PWHL camps continue to approach. While the league has yet to announce a schedule, plans for the 2026 Olympics, or team names for expansion franchises in Seattle and Vancouver, rosters are largely constructed.
While rosters are primarily constructed, jobs and contracts remain up for grabs are all eight PWHL training camps, including for the free agent invites heading to camp.
Here's one roster question for each PWHL team to answer at camp.
Boston Fleet
Who will win a scoring line role in Boston? The role is wide open in Boston. Susanna Tapani and Alina Muller are the only sure things up front for Boston. Ella Huber is a good bet, as a rookie, but beyond this group, it's anyone's guess who will take a scoring role in Boston. Boston will certainly give a long look to Chloe Aurard who they'll hope can reignite chemistry with former Northeastern linemate Alina Muller. But it's truly open season up front. Veterans Hannah Brandt, Jamie Lee Rattray, and Jill Saulnier certainly will have a shot, as will Loren Gabel and new acquisition Liz Schepers, along with Shay Maloney and Teresa Schafzahl. You could list every player at Boston's camp up front, and they'll get a fair look. Boston intends to play a stifling style, but they'll still need to score.
Minnesota Frost
Will they make a move on the blueline? Minnesota has a core remaining from their back-to-back Walter Cup winning rosters, and they have firepower up front. What they don't have is the same defensive depth as they did last year. Gone are Claire Thompson, Sophie Jaques, Mellissa Channell-Watkins, and Maggie Flaherty. In are Sidney Morin, Kendall Cooper, Ava Rinker and Brooke Becker. Minnesota lost experience and offense, but there's potential. Rinker and Becker are good defenders even if the offensive upside is there. Cooper could turn out to be one of the best players picked in this draft, and Morin remains a valuable veteran. But the bigger question is, if Minnesota doesn't think they have enough at the position, will they make a move in camp. The Frost have PWHL experienced Madison Bizal coming to camp, along with underrated blueliner Cameron Sikich, but there's also a number of blueliners across the league in camps that could come available. Will Minnesota make a move?
Montreal Victoire
Who will fill Montreal's goaltending depth? Montreal found a way to bring in an abundance of talent to replenish their roster from top to bottom. The one spot they didn't make a significant move was in net, instead betting the house on Sandra Abstreiter to back up Ann-Renee Desbiens. Abstreiter should be able to take her share this season, but if Desbiens were to go down, there's a serious question of depth in Montreal. Tricia DeGuire and Megan Warrener will fight it out of the third spot. In truth, if and injury were to occur, GM Daniele Sauvageau would go out and find help. For the time being, Abstreiter is going to get her chance to shine, and she's got the ideal mentor in Desbiens ahead of her. Everything else is a 'what if' scenario that the Victoire can cross if it comes to be. For now, it will be up to the Victoire to pick their third goalie and forge forward.
New York Sirens
Who will win New York's backup goaltending role? Kayle Osborne will be given a long runway to be New York's starting job. She even earned an invitation to Canada's national team camp over last year's New York starter Corinne Schroeder, showing Canada's brass believe she's on an upward trajectory. Behind her, New York surprised other teams targeting Callie Shanahan ahead of other available goaltenders in the PWHL Draft showing she's their likely leading contender for the job. Shanahan was recently outed online for supporting transphobic and bigoted messaging, similar to the issues that arose with Britta Curl-Salemme entering the league, drawing ire from fans across the league. With only three goaltenders in camp, it leaves New York with little option not to sign Shanahan even though the team was one who had placed Curl on a 'do-not-draft' list the year prior. Kaley Doyle, their other pick, was the top statistical goaltender in the NCAA who entered the draft last year. Both had excellent senior seasons in the NCAA last year, and both could earn opportunities to play. New York has shown a willingness to give chances to all three goalies the past two seasons, expect both Shanahan and Doyle to get their chance this year.
Ottawa Charge
Who will win the remaining spots on Ottawa's blueline? Ottawa signed Emma Bergesen, Sam Isbell, and Jessica Adolfsson to contracts this offseason giving the team eight signed defenders, a numbr that is too great for the team to carry full time. The team also has free agent invites Kate Reilly and Vita Poniatovskaia coming to camp, both of whom are arguably better prospects and players than defenders Ottawa already has signed. It will make for fierce competition in camp, and likely a shift of one or two of Ottawa's current blueliners to the reserve roster. Ottawa passed on offering contracts to players like Anna Kjellbin and Dominika Laskova, giving up talent and experience in their roster. Instead they leaned into familiarity, but the trio of Bergesen, Isbell, and Adolfsson are unproven. Reilly was the top scoring defender in NCAA hockey in 2024 coming from a Quinnipiac program that has consistently produced quality professionals. She took a year away from the game last season which will be her biggest hurdle to return. Poniatovskaia was a highly ranked defensive prospect heading into the draft and was arguably the best defender not selected. If Ottawa does intend to open the season with their current alignment, there will be painful moments defensively. Spots will be up for grab at camp, and the one-year contracts signed will mean nothing as the team looks to field the strongest roster possible.
PWHL Seattle
Can this roster gel? There is elite offensive talent on this team up front. This team has so much skill, the only question is, can they gel? Sometimes putting the most talented players on the ice together isn't enough, but can it be in Seattle? Hilary Knight will steer this ship, and she's capable of bringing together many voices to one goal. It's a uniquely concocted roster with predominantly offensively minded forward, and primarily defensive minded defenders. All of the ingredients are in the cupboard, can they put them together? Finding that line-by-line chemistry is all Seattle has left to do in camp.
Toronto Sceptres
Who starts on opening night? The Toronto Sceptres are entering training camp in a novel situation. For the past two seasons, Kirsten Campbell has been the unquestioned starter in Toronto, now she's tending a crease in Vancouver. Instead, Toronto enters camp with Elaine Chuli and Raygan Kirk sharing the net. Entering camp, Chuli will be given the edge, but Kirk showed herself well as a rookie, and Toronto will ride whichever goalie is playing better. They wanted consistency, and part of that might come through the knowledge that there is no barrier to grabbing the starting role and holding it. Kirk and Chuli should get plenty of support as Toronto enters the season with a star studded blueline featuring top end talent and depth. Their blueline could make just about anybody look good in net, but will it be Chuli or Kirk on opening night?
PWHL Vancouver
Who will play down the middle? This roster is ridiculously deep, and good. Cara Gardner Morey played moneyball, she pulled an extra few rabbits from the hat, and she squeezed every ounce of talent out of the PWHL expansion rules. At center ice, Vancouver will undoubtedly run Sarah Nurse and Hannah Miller at the top, but after that, there are a few questions. Beyond that, Brianna Brooks, Maddy Samoskevich, and Gabby Rosenthal are the main candidates. One of those three will need to step up into the third line role, which means they'll not only need to check, but also provide secondary offense. Rosenthal will get every opportunity to make that spot hers, but there's a chance one of Vancouver's rookie draft picks outplays her and earns that position.