Keys To Success: PWHL Detroit

PWHL Detroit has a highly touted roster, big name stars, and a buzz circling Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. PWHL Detroit enters with a big name GM in Manon Rheame, a big name veteran in Hilary Knight, and plenty of veteran stars like Daryl Watts, Hannah Bilka, Cayla Barnes, Britta Curl-Salemme, and Jesse Compher. This is not a roster short on talent, but they remain a roster that needs to prove themselves as a team.

There's plenty that could go wrong for Detroit, but they also have significant potential. Just like any roster, there are a number of key factors that will play into PWHL Detroit's success in 2026-27.

Detroit's forward group is top heavy, but it's an impressive group of names. They have enough firepower to keep most opponents on their toes, at least while their top two lines are on the ice. Detroit should also have some considerable skill padding their power play. They can roll out any combination of Hilary Knight, Britta Curl-Salemme, Daryl Watts, Hannah Bilka and Jesse Compher and be dangerous. And players like Taylor Girard and Shiann Darkangelo have shown they're adept in a net front role. With the firepower they have, being consistently good on the power play is a must for Detroit. Coach Josh Sciba worked on this role with Team USA, and he's got some familiar pieces in place.

Performing well in a short tournament on the international stage is no predictor of PWHL success. It didn't work out for Emma Soderberg, Klara Peslarova struggled to find her place, and Sandra Abstreiter has yet to assert herself as a starter in limited starts, the same which could be said about Sanni Ahola. Andrea Brändli is the next in line of European netminders, and she'll look to become the PWHL's first bonafide international starter. Brandli was Olympic MVP, and is a former SDHL Goaltender of the Year. She has performed consistently well on every stage she's played in recent seasons, and Detroit is banking on her ability to be a starter. Behind Brändli, Alice Philbert and Michelle Pasiechnyck both have potential, but neither have played in the PWHL. Pasiechnyck is a former NCAA Goaltender of the Year, who could be a surprise in the league.

Detroit's roster is not filled with natural centers. They've got some forwards who played down the middle in college or minor hockey, but not much PWHL experience at center. Shiann Darkangelo took more draws last season than any player on Detroit's roster, and is their only true PWHL center. It means Detroit will need to shift someone, likely Britta Curl-Salemme, to the middle. Salemme is good on the dot and could bring more of a two-way physicality to Detroit's top line. The second most active center at Detroit's camp is actually free agent camp invite Vanessa Upson who handled fourth line center duties in Minnesota last year. No one else on Detroit's roster has PWHL experience in the face-off circle, and that's going to be an issue Detroit will need to manage.

Detroit built a deep blueline, but not one with a lot of offensive output last year. Cayla Barnes had a strong rookie season offensively in Montreal, but saw her numbers plummet last season in Seattle. Detroit's best offensive blueliner might be rookie Casey Borgiel, who could get top four minutes for her puck moving style and mobility. Detroit has solid defensive defenders, but they need another blueliner like Nina Jobst-Smith, Sydney Bard, Stephanie Markowski, or Mia Biotti to bring some offense. Mellissa Channell-Watkins is their most experienced defender, but she's never been an offensive defender, and asking her to change her game will likely hurt Detroit more than help as she brings consistency to the back end. Teams in the PWHL who don't generate offense from the blueline often struggle. With Detroit's offensive punch up front, this group may feel like they can sit back, but that would be a mistake.

Detroit's build looks a lot like Seattle's did last season, and that's not good. Teams that tried to build bigger rosters last season, like Seattle and Toronto struggled. Why? Because speed is still the primary driver in the game. With body checking and physicality holding more and more value,  the old adage still stands true that you can't hit what you can't catch. Detroit certainly recruited a lot of size up front, which begs the question, will they have enough speed? They certainly have it in a handful of players including Hannah Bilka and Daryl Watts, but Detroit might need to be fast in other ways. They may be a team that relies heavily on positioning and puck movement. For Sciba, it will be a task to make sure each line has an infusion of speed, even if means elevating players who aren't as skilled, so that Detroit isn't losing possession.