The 2025 PWHL Draft is finished, and each PWHL team now has a wealth of players to look at and begin piecing together ahead of the 2025-26 PWHL season. The third PWHL campaign has the potential to put added wear and tear on members of the league with the Olympics bisecting the league and added travel with Seattle and Vancouver joining the league. It means depth will be of the utmost importance, and each of the PWHL's eight teams look deep with room to add more in free agency as the summer continues.
Draft day was jam packed with action, including a trio of significant trades involving Montreal, New York, and Vancouver.
Here's a ranking of the PWHL Draft hauls for each of the PWHL's eight teams from best to worst
New York Sirens: A
In a league with no development system, that upended rosters with controversial expansion process, rebuilding is a word that has yet to come up. Somehow though, the New York Sirens managed to rebuild and remake nearly their entire roster in one day. Pascal Daoust made sure he finished not only his on-ice makeover, but his off-ice makeover as well. It cost him his best offensive defender in Ella Shelton, but New York remains seven defenders deep. New York hit back-to-back-to-back dingers grabbing Kristyna Kaltounkova, Casey O'Brien and Anne Cherkowski with their first three picks. They followed that with Makenna Webster, grabbed one of the best available defensive defenders in Dayle Ross, picked up two goalies to make a competitive trio, and got two-way and analytics aficionados in Maddi Wheeler and Anna Bargman. This is going to be a young and fun team to watch.
1. New York Sirens - Kristyna Kaltounkova (F, Colgate)
3. New York Sirens (from Toronto) - Casey O’Brien (F, Wisconsin)
9. New York Sirens - Anne Cherkowski (F, Clarkson)
17. New York Sirens - Makenna Webster (F, Ohio State)
25. New York Sirens - Dayle Ross (D, St. Cloud State)
27. New York Sirens (from Toronto) - Maddi Wheeler (F. Ohio State)
28. New York Sirens (from Montreal) - Callie Shanahan (G, Boston College)
33. New York Sirens - Anna Bargman (F. Yale)
41. New York Sirens - Kaley Doyle (G, Quinnipiac)
Toronto Sceptres: A
Step one, rub your hands together to warm them up. Step two, spread your arms wide. Step three, vigorously and forcefully begin clapping for this draft class. Toronto was the last team in the league to pick, and they somehow look like one of the most improved rosters. They grabbed Ella Shelton from the New York Sirens without giving up a player on their roster. Then they unloaded Kristen Campbell to Vancouver to get a little pick power back. When they finally got to the microphone at 11th overall, Toronto made good pick with upside after better pick with upside. Emma Gentry might turn into one of the best players from this draft class with her unique mix of size, skating and power. Clara Van Wieren and Sara Hjalmarrson are two more players who add size, physicality, and leadership. All three were captains of their teams. Kiara Zanon's advanced metrics were some of the best, and she's one of the most consistent players in the NCAA, but elevated her game again at the Six Nations tournament this year showing her offensive vision and playmaking skills. Finally they got Hanna Baskin, a defensive specialist with their final pick. She's a shutdown defender who makes smart decisions with the puck and in her own zone.
11. Toronto Sceptres - Emma Gentry (F, St. Cloud State)
16. Toronto Sceptres - Kiara Zanon (From Vancouver) F, Ohio State)
23. Toronto Sceptres (from Vancouver) - Clara Van Wieren (F, Minnesota-Duluth)
35. Toronto Sceptres - Sara Hjalmarsson (F, Linkoping)
43. Toronto Sceptres - Hanna Baskin (D, Minnesota-Duluth)
Montreal Victoire: A-
Home run. Montreal gave up one pick in a trade that brought in Abby Roque and send out Kristin O'Neill. Roque was part of the problem in New York, but she won't be in Montreal where the leadership group won't put up with anything. Adding Nicole Gosling, and then being able to answer back with Natalie Mlynkova gives the Victoire a top pairing defender and a top six forward in the opening rounds. Getting Skylar Irving who is a stellar two-way player next, Maya Labad who is a burgeoning power forward who loves to drive the net, and then the Hockey East Defender of the Year Tamara Giaquinto with their final pick, there's no position Montreal doesn't leave the draft improved at. They managed to find the depth to compete against the expansion teams.
4. Montreal Victoire - Nicole Gosling (D, Clarkson)
12. Montreal Victoire - Natalie Mylnkova (F, Minnesota)
20. Montreal Victoire - Skylar Irving (F, Northeastern)
36. Montreal Victoire - Maya Labad (F, Quinnipiac)
44. Montreal Victoire - Tamara Giaquinto (D, Boston University)
Ottawa Charge: B+
Nobody will accuse Mike Hirshfeld of not trying, or being afraid to make bold decisions. He got an invaluable boost in Rory Guilday in the opening round. The big shutdown defender was sorely needed. If Ottawa missed with one pick, it's the one they didn't make later in the draft to grab another defender. They'll be heavily involved in the free agency market to bring in at least one more defender to shore things up. Anna Shokhina up front might turn into the steal of the draft. Ottawa viewed her as a top five talent. Ottawa then brought in her former Dynamo-Neva and Russian teammate Fanuza Kadirova. Can they bring some chemistry to Ottawa? Ottawa also picked perhaps the best two-way checking line forward in the draft in Sarah Wozniewicz who will impact the game on every inch and make Ottawa a tougher checking team. Peyton Hemp in the fourth round adds more value and offensive upside, and getting Sanni Ahola as the tandem to Gwyneth Philips was a best case scenario.
5. Ottawa Charge - Rory Guilday (D, Cornell)
13. Ottawa Charge - Anna Shokhina (F, Dynamo-Neva St. Petersburg)
21. Ottawa Charge - Sarah Wozniewicz (F, Wisconsin)
29. Ottawa Charge - Peyton Hemp (F, Minnesota)
37. Ottawa Charge - Sanni Ahola (G, St. Cloud State)
45. Ottawa Charge - Fanuza Kadirova (F, Dynamo-Neva St. Petersburg)
PWHL Vancouver: B+
They made only five picks, but they made the absolute most of those selections. Adding Michelle Karvinen at 7th overall gives Vancouver four incredibly deep and talented lines. Cara Gardner Morey said she wanted to target top six forwards in free agency and the draft, and she hit the bullseye in both. In Karvinen they also get one of the quintessential leaders in the game. Somehow, Vancouver's defensive core got even stronger as they stole Nina Jobst-Smith at 19th overall. Brianna Brooks and Maddy Samoskevich add to the two-way, positive analytics crew that's been built in Vancouver. And no one was complaining when Vancouver made their hometown crowd cheer by selecting Chanreet Bassi, the top scoring U Sports players to enter the draft from the University of British Columbia.
7. PWHL Vancouver - Michelle Karvinen (F, Frolunda)
19. PWHL Vancouver (from Toronto) - Nina Jobst-Smith (D, Minnesota-Duluth)
32. PWHL Vancouver - Brianna Brooks (F, Penn State)
39. PWHL Vancouver - Maddy Samoskevich (F, Quinnipiac)
48. PWHL Vancouver - Chanreet Bassi (F, British Columbia)
Minnesota Frost: B
Minnesota reached for Kendall Cooper at sixth overall, but it was a move they had to make. She wouldn't have been available later and they needed an offensive boost on the back end with Thompson and Jaques gone. Rinker and Becker add two steadying presences on the blueline. There won't be any flash from these two, but they'll both make Minnesota harder to play against. Up front, there's a lot to like about Minnesota's picks. They took skill, and they took upside. Abby Hustler or Anna Segedi will be in Minnesota's top six, and both have the chops. Hustler plays more of a power forward game. Segedi, if you put her opposite Kendall Coyne Schofield, they'd be darting around the ice at a pace that could only be appreciated watching in slow motion. She's one of the most talented players in the draft. Vanessa Upson also has higher end offensive upside producing big and consistent numbers throughout her college career, albeit with a weaker program.
6. Minnesota Frost - Kendall Cooper (D, Quinnipiac)
14. Minnesota Frost - Abby Hustler (F, St. Lawrence)
22. Minnesota Frost - Anna Segedi (F, St. Lawrence)
30. Minnesota Frost - Ava Rinker (D, Connecticut)
38. Minnesota Frost - Vanessa Upson (F, Mercyhurst)
46. Minnesota Frost - Brooke Becker (D, Providence)
Boston Fleet: B-
Boston got to grab Haley Winn. That's a win in itself and makes this draft worth it. Ella Huber adds a much needed scoring punch up front, which is where Boston still looks like they're lacking. Olivia Mobley and Abby Newhook are going to be competitive two way players to add offensive depth, but they didn't manage to get a game breaker up front, and it felt like they went conservative instead of pushing the envelope to find a way out of the league's basement. Lots of good picks, lots of safe picks, and there's really nothing wrong with that, especially with Winn at the top.
2. Boston Fleet - Haley Winn (D, Clarkson)
10. Boston Fleet - Ella Huber (F, Minnesota)
18. Boston Fleet - Olivia Mobley (F, Minnesota-Duluth)
26. Boston Fleet - Riley Brengman (D, Ohio State)
34. Boston Fleet - Abby Newhook (F, Boston College)
42. Boston Fleet - Amanda Thiele (G, Ohio State)
PWHL Seattle: C-
They picked last in every other round, so it's understandable Seattle's class was weaker, but it didn't have to be. Seattle left a lot of talent on the table. That said, they got a versatile Jenna Buglioni, and arguably the best available goaltender in the draft in Hannah Murphy. There are aspects of every one of their picks that adds value, but will the chemistry of this lineup manage to come together, particularly in their bottom six?
8. PWHL Seattle - Jenna Buglioni (F, Ohio State)
15. PWHL Seattle - Hannah Murphy (G, Colgate)
24. PWHL Seattle - Lily Delianedis (F, Cornell)
31. PWHL Seattle - Jada Habisch (F, Connecticut)
40. PWHL Seattle - Lyndie Lobdell (D, Penn State)
47. PWHL Seattle - Olivia Wallin (F. Minnesota-Duluth)