Close to 60% of the PWHL's current player pool will become unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, unless the PWHL alters their plans, which could spark a massive shuffle.
Close to 60% of the PWHL's current player pool will become unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, unless the PWHL alters their plans, which could spark a massive shuffle.
When the NHL's free agency period opens, it's coupled with a flourish of player movement that keeps fans and media on their toes.
When the PWHL's free agent period opens this summer, it will be beyond anything fans accustomed only to the NHL will be able to fathom. According to league sources, the current plan is that any player on a one-year contract will become an unrestricted free agent following this year. An exclusivity period may exist where current teams have time to negotiate new contracts before free agency, but aside from six players per team on three-year guaranteed deals and a handful on two-year contracts, the remainder of the league, as it stands now, will become unrestricted free agents. It's the equivalent of 57.9% of the league, who could potentially be trading places. As we've seen so far, the PWHL can sometimes change rules on the fly, but at the moment, unrestricted free agency is the plan.
Here's who is locked into mutli-year deals.
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From the PWHL's scoring leaders through the first quarter of the season, the top ten scorers in the league are all on multi-year contracts. Lexie Adzija, who currently sits 11th in league scoring is the top point producer among players on one-year deals. Also in the top 20 in league scoring on one-year deals are Jade Downie-Landry and Rebecca Leslie.
Arguably the league's top goaltender through the opening month of the season, Corinne Schroeder is also on a one-year contract, as are Elaine Chuli and Abbey Levy who sit among the top half of PWHL goalies statistically.
While internal shuffle will certainly happen, there could also be a large turnover within the league itself as the PWHL plans for their second ever draft, and how to handle eligibility for that draft.
The league has yet to communicate to teams if the 2024 PWHL Draft will include limits on age, professional experience, or remaining NCAA eligibility. There is a chance players over a certain age competing in Europe may also be free agents, or alternately, could be put into a draft again this year.
However the league decides to proceed with free agency and the draft, there will again be at least 100 players, including 80 currently under contract for this season alone, fighting it out for roster spaces this offseason.