PWHL Free Agency is just around the corner. Here are the top 20 free agents from across the PWHL heading into free agency.
When the PWHL season ends and the Draft is held, next up will be the task of roster building for year two. Not every contract will be signed this offseason as teams may still choose to wait for training camp to see how players stack up head to head, but there will also be more than 80 PWHL free agents waiting to be signed. PWHL free agency will be strapped by the fact there just is no money for significant raises for at least the next two seasons, but players will still change teams looking for new opportunities or due to personal circumstances.
Here's a look at the top 20 free agents this offseason in the PWHL:
1. Daryl Watts - Few in the sport are as electric as Daryl Watts. She finished 12th in league scoring, but with a little puck luck, she could have landed much higher. Dynamic skill and vision. Ottawa will do everything they can to re-sign her.
2. Katerina Mrazova - Tied for 9th in league scoring with Laura Stacey, that explains the offensive value of Katerina Mrazova. She's unlikely to leave Ottawa, but Mrazova certainly emerged as one of the most creative players in the league. She sees the ice and manipulates the puck like it's on a string.
3. Corinne Schroeder - Top goaltender in the league when it comes to save percentage among starters. Schroeder is big, she's competitive, and she managed to single handedly keep New York competitive at times this season. Would she be willing to enter into a 1A / 1B situation, or does she want the crease for herself?
4. Hannah Miller - If there's a player who could step into a bigger role on another club and thrive in this league, it's Miller. She has a heavy shot, can play physically, and sees the ice well. She spent a large chunk of the season in Toronto's top six, but if there's an indication that might change on Toronto's deep left wing, there would be several teams eager to bring in Miller.
5. Aneta Tejralova - Similar to Mrazova, it's unlikely Tejralova leaves Ottawa. She was among their top four all season, and captained Czechia at Worlds. The minutes seemed to wear on all of Ottawa's defenders this season, but Tejralova proved she can handle a major role in this league.
6. Hannah Brandt - The 30-year-old veteran will likely slide down Boston's lineup next season as they will certainly target a high end center. Brandt may be more effective on Boston's third line long term, or she might see an opportunity to play a similar role in Minnesota or New York.
7. Kaleigh Fratkin - The fact Fratkin wasn't drafted last year now looks laughable after the strong campaign she put together with Boston. Fratkin showed her skating and typical physical presence on the point. It will be hard to pull her from Boston, but perhaps not impossible.
8. Sophie Shirley - There's no telling how young players approach this offseason. Sophie Shirley could draw attention from Toronto given her Hockey Canada ties. She looked ready to score in bunches at times this season, but never quite clicked, much like many on Boston's roster. A good skater and two-way player, Shirley has value, but might be better served staying in Boston for another season.
9. Lexie Adzija - One of a small handful of players traded this season, Adzija got squeezed out of Boston's lineup but found a place in Boston. With the influx of skilled players, Adzija projects as a third or fourth line player next season who can score and utilize her size in a checking role. She might gravitate toward the spotlight of New York, and they could use a player with her off ice star power.
10. Michela Cava - Cava has quietly put together a strong season. She's a quality pro hockey player who can threaten offensively, but is reliable without the puck as well. Minnesota will certainly be looking to makeover a portion of their forward group, but they leaned on Cava at times this season and there's nothing to suggest Minnesota doesn't want her back. She's played in Minnesota, Toronto, and Connecticut over the last decade, so she has ties in many markets.
11. Mikyla Grant-Mentis - Released part way through the season by Ottawa, Grant-Mentis stuck with Montreal and seized an opportunity to join the lineup and contribute. Are there question marks about her all around game? Absolutely. Can she contribute in this league? Absolutely.
12. Claire Dalton - The Yale grad looked good all season in Montreal, and there's reason to believe she can take a significant step forward next year in the league. There will certainly be interest in Dalton, and if Montreal grabs a scoring winger in the draft she'll feel the push for her second line slot.
13. Emma Woods - Woods spent almost the entire season in New York's top six and she produced in spurts. Off the puck, there were times Woods looked lost, but that's no different from the rest of New York's roster that played the entire season with almost no on-ice structure. Woods can thrive in the right situation, but it might not be New York unless they bring in significant reinforcements and find a healthier way to allocate ice time.
14. Amanda Boulier - One of the breakout players in the league this season, Boulier changed agencies recently inking with the Montreal based Quartexx. It's a sign she's likely to stay in Montreal for another season. She was beloved in Ottawa, but with Montreal desperate for defenders, they'll look to lock up Boulier.
15. Allie Munroe - Toronto doesn't have the defensive depth to risk losing Munroe who played on Toronto's second pair alongside Kali Flanagan most of the season. She'd be more effective as a fifth defender, and that's the likely plan, but Munroe was crucial to Toronto's success this year. Playing behind the minutes Toronto gave Jocelyne Larocque and Renata Fast however could cause a defender to look elsewhere.
16. Sidney Morin - A great skater, Morin landed in Boston after being selected by Minnesota in the draft. Boston is in need of blueline support, but there's nothing to suggest Morin won't be back. That said, there will be teams looking for veteran support, and her style could fit north of the border in Ottawa or Montreal.
17. Emily Brown - Steady as she goes, Emily Brown was asked to step onto a top pairing role in Boston, and she handled the assignment well despite it being a stretch of a task. Sliding Brown into a fourth D slot is ideal, and there will be teams looking for that help if she feels she's a better fit elsewhere.
18. Natalie Snodgrass - Snodgrass is an interesting skater with a knack for the net. She played primarily third line minutes in Ottawa this year, and is destined to slide lower as the talent level increases in this league. Still, there's a lot the veteran can add to a roster, and there will be teams sniffing around her situation.
19. Mariah Keopple - Given the season Mariah Keopple just had, she likely belongs 10 slots higher on this list, but it remains a small sample size for the defender who was a steady, reliable presence in Montreal, often playing alongside Erin Ambrose this year. She blew the roof off expectations, and teams will certainly look to poach the young defender. For Keopple however, there's no better situation to return to than the one she thrived in this year in Montreal.
20. Sophia Kunin - Teams struggled to find players who could play middle to bottom six minutes effectively this season without giving up chances or the momentum, including Minnesota. Kunin was one of the few on their roster who consistently played her role with impact, and she'll look to stay in the State of Hockey, but there would be other teams happy to have her.