PWHL San Jose 2026 Draft Recap: Building Around the Future

PWHL San Jose entered the 2026 PWHL draft hoping to land a foundational player capable of defining their identity from Day One. What San Jose didn’t expect was the opportunity to select one of the most dynamic players in women’s hockey without having to trade up.

When Laila Edwards was still available at fourth overall, the decision became an easy one.

The expansion club wasted little time stepping to the podium and selecting the Wisconsin star, immediately adding one of the most talented and versatile players in the draft class. For a franchise beginning from scratch, it was the type of moment that can alter the trajectory of an organization before it ever plays a game.

Few players entered the draft with a resume matching Edwards.

The Wisconsin standout and Olympic Gold medalist established herself as one of college hockey's premier offensive threats while also demonstrating the rare ability to impact games in multiple roles. Edwards possesses a unique combination of size, skill, and skating ability that makes her difficult to contain in open ice and nearly impossible to handle around the net.

Edwards arrives to the PWHL as one of the most decorated players in recent NCAA history, a three-time national champion at Wisconsin, Women’s World Championship gold medalist (where she was named the youngest tournament MVP in history), Olympic gold medalist, Patty Kazmaier finalist, and NCAA goal-scoring leader. 

That's what made her slide to fourth such a surprise. For San Jose, however, the reasons behind the fall matter far less than the outcome.

Expansion teams often spend years searching for a cornerstone player. PWHL San Jose  may have found theirs before the first puck has even dropped.

What makes Edwards particularly valuable is how many different needs she addresses simultaneously.

She projects as a top-line scorer. She can defend the blue line while quarterbacking a powerplay. She can play in all situations. She has experience performing under pressure on the biggest stages in college hockey and international competition. Perhaps most importantly, she arrives with the type of personality and leadership qualities organizations want at the center of a new locker room.

Building an expansion franchise is never simply about collecting talent. Teams must establish culture, identity, and standards.

Edwards gives San Jose a player capable of influencing all three.

The organization can now begin constructing its roster around a legitimate franchise-caliber player rather than searching for one.

While Edwards' offensive production naturally draws attention, her complete game may ultimately be what makes her such a valuable professional player.

She competes in all three zones, wins puck battles consistently, and possesses the hockey sense necessary to adapt to different situations. Coaches trust her because she impacts the game whether she's scoring or not.

That versatility should ease her transition to the professional level.

Young players often need time to find a specific role after leaving college. Edwards already has several. She can contribute on the power play, kill penalties, match up against top competition, and provide offense at even strength.

Those are difficult qualities to find in a single player and Troy Ryan now has the task of molding his team around her unique talents. 

Troy Ryan also added further stability to his crease with the third round selection of Goaltender Tia Chan. Chan’s accolades are impressive, as the 2025-26 Women’s College Hockey Goalie of the Year, the 2025 & 2026 Hockey East Goaltender of the Year, and the 2025-26 First Team All-American Goalie while at UCONN. 

In the 2025-26 season, Chan led Hockey East in wins (27), shutouts (5), goals against average (1.55), and save percentage (.951) and was second with 1,122 saves. Nationally, Chan was second in wins, save percentage, and minutes played, third in saves, fourth in GAA, and eighth in shutouts. Chan also represented China at the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

Goaltending depth remains one of the most important organizational assets in professional hockey, and San Jose's front office made a point of investing in the position, an investment that came at a steal with a later pick during the draft. 

San Jose focused on adding depth, versatility, and long-term organizational pieces capable of supporting the team’s foundation in the years ahead. 

San Jose used several mid-round picks to add players with strong collegiate and international résumés, including Sloane Matthews, Lily Shannon, Mckenna Van Gelder, and Reichen Kirchmair.

Of this draft class, five of six players also wore letters during their collegiate career ( 3 C, 2 A). San Jose is building a locker room of strong leaders and passionate players, which bodes well for their first season in the league. 

Each player arrives with a different skill set, but all share one common trait: proven production at previous levels. 

Whether as offensive contributors, defensive specialists, or depth options capable of growing into larger roles, these selections provide the organization with additional flexibility as it continues building its roster. 

The result was a draft class that addressed needs throughout the lineup and provided the expansion franchise with several intriguing developmental options.

San Jose entered the draft needing elite talent and left with one of the most gifted players available. Whether Edwards ultimately becomes a perennial All-Star or something even greater remains to be seen, but the value of selecting a player of her caliber at fourth overall is impossible to ignore.

If expansion franchises dream of perfect draft-night scenarios, this is what they look like.

Combined with the addition of Laila Edwards, the rest of the draft class provides the organization with a collection of players who can help shape the franchise's future in different ways.

For an expansion team beginning its journey, that may be the most important outcome of all.