PWHL camps are already more than halfway done, with exhibition games only days away, and the regular season slated to start November 21.
PWHL training camps are now open in full force with the final PWHL team taking the ice as a full group on Wednesday. Team across the league are following their own path to prepare not only for the two-game preseason series' they'll each play, but for the rapidly approaching November 21 start of league play.
Top Picks Remain Unsigned
Three members of the first two rounds of the 2025 PWHL Draft remain unsigned with roughly a week to go before the regular season. Those players are Casey O'Brien (3rd overall, New York), Natalie Mlynkova (12th overall, Montreal), and Kiara Zanon (16th overall, Toronto).
The issue in Montreal, where 20th overall pick Skylar Irving, along with Maya Labad (36th overall), and Tamara Giaquinto (44th overall) remaining unsigned is more precarious. This offseason Montreal's leadership group of Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Ann-Renee Desbiens all took pay cuts to help their team compete, freed up some money, but the Victoire remain cash strapped within the PWHL's salary cap constraints. Signing Mlynkova and Irving, who both qualify for minimum salary guarantees as picks in the first three rounds, will complicate the matter further.
Money continues to be a sticking point in New York with third overall pick Casey O'Brien. According to sources O'Brien's original ask would place her in the top bracket of earners in the PWHL. O'Brien is coming off a season where she led the NCAA in scoring, won a national title with Wisconsin, and earned the Patty Kazmaier Award as the NCAA's top player. The recent Rivalry Series could have been an opportunity for O'Brien to prove herself among the game's elite, however USA scratched the forward for both teams. O'Brien has yet to crack USA's national team for a World Championship or Olympic tournament. It's likely the two sides will need to agree to a one-year "prove it" deal so that O'Brien can demonstrate her NCAA success will translate to the PWHL. Last year Sarah Fillier signed a one-year deal with New York before trying for the league lead in scoring and earning PWHL Rookie of the Year honors. The result was a contract that temporarily made her the highest paid player in the league.
Boston First Team To Make Cuts...Ever
PWHL teams have made mid-camp cuts before, but for the first time ever, a team announced those moves. In the past, PWHL teams would announce their final rosters only, leaving fans guessing at the status of free agents and unsigned players until the final moment. This week the Boston Fleet announced a pair of roster moves during camp releasing forward Julia Nearis and defender Julia Shaunessy.
Nearis started the season with HV71 in Sweden and is likely to return to the SDHL team. Shaunessy, a Boston University product is now a free agent.
The move brought Boston's camp roster down to 30 players, including 16 forwards, 10 defenders, and four goaltenders. Boston and Vancouver had the largest initial camp rosters in the league at 32 players.
Teams must be down to their final 23-player roster, with up to three reserve players, by November 19.
Line Formations Coming Together
As focused on final roster decisions as teams are, the brief preseason is also important for teams looking to generate chemistry and line formations.
In Toronto, some familiar combinations including Emma Maltais alongside Natalie Spooner have been used, although Maltais has spent her time as a pivot, with the team frequently placing rookie Kiara Zanon on the opposite wing from Spooner.
In Ottawa, the defensive duo of Rory Guilday and Jocelyne Larocque has been taking reps together, although Ottawa has said they might split the pairing to ensure better balance on their blueline.
Boston also is test running a variety of combinations, one being Alina Muller and Chloe Aurard who were linemates in the NCAA.
Across the league teams are working to solidify combinations ahead of puck drop on November 21.