The first stage of the PWHL's expansion process is done. While there are still two days remaining in the PWHL's exclusive expansion signing window, both teams quickly hit the maximum allowable five players to be signed during this time period.
Montreal, Ottawa, New York, and Minnesota all had their fourth player protection activated with the teams protecting Erin Ambrose, Gabbie Hughes, Maja Nylen Persson, and Britta Curl-Salemme respectively, while Toronto and Boston remain the lone teams who still must relinquish an additional player before their last protection is activated.
Each team now has seven remaining picks in the PWHL Expansion Draft which will take place June 9.
Who remains available from each team?
Boston Fleet
Relinquished: Hilary Knight (F)
Protected: Aerin Frankel (G), Megan Keller (D), Alina Müller (F)
Exposed: Sydney Bard (D), Hannah Bilka (F), Hannah Brandt (F), Emily Brown (D), Hadley Hartmetz (D), Shay Maloney (F), Ilona Markova (F), Daniela Pejšová (D), Jamie Lee Rattray (F), Sophie Shirley (F)
Minnesota Frost
Relinquished: Claire Thompson (D), Sophie Jaques (D)
Protected: Kendall Coyne Schofield (F), Taylor Heise (F), Lee Stecklein (D), Britta Curl-Salemme (F)
Exposed: Mae Batherson (D), Nicole Hensley (G), Klára Hymlárová (F), Katy Knoll (F), Denisa Křížová (F), Brooke McQuigge (F), Kelly Pannek (F), Dominique Petrie (F), Grace Zumwinkle (F).
Montreal Victoire
Relinquished: Cayla Barnes (D), Jennifer Gardiner (F)
Protected: Ann-Renée Desbiens (G), Marie-Philip Poulin (F), Laura Stacey (F), Erin Ambrose (D)
Exposed: Abby Boreen (F), Amanda Boulier (D), Dara Greig (F), Amanda Kessel (F), Lina Ljungblom (F), Maureen Murphy (F), Kristin O’Neill (F), Anna Wilgren (D).
New York Sirens
Relinquished: Alex Carpenter (F), Corinne Schroeder (G)
Protected: Sarah Fillier (F), Ella Shelton (D), Micah Zandee-Hart (D), Maja Nylén Persson (D)
Exposed: Lauren Bernard (D), Jaime Bourbonnais (D), Jessie Eldridge (F), Emmy Fecteau (F), Elle Hartje (F), Paetyn Levis (F), Kayle Osborne (G), Abby Roque (F), Gabby Rosenthal (F), Allyson Simpson (D), Noora Tulus (F).
Ottawa Charge
Relinquished: Danielle Serdachny (F), Emerance Maschmeyer (G)
Protected: Emily Clark (F), Gwyneth Philips (G), Ronja Savolainen (D), Gabbie Hughes (F)
Exposed: Ashton Bell (D), Brianne Jenner (F), Jocelyne Larocque (D), Stephanie Markowski (D), Mannon McMahon (F), Anna Meixner (F), Kateřina Mrázová (F), Aneta Tejralová (D), Madeline Wethington (D)
Toronto Sceptres
Relinquished: Sarah Nurse (F)
Protected: Renata Fast (D), Blayre Turnbull (F), Daryl Watts (F)
Exposed: Kristen Campbell (G), Megan Carter (D), Izzy Daniel (F), Julia Gosling (F), Savannah Harmon (D), Raygan Kirk (G), Anna Kjellbin (D), Emma Maltais (F), Allie Munroe (D), Noemi Neubauerová (F), Anneke Rankila (F), Emma Woods (F)
Current Expansion Team Rosters
PWHL Seattle
Danielle Serdachny (F), Alex Carpenter (F), Corinne Schroeder (G), Hilary Knight (F), Cayla Barnes (D)
PWHL Vancouver
Sarah Nurse (F), Emerance Maschmeyer (G), Jennifer Gardiner (F), Claire Thompson (D), Sophie Jaques (D)
Mock PWHL Expansion Draft
1. Seattle: Hannah Bilka (F) (From Boston)
(Boston protects Daniela Pejsova (D))
1. Vancouver: Emma Maltais (F) (From Toronto)
(Toronto protects Julia Gosling)
2. Seattle: Grace Zumwinkle (F) (From Minnesota)
2. Vancouver: Ashton Bell (D) (From Ottawa)
3. Seattle: Savannah Harmon (D) (From Toronto)
3. Vancouver: Jessie Eldridge (F) (From New York)
4. Seattle: Anna Wilgren (D) (From Montreal)
4. Vancouver: Brooke McQuigge (F) (From Minnesota)
(Minnesota selections complete)
5. Seattle: Izzy Danniel (F) (From Toronto)
(Toronto selections complete)
5. Vancouver: Abby Boreen (F) (From Montreal)
(Montreal selections complete)
6. Seattle: Ally Simpson (D) (From New York)
(New York selections complete)
6. Vancouver: Aneta Tejralova (D) (From Ottawa)
7. Seattle: Emily Brown (D) (From Boston)
7. Vancouver: Shay Maloney (F) (From Boston)
(Boston selections complete)
Final Mock Rosters
Depending on where Seattle and Vancouver pick in the PWHL entry draft, each team will still have a distinct opportunity to add impact players. If the team's pick second and third behind New York, they could add players like Haley Winn, Kristyna Kaltounkova, Casey O'Brian, and Nicole Gosling. If they're picking seventh and eighth, it's more likely to final players like Anne Cherkowski, Kendall Cooper, Jenna Bugioni, Ella Huber, or veteran Michelle Karvinen available. Given that the expansion teams do not know what place they'll be picking to plan for that selection in the entry draft, we attempted to select two full lines plus one extra for each team.
As well, both teams still have the chance to add players in free agency. For example, in our mock draft, we picked stronger defenders first for PWHL Vancouver believing they'll add Hannah Miller in free agency as another top six forward.
PWHL Seattle
Grace Zumwinkle (F) - Danielle Serdachny (F) - Hilary Knight (F)
Cayla Barnes (D) - Savannah Harmon (D)
Hannah Bilka (F) - Alex Carpenter (F) - Izzy Daniel (F)
Anna Wilgren (D) - Ally Simpson (D)
Emily Brown (D)
Corinne Schroeder (G)
PWHL Vancouver
Jennifer Gardiner (F) - Sarah Nurse (F) - Emma Maltais (F)
Claire Thompson (D) - Sophie Jaques (D)
Brooke McQuigge (F) - Jessie Eldridge (F) - Abby Boreen (F)
Ashton Bell (D) - Aneta Tejralova (D)
Shay Maloney (F)