The PWHL officially unveiled the initial list of three protected players from each of the PWHL's six existing teams. It means the expansion process is officially underway and Seattle and Vancouver can formally begin targeting players.

That includes during the exclusive signing window which opens June 4. During that period Vancouver and Seattle can sign up to five players each, but it will take away from their 12 possible picks in the June 9 expansion draft itself.

Below is a mock expansion draft. Any player in the first five listed for each team is who we anticipate could be targeted during the exclusive signing window.

After two players are signed or selected from each existing team, they'll be able to protect a fourth player, which we have also predicted below. Currently, it is unknown whether Seattle or Vancouver would pick first. This will likely be decided by the number of signings each team makes in the exclusive window.

For the picks below, we restricted each new team to a maximum of six contracts from the inaugural signing group of $80,000+ salaries to align with what the original six teams were able to carry and be salary cap compliant.

1. Seattle: Hilary Knight (from Boston)

2. Vancouver: Erin Ambrose (from Montreal)

3. Seattle: Hannah Bilka (from Boston) (activates Boston's fourth protection: Emily Brown)

4. Vancouver: Claire Thompson (fom Minnesota)

5. Seattle: Cayla Barnes (form Montreal) (activates Montreal's fourth protection: Anna Wilgren)

6. Vancouver: Sarah Nurse (from Toronto)

7. Seattle: Alex Carpenter (from New York)

8. Vancouver: Sophie Jaques (from Minnesota) (activates Minnesota's fourth protection: Britta Curl-Salemme)

9. Seattle: Ashton Bell (from Ottawa) 

10. Vancouver: Danielle Serdachny (from Ottawa) (activates Ottawa's fourth protection: Gabbie Hughes)

11. Seattle: Corinne Schroeder (from New York) (activates New York's fourth protection: Jessie Eldridge)

12. Vancouver: Jennifer Gardiner (from Montreal)

13. Seattle: Grace Zumwinkle (from Minnesota)

14. Vancouver: Emma Maltais (from Toronto) (activates Toronto's fourth protection: Allie Munroe)

15. Seattle: Savannah Harmon (from Toronto)

16. Vancouver: Julia Gosling (from Toronto) (ends Toronto's picks)

17. Seattle: Abby Boreen (from Montreal) (ends Montreal's picks)

18. Vancouver: Emerance Machmeyer (from Ottawa)

19. Seattle: Kelly Pannek (from Minnesota) (ends Minnesota's picks)

20. Vancouver: Mannon McMahon (from Ottawa) (ends Ottawa's picks)

21. Seattle: Ally Simpson (from New York)

22. Vancouver: Maja Nylen Persson (from New York) (ends New York's picks)

23. Seattle: Shay Maloney (from Boston)

24. Vancouver: Daniela Pejsova (from Boston) (ends Boston's picks)

Mock PWHL Seattle Lineup

Forwards:

Hannah Bilka - Hilary Knight - Alex Carpenter

Grace Zumwinkle - Kelly Pannek - Abby Boreen  

Shay Maloney

Defenders:

Cayla Barnes - Ashton Bell

Savannah Harmon - Ally Simpson

Goaltender:

Corinne Schroeder

Mock PWHL Vancouver Lineup

Forwards:

Jennifer Gardiner - Sarah Nurse - Emma Maltais

Julia Gosling - Danielle Serdachny - Mannon McMahon

Defenders: 

Erin Ambrose - Claire Thompson

Sophie Jaques - Maja Nylen Persson

Daniela Pejsova

Goaltender:

Emerance Maschmeyer