When looking at the potential pool of players set to become available in the PWHL expansion process, both PWHL Vancouver general manager Cara Gardner Morey and PWHL Seattle general manager Meghan Turner discussed the importance of building a foundation of leaders on their roster.
"I think there's some really great veteran leaders out there that I've had the pleasure of working with either coaching on national team rosters or coaching against," said Gardner Morey. "I think it's going to be building a foundation with some really great leadership, and I think it's really important for everyone to be able to be their authentic selves. So really a locker room and a culture where everybody feels not just included, but valued and everybody has a voice, and one where, it sounds cliche, but where we're all working together kind of for a common goal."
Due to limitations placed on the existing six franchises that allow them to protect only three players from expansion initially, Gardner Morey will likely get her wish when it comes to finding quality leaders and people in free agency and the expansion draft. She was not alone in this sentiment however as PWHL Seattle also made it clear that leadership topped their wish list.
"I think as I'm building out this roster, obviously looking for a lot of good leaders to establish a good leadership group," said Turner. "But also making sure that we're getting people and players to buy in to obviously what the organization is all about from a cultural perspective, but to what the role is that they play and what their strengths are that they can truly bring to the team."
PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver will both have their first opportunity to speak to potential players when the exclusive signing window opens June 4. Teams will be eligible to sign up to five players in this period, but they'll also be able to speak to potential free agents and those they're hoping to target in the June 9 expansion draft.
While it's likely many teams will protect leaders like Marie-Philip Poulin, Hilary Knight, and Kendall Coyne Schofield, there are plenty of veteran leaders who could be exposed in the expansion process. These players will bring years of professional and international experience to their new teams.
Each of the PWHL's six existing teams are required to submit their protected lists no later than June 3. After that, Turner and Gardner Morey will get to begin building these foundational leadership groups and set the course for their organization on the ice moving forward.