PWHL Las Vegas was one of the very last expansions to sign players, but don’t let that fool you. They have set themselves up for the future while still having the ability to compete now. Vegas hasn’t been shy about using trades to build their foundation, and that’s exactly what they did. Entering the 2026 PWHL Draft, Vegas held three picks in the Top 13. This PWHL draft was one for the ages filled with elite talent.

It helped Las Vegas that the PWHL announced the draft order 48 hours prior to the Draft. Vegas made its first trade in franchise history, trading Hilary Knight in exchange for the 3rd Overall Pick. With that pick, PWHL Las Vegas selected Tessa Janecke, forward from Penn State. Last year’s captain at Penn State, Janecke is viewed as the top center in this draft and has all the potential in the world to become a true 1C. Winning the Olympic gold medal with Team USA this year, Janecke adds to that winning culture Vegas has already embedded throughout this expansion process. Throughout her four years at Penn State, Janecke consistently notched over 40 points. Turning pro she's coming off a monster year notching 26 goals, 22 assists for 48 points in 31 games. With this selection, Vegas secured its future number one centre and added a foundational piece to its very young franchise.

Now Vegas’ own pick landed 5th overall, and with that pick, they added the only player to have ever won four NCAA women’s national titles. From the Wisconsin Badgers, Vegas selected Lacey Eden. Vegas now has this very young duo of Janecke and Eden that they hope will dominate the league for years to come. Eden finished up a tremendous year at Wisconsin, finishing with 29 goals, 48 assists for 77 points, topping all NCAA players. Through Eden's time at Wisconsin, she consistently put up a point per game.

Vegas made a trade on draft day to also acquire the 13th overall selection in the PWHL Draft. The full trade was Vegas acquiring the Goldeneyes’ 13th overall pick and 49th overall in exchange for Abby Boreen and the 17th overall. With the 13th overall pick, Vegas selected a forward from Princeton University, Issy Wunder. Wunder, like Janecke, had a spectacular season collegiately at Princeton, finishing with 27 goals and 16 assists for 43 points. Wunder led Princeton this year in goals and points. So, Vegas, with its top 3 selections, could have formed itself a future top line. PWHL Vegas will be a team to watch this year, but not just this year, also in the future.