Prominent past and present national team players like Rebecca Johnston and Amanda Kessel, among others, will not play in the PWHL.
Prominent past and present national team players like Rebecca Johnston and Amanda Kessel, among others, will not play in the PWHL.
The group of players who did not declare for the PWHL Draft marks an end to the careers, at least temporarily, for a number of players, most notably Team Canada's Rebecca Johnston and Team USA's Amanda Kessel. Other notable names who will not play in the PWHL this year include Meghan Mikkelson, Laura Fortino, Brigette Lacquette, and Jennifer Wakefield, all prominent members of Canadian national teams in recent years, as well as Kacey Bellamy who had intended to make a return to the ice this season with the PHF's Connecticut Whale.
Kessel announced earlier this year she'd be taking a year away from the USA national team to focus on her new role with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and to train for the PWHL.
Johnston was a likely candidate to not declare after pondering whether or not to continue her career prior to this season. She was a top scorer in the PWHPA last year, but will not likely focus on her role with the Calgary Flames.
Last week Jennifer Wakefield was hired as an assistant coach with the University of Ottawa after playing in the SDHL the past several seasons.
The remainder of the national team names who did not declare all played in the PWHPA last season.