The clock is ticking with signing and protection deadlines only hours away. There remains, however, a large number of PWHL stars still considering where they'll sign for next season.
The opening 36 hours of PWHL expansion negotiations between players, agents, and general managers has come with all the intrigue and potential for drama that fans expected.
After witnessing the shuffle last season when the league added Seattle and Vancouver, few expected a four team expansion to come without surprises. And while players certainly have ties and allegiances to their teams and teammates, the opportunity to earn coveted raises, even for some the league's highest paid players, has provided enough temptation to keep many from re-signing, yet.
O Captain! My Captain!
Last season PWHL fans learned anything was possible watching Hilary Knight move to Seattle. She was the only captain to move markets. That's unlikely to be the case this time around. Knight herself may not return to Seattle if the chips fall a certain way. In fact, the financial commitment Seattle made to Alex Carpenter could factor into that.
There has been no sign that the rumors of Kendall Coyne Schofield going to Detroit are false. In fact, if anything, that belief has only intensified in the last 24 hours. Some believe it's a move that was in the works long before this process opened. There's also some belief Coyne Schofield might bring a member or two of Team USA and the Minnesota Frost with her if she lands in Detroit.
The conversation surrounding Brianne Jenner departing Ottawa has also intensified. Most point directly at Hamilton bringing her back to her roots to potentially close out her career near home. It wouldn't be surprising if she's listening to other teams right now as well. Jenner has certainly had discussions in Ottawa as well, it appears less clear at the end of the second day of negotiations, than it did on the first, that Jenner will stay or go. It's a wildcard, but given the losses the Toronto Sceptres could incur, it's not out of the question that one of the teams negotiating to lure Jenner away from Ottawa isn't an expansion team, but could be the Sceptres themselves.
Where Do Toronto's Free Agents Stand?
Daryl Watts remains a player in the mix for multiple teams. Unsurprisingly, there's west coast interest from San Jose, and it's believed Las Vegas is a serious contender in the Daryl Watts sweepstakes as well.
That doesn't mean Watts won't re-sign in Toronto either, as the pitch has been made there as well. But this is a PWHL superstar who has been drastically underpaid for three consecutive seasons. It's time for Watts to get what she deserves, and it may not come from her current team.
Adding to the uncertainty is the belief Renata Fast has gone deep in conversations with both Hamilton and Toronto. At the end of day two, talk started to shift that Fast has made her decision.
If there's one player most expect will stay in Toronto, it's Blayre Turnbull. Her name has not been as readily tied to other teams as most on the free agent market.
Perhaps no team in the PWHL has more moving parts right now than Toronto. Depending on Watts and depending on Fast, the Sceptres may be able to offer one or the other more.
There is belief Raygan Kirk is staying in Toronto, or at least wants to. That could change as well, depending on what happens with Toronto's other free agents.
Beyond the names drawing the most attention on the opening day of negotiations however, Toronto is facing stiff competition for other players including Emma Maltais and Kali Flanagan as well. It will come as no surprise that San Jose is one of the interested parties.
When One Domino Falls, The Rest Will Go Quickly
Vancouver and Seattle signing Sarah Nurse and Alex Carpenter respectively, got the ball rolling, but neither moved the needle significantly league-wide. Carpenter's deal could have an impact on the team's ability to re-sign both Knight and Julia Gosling, but it doesn't change what's happening across the rest of the league.
What will change the landscape however, is when one of the aforementioned Fast, Watts, Coyne Schofield, Jenner, or Knight agrees to move to an expansion franchise. Once that domino falls, the others will shift as well.
With only four Expansion Franchise Offers available, the risk of being forced to move to a market under prescribed terms without choice is minimal, making it plausible more players than expected will willingly enter Phase 2 as free agents. While many believed it would be up to the teams to decide who they would sign and protect, it's becoming clear that in some cases, players may be opting to go unprotected under their own volition.