Declaring for the PWHL Draft is the only way to enter the top women's hockey league in the world. It doesn't matter if you're an 18-year-old throwing your name in the hat, or a 40-year-old veteran, a draft declaration is necessary to be eligible to play in the PWHL.
It's a restrictive rule that strays from other leagues, and a rule that is almost certainly limiting the flow of talent to the league.
A shift in the PWHL's draft rules would give a boost to the league's talent pool, and would go a long way in attracting the top talent from Europe and Asia, without draining European leagues.
The NHL Model Wouldn't Work, But Provides A Framework
Right now, the PWHL is seemingly making up rules on the fly. It's beginning to show as their hockey operations department bungled the league's first expansion, and rules change without communication of any kind to fans, media, agents, and at times, league staff.
The lack of rules, by-laws, procedure, and policy related to...well, anything, is significantly hurting the league's professionalism. This includes no solid rules related to player eligibility, free agency, the draft, and much more.
As it relates to the draft, the only rule is that to enter the league, unless you were one of the original 18 players signed, is that you must declare for the draft. Who can declare? That's vague as well as this year the PWHL's final draft list included players who were categorically ineligible based on their contracts overseas. Unlike the NHL as well, NCAA players lose their eligibility by declaring, while U Sports players do not.
In the NHL, there are a number of rules that could provide a framework. For the PWHL's purposes, a draft eligibility rule that could positively impact the PWHL's player pool the most relates to age. In the NHL, North American players can be no older than 20, while European players can't be older than 21 to be in the draft.
Given the pathway to the PWHL, age restrictions of this type would not make sense, but the PWHL does need to institute a shift to make their draft a traditional entry draft, while opening the door for older pros to choose their pathway to the PWHL.
Older Players Should Be Able To Choose
In no world should Michelle Karvinen, a 35-year-old veteran and likely Hockey Hall of Famer, have been made to enter the PWHL Draft. This is where the PWHL could make a significant impact. Veteran players should not be made to enter the draft. They should have agency and self-determination over their careers, and living situations. The PWHL aims to provide equity for women in hockey, but this is a glaringly inequitable rule that forces veterans who have worked for a decade to build their careers, families, and lives, to be treated like teenagers in men's hockey...and teenagers who will receive roughly 5% of the financial terms those teens in men's hockey will sign as rookies.
Generally speaking, in women's hockey, few players remain in the NCAA beyond age 25. This could be a good starting point for the discussion of when a player no longer needs to enter the draft and simply becomes a free agent.
Players like Karvinen, or other European veterans from Lara Stalder to Jenni Hiirikoski, should be allowed to choose their destination, and freely negotiate contracts to come to the PWHL. This allows them to know what they'll be paid, who they'll be coached by, where they'll live, and plan accordingly for family or work as many European veterans have already established homes, careers, and families.
Knowing the NCAA age limit is typically 25, the PWHL could institute a rule that any International player who has not competed in North American college hockey becomes an unrestricted free agent eligible to sign anywhere in the PWHL at age 25. The PWHL could add to this by stating that any player who competed in North American college hockey can also become an unrestricted free agent after two seasons in Europe if they have not declared for the draft. This might entice some players to head overseas to continue their development, thereby strengthening European leagues, and it also could lure more players to the league. Alternatively, if the PWHL wanted to make a hard cap for all players, they could choose an age like 27, or a max-NCAA grad plus two years, for all players to become free agents whether they've declared for the draft or not.
Currently, if this were a rule, it would make players like Petra Nieminen, Lara Stalder, Michaela Pejloza, Hanna Olsson, and Jenni Hiirikoski instantly eligible to choose their destination, negotiate a salary, and come to the PWHL as professionals. Knowing they could choose their city, teammates, and seek a more advantageous salary, could be enough to lure these players to North America rather than watching them play out the final years of their careers in lesser leagues.
Something Is Better Than Nothing
Right now, very few rules exist for the PWHL Draft. The ones that do exist seem to be designed to mimic the artifacts of North American professional hockey rather than ensure as many talented players from across the globe are actually in the league. It can be both with a few small tweaks. The PWHL would be wise to do this immediately with the 2026 Olympics approaching. Following this season, there will be an incredible opening for the PWHL to grab another dozen elite players from outside North America. That number could rise if the professional athletes in Europe were able to control their own destiny.
