Unlike the NHL Draft, this inaugural PWHL draft will be a process of immediate roster building, not acquiring and developing future prospects.
Unlike the NHL Draft, this inaugural PWHL draft will be a process of immediate roster building, not acquiring and developing future prospects.
Don't expect the PWHL Draft to look like an ordinary hockey draft. Each year when the NHL lines up for their drafts, it's almost always a process of taking the best available player, with consideration for future organizational need at specific positions.
The PWHL Draft however, won't have the luxury of selecting a player to develop with the goal of them cracking a roster two or three years down the road. Rather, the PWHL Draft will be one of strategic roster building, more closely mimicking a fantasy draft or expansion draft than an entry draft.
Teams will each select 15 players to add to their three signed players from free agency. Following the draft, each team will sign five additional players, whether it be in free agency, or from a tryout, to complete their 23 player rosters.
While teams will have this post-draft flexibility, it's unlikely a team will enter that period needing to sign five additional forwards, or four defenders. The bulk of that work will be done at the draft, meaning at some point, teams will pick positionally, even if a slightly better player at a different position remains available.
One clear example is in net. Montreal (Ann-Renee Desbiens), Boston (Aerin Frankel) and Ottawa (Emerance Maschmeyer) signed their starters in free agency and may not even select a goalie at the draft, perhaps choosing to sign a backup in the post-draft free agency. Toronto, New York, and Minnesota however, will certainly select a goalie to guarantee they have a starter in place. Determining how early to choose their goalie is where the strategy comes in.
Looking at NHL Draft lists, the final outcome always varies from what media and central scouting create. Any draft list created for the PWHL will likely vary even more with teams not only looking at an overall list of the best available they've created, but also trying to fill each position on the roster.
If you take too many forwards early, you risk having a weak blueline, or if you take too many defenders early, you risk not being able to score. It will be a game of strategy for teams involved; one rarely seen in sport.
While positional needs will drive this draft, GM's individual philosophies will also factor in. Some GMs will prioritize NCAA grads and other young players with their eyes on long term success, while others could look to build a veteran team that challenges for a title in year one. While geography will not be a factor as it has been in the past, as players don't have the freedom to select where they play, it could play a factor for certain GMs in developing a franchise identity, particularly in markets like Montreal, Boston, or Minnesota.
Entry draft or fantasy draft, there's certainly ample excitement and strategic planning going into preparations for the September 18 Draft in Toronto.