The PWHL Draft is here with the first overall pick heading to the New York Sirens set to be unveiled June 24 in Ottawa.
There will be story lines coming from every team including watching who will become the first ever draft picks to the PWHL's newest expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver.
Here's a look at five storylines to watch in the 2025 PWHL Draft:
1. The Value of Experience
With teams losing up to nine players already in the PWHL offseason via expansion and free agency, every roster in the league has holes. As much as young talent will always be targeted, there's a decided belief across the league that if experience is available, it should be taken. The PWHL has been referred to as a "short-term league" in terms of how general managers need to plan for the future, as rosters were ripped apart by the league this year, and every team in the league is expecting expansion to repeat after this season, or at latest the next. With that in mind, don't expect the fact a player like Michelle Karvinen is entering the draft at age 35, instead, expect her experience to be viewed as an asset. Karvinen has been fielding calls from across the league this week and is expected to be selected in the second half of the first round, or the first half of the second round. Other more veteran players like Sara Hjalmarsson, Anna Shokhina, Fanuza Kadirova, and Franziska Feldmeier saw their stock rise, and even players like Alexandra Huszak and Mattea Fischer are expected to get consideration in the draft, or as free agents after. Those with a season of experience in Europe like Maggy Burbidge, Elizabeth Lang, Kristen Guerriero, Nara Elia, Madie Leidt, Courtney Vorster, Reece Hunt, Darcie Lappan, Maggie MacEachern, Emily Rickwood, Gabby Jones, Marah Wagner, Lucia Haluskova, and Liliane Perreault might also get attention. Even if they haven't played in Europe, World Championship and Olympic experience from Nina Jobst-Smith, Nicole Vallario, and Anna Segedi should factor in.
2. How Quickly Do Defenders Go?
Defenders continue to be a rare commodity in the PWHL. Every regular defender from last season is already off the board in free agency, and teams also took looks, like the Ottawa Charge signing Emma Bergesen, at options they could add before the draft. Haley Winn, Nicole Gosling, and Rory Guilday at the consensus top three, followed by Kendall Cooper and Nina Jobst-Smith. After this group, which is unlikely to make it out of the top two rounds of the draft, rounds 3-5 could be filled by Dayle Ross, Vita Ponyatovskaya, Hanna Baskin, Riley Brengman, Lyndie Lobdell, Nicole Vallario and others. There is considerable depth, and unique upside in some defenders like 6-foot-1 Boston University blueliner Julia Shaunessy, but it isn't enough to fully replenish the PWHL with pro ready blueliners. Experienced defenders like Maggie MacEachern could find themselves in high demand in or after the draft as well. Other blueliners to watch in the 2025 PWHL Draft include Tamara Giaquinto, Brooke Becker, Olivia Muhn, Ava Rinker, Karley Garcia, and even players looking to re-entry the sport like Kathryn Reilly and Chayla Edwards.
3. How Many Goaltender Will Be Drafted?
Vancouver, Seattle, Ottawa, and New York all need more than one goalie. Their back up spots are up for grabs. The PWHL Draft should see at least 2-3 goaltenders drafted with Sanni Ahola, Hannah Murphy, and Callie Shanahan as the top ranked netminders. There is another tier including Kaley Doyle, Allie Kelley, Jessie McPherson, and Amanda Thiele who should receive consideration as third goalies, and plenty others will be vying for those spots from within the current free agent pool. New York, Vancouver, and Seattle are the most likely teams to use a pick on a goaltender. If teams feel they can fill their roster in free agency, they could grab a goalie in the late rounds beyond Ahola, Murphy, and Shanahan, but it's less likely as the main roles available will be third goalie positions.
4. Will There Be Any Draft Day Trades?
Trade talk has been ongoing across the league, although none of those deals have gone very deep in conversations. The Toronto Sceptres have been shopping goalie Kristen Campbell, and could potentially find a partner on draft day. New York is considered a prime candidate, but Toronto would need to sweeten the deal. That sweetening could come from a draft pick, but given the depth of the draft where impact players begin to dry up, it's hard to imagine New York accepting anything less than a third round pick, or two later round picks and a player to make this deal happen. As well, New York might be on the hunt to send back salary. The biggest issue for teams on the watch for a trade is, they haven't seen how these heavily shuffled rosters will gel, and teams might be more included to wait until November or December to make a deal. With the interest at the top in veteran players, it wouldn't be surprising to see a team try to move up in the draft by forfeiting more picks in the middle to grab a player like Michelle Karvinen.
5. Will Draft Excitement Soften The Expansion Blow
Several teams across the league need hope. New York and Ottawa were hard hit in expansion, and fan bases across the league were angered by the resulting impact to rosters. Adding a star player will help, and each of the original six team have that opportunity in the first round of the draft with Kristyna Kaltounkova, Haley Winn, Casey O'Brien, Nicole Gosling, Rory Guilday, and Natalie Mlynkova all available. That talent pool extends to players like Anne Cherkowski, Karvinen, Sara Hjalmarsson, Kendall Cooper, and Anna Shokhina, as well as a wealth of quality NCAA players. Turning from the pain of losing players, to the excitement of gaining new players can't come soon enough for the league or fans.