PWHL Draft: Ranking NCAA and USports Grads

The PWHL Draft will be the first chance for NCAA and USports players to find a home in the new pro women's league. Here's a look at the top 35 prospects available.

Photo by Ohio State Athletics - PWHL Draft: Ranking NCAA and USports Grads

The PWHL Draft is slated to take place September 18 in Toronto, with the Minnesota franchise picking first overall, followed by Toronto, Boston, New York, Ottawa, and Montreal. The order of the draft will reverse each round.

While the draft will feature many veterans professional players, it is also the first opportunity teams will have to acquire graduating NCAA and USports players. Several players who may have joined the new league have headed to Europe including Emma Seitz, Anneke Linser, Lauren Dabrowski, Tatum Amy, Cami Kronish, Noemi Neubauerová, Emily Rickwood, Emily Pinto, and several other European products.

Here's a look at the top 30 NCAA and USports players eligible for the 2023 PWHL Draft.

Top 30 NCAA and USports players for the 2023 PWHL Draft:

Taylor Heise, F, Minnesota, NCAAAlina Müller and Taylor Heise are a toss up for most talented player in this draft, but Heise gets the nod here because it seems a near certainty that Minnesota will select their home state hero as the cornerstone of this franchise.
Alina Müller, F, Northeastern, NCAAThe best international player available to the PWHL, Müller's consistency the last several seasons, at both the NCAA and international levels is elite. She's leaps and bounds above her college classmates, and sits among the top ten players not only in this draft, but in the world.
Sophie Jaques, D, Ohio State, NCAAThe Patty Kazmaier winner should have been on Canada's national team. Her skill set would have helped Canada against a younger and sharper Americans. She can play with some flash, but is also steady in her own zone. Jaques is an offensive catalyst.
Emma Maltais, F, Ohio State, NCAAOne of the better two-way players in the game, Maltais will be a highly sought after player in this draft for her potential to score and defend. She'll likely plug in as a second line center (or higher) and play both powerplay and penalty kill minutes in the league. Maltais is the only full-time Canadian national team member available in the draft.
Emma Soderberg, G, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAAIt's hard to tell what the market will be like for NCAA goalies, but Soderberg can start in this league, and will be a future starter for the next several seasons. Grabbing her now, without the need to overpay for a veteran would be a win-win for a GM. She's a two-time WCHA Goalie of the Year, and is the reigning Best Goaltender from the World Championships.
Grace Zumwinkle, F, Minnesota, NCAAIt was shocking when Zumwinkle was omitted from Team USA this year. She's a high end scorer with a shoot first mentality, but she's also a skilled distributor. If she's available in round two or three, don't expect Minnesota to sleep on her.
Chloe Aurard, F, Northeastern, NCAAAurard has run shotgun with Alina Müller at Northeastern throughout her career, and the duo were slated to play alongside each other with the PHF's Boston Pride this season as the PWHPA could not accept international players. While Müller often got the glory, Aurard played a major role in that success. The Team France standout will be a target for any team, but wherever Müller lands, and perhaps Montreal, could be additionally interested.
Jesse Compher, F, Wisconsin, NCAAAnother Team USA omission this year, Compher will play a top six role in this league, and joins with a national championship under her belt from Wisconsin. Whichever franchise gets Compher is getting a pro player in NCAA clothing.
Gabrielle Hughes, F, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAAHughes is the player who took the Team USA roster spot this season from the above two, but there's no guarantee she goes above them in the draft. Looking at the body of work, Hughes was an elite NCAA scorer across her career. She'll be counted on to play a middle-six role to start, but has the potential to finish among her team leaders in scoring. Another Minnesota product who will likely hope to stay in her home state, but might not have that luxury given her talent level.
Ashton Bell, D, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAAThe lack of depth on the blueline across the board makes Bell even more enticing to teams. She's already an Olympic and World Championship gold medalist for Canada, but was left off their roster this year. Similar to Jaques, Canada would have likely benefited from her presence at the most recent worlds. She'll almost certainly play a top four role on a team in this league.
Gabrielle David, F, Clarkson, NCAADavid is an extremely underrated forward in the grand scheme of this league. She was a constant offensive driver for Clarkson, and is a likely candidate to crack Canada's roster in the future, specifically now that head to head comparisons will be evident. She was scheduled to play for Boston in the PHF, but will now be counted on to product in a middle six role in the PWHL.
Theresa Schafzahl, F, Vermont, NCAAThe third international forward of note in this draft, Schafzahl excelled at Vermont showcasing her shooting ability. Her presence was missed desperately by Austria at the recent D1A World Championships where she's been an offensive leader for her nation already competing in five World Championships.
Maureen Murphy, F, Northeastern, NCAA The third head of Northeastern's attack the last three seasons, Murphy is a candidate to grab a roster spot for Team USA in the future. She's a balanced producer but leans toward being a pure goal scorer.
Sophie Shirley, F, Wisconsin, NCAAWhen it comes to all-around play, few do it better than Sophie Shirley who was another player headed to Boston in the PHF. She took a unique path through the NCAA winning a pair of titles with Wisconsin, but prior to the NCAA she played a season in the CWHL with the Calgary Inferno and proved she could score at that level even as a teenager. Shirley is knocking on the door of Team Canada.
Nicole LaMantia, D, Wisconsin, NCAAUSA's seventh defender at Worlds, LaMantia is excellent in transition and containing the opposition in her own zone and off the rush. She's steady, and can chip in offensively.
Maude Poulin-Labelle, D, Northeastern, NCAAPoulin-Labelle has flash, and loves to join the rush. She is a modern defender who takes calculated risks that almost always pay off.
Sandra Abstreiter, G, Providence, NCAANot only an NCAA standout, Abstreiter was one of the top defenders at the recent World Championships backstopping Germany. She'll start as a backup, but one that can play her share of games and push whoever is in front of her.
Abbey Levy, G, Boston College, NCAAUSA's third goalie at Worlds, Levy is likely the biggest goalie available, and as the movement toward size in the crease of women's hockey continues as it has in men's hockey, goalies like Levy who can stay square and calm in net will frustrate.
Lexie Adzija, F, Quinnipiac, NCAAAdzija is an ideal candidate to run a third line in the PWHL, providing physicality and secondary scoring. She's a well rounded player who remains on Canada's national radar.
Claire Dalton, F, Yale, NCAA Dalton was one of the few rookies headed to the PHF champion Toronto Six this offseason, and that shows how much hockey legends Angela James and Geraldine Heaney thought of the forward. She's an intelligent player who competes for the full 200-feet.
Madison Bizal, D, Ohio State, NCAA
Maggie Flaherty, D, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA
Audrey-Anne Veillette, F, Montreal, USports
Catherine Skaja, F, Minnesota, NCAA
Abigail Boreen, F, Minnesota, NCAA
Izzy Heminger, D, Penn State, NCAA
Paetyn Levis, F, Ohio State, NCAA
Zoe Boyd, D, Quinnipiac
Courtney Correia, F, Penn State, NCAA
Emily Oden, F, Minnesota, NCAA
Rosalie Begin-Cyr, F, Concordia, USports
Anne Bloomer, F, Harvard, NCAA
Claire Butorac, F, Minnesota State, NCAA
Natalie Buchbinder, D, Wisconsin, NCAA
Brooke Bryant, F, Minnesota State, NCAA