed, it came with a welcomed raise. 

Each of the PWHL's 12 teams gave their fans a look at what they'll see on the ice next season, but with each passing day, the pool of available players is shrinking rapidly. By the end of day two, only 41 players who appeared in at least one game last season remained, and assuming every 2026 PWHL Draft pick signs and makes an opening night roster, the league still needs 76 roster spots filled.

It means there's still a lot of work to do, including signing free agents from outside the PHWL. Still, some teams made impactful moves to help close those gaps.

Here's a look at the five most significant moves made to open PWHL free agency.

Somehow, Daniele Sauvageau got not only Abby Roque, but also Jessie Eldridge, and soon the list will include Emma Maltais. It was well know Roque was a draw for Eldridge to join the Montreal Victoire to reunite the duo. And conveniently, the other market believed to be in the running for Roque was Eldridge's former team, the Boston Fleet. One team was going to win that tug of war, and Montreal won when they got Eldridge and Roque. Bringing in Eldridge, let alone Maltais, gives Montreal an offensive group that will be rivalled by few, at least on paper.

Things had not gone Toronto's way early. They lost Daryl Watts and Jesse Compher up front. While the first wave was significant, it was all calm waters after that for Toronto who fought back retaining Renata Fast, Raygan Kirk, Ella Shelton, Kali Flanagan, Allie Munroe, Claire Dalton, Emma Woods, and Lauren Messier, who all chose to stay in Toronto. But it wasn't until Toronto signed Jamie Lee Rattray that they made a major move to bring in new life. Rattray is a seasoned veteran, who had her best offensive campaign last year climbing to nine points. It's a far cry from what they lost, but deployed higher up the lineup, Rattray could click and be a double digit producer.

New York lost just about everything they could lose in expansion. And when free agency opened, Denisa Krizova had numerous teams knocking on her door. But she chose New York, and that was an important decision not only for the Sirens on the ice, but also for the organization off the ice as they look to continue adding. Krizova is a veteran presence who plays the game in a way that extends well beyond points. Keeping Krizova also gets New York excellent value out of the trade that brought her to Newark last season. It could have been a lost asset, but instead it was an asset gained.

Boston's blueline looked shockingly thin beyond the obvious pairing of Megan Keller and Haley Winn, the league's Defender of the Year and Rookie of the Year respectively. But general manager Danielle Marmer has managed to piece things back together re-signing Rylind MacKinnon, and drafting Grace Dwyer and Leah Stecker. But it wasn't complete until the Fleet brought in Amanda Boulier. They'll still thin, but signing Boulier gives Boston a crucial veteran presence beyond the top two, someone with a Walter Cup title to their name, and a proven, and legitimate pro that knows this league.

Katerina Mrazova had a lot of interest in free agency. After all, she was one of the few legitimate scoring threats remaining on the market when the market opened. Keeping Mrazova in Ottawa, after the team watched captain Brianne Jenner and alternate captain Emily Clark choose to leave, was crucial. It was crucial not only to their scoring depth, but also to the morale of the fan base. Now, Ottawa's forward group not only looks capable, but it has some surprising depth as well.