Hilary Knight was supposed to be one of the faces of PWHL Las Vegas. Instead, she became part of the deal that helped the expansion franchise build its future.
PWHL Las Vegas signed Hilary Knight in the expansion process, then immediately traded her to PWHL Detroit for their first-round pick. Suddenly, after the draft order became official, the franchise had two selections in the top five of a draft that had plenty of high-end talent available.
Those picks became Tessa Janecke at number three and Lacey Eden at number five.
For general manager Dominique DiDia, the decision to move Knight wasn't easy. At the same time, there was speculation that Knight wanted to be in Detroit, and for DiDia, it was an opportunity she believed was too good to pass up for Las Vegas.
“What I want to emphasize is that first and foremost, Hilary (Knight) is one of the greatest players in the history of women’s hockey, in what she’s accomplished on and off the ice and what she’s done for the league and the growth of the game is remarkable,” DiDia told The Hockey News. “Which is why we wanted her a part of our team during the expansion process from the get go.”
But then the draft came into focus.
Two Shots At The Top Of The Draft
Las Vegas wasn't simply given the chance to add another first-round pick. They were awarded another pick near the very top of a draft the organization believed could provide multiple foundational players.
DiDia and her staff had already identified forwards as a priority. They used free agency and the expansion process to build out their defense and add a goaltender. The draft was an opportunity to attack the other end of the roster.
Having two selections in the top five gave them a chance to do it twice.
“This trade was such an incredibly difficult decision to make but when it was presented to us, we were looking at the obviously exceptionally deep draft,” DiDia said.
The value of the trade became even clearer once Vegas' picks came around.
Janecke was available at number three, giving Las Vegas a strong center to add to the middle of its lineup. Eden was still there at number five
Instead of one top-five selection, Las Vegas walked away with two players, Tessa Janecke and Lacey Eden, it believes can become important pieces of its offense.
“Having the availability to have players like Tessa and Lacey be part of the team together, it just aligned with what we are building in Las Vegas, to be able to think about not only the right now but the future,” DiDia said.
For an expansion franchise, that kind of opportunity is difficult to manufacture.
A Difficult Decision For A New Franchise
There was no question what Knight could have brought to Las Vegas, not just on the ice, but in the efforts to build a fan base as well.
She has been one of the most recognizable players in women's hockey for more than a decade and has played a major role in the sport's growth. For a team entering a new market, having Knight on the roster would have provided an immediate star and a proven player around whom the franchise could build.
DiDia wasn't dismissing any of that.
If anything, she went out of her way to make clear that Knight's stature was part of what made the trade so difficult.
“The decision didn’t take away from how highly we think of Hilary and what she has meant and continues to mean to women’s hockey and how difficult it was for us to make that decision,” DiDia said. “As a new organization, building our roster from the ground up, we had to think about not only this season, but also what could make our team better for years to come.”
Las Vegas was starting from scratch. DiDia had to consider what the roster could look like in its first season, but also what it could become as the franchise developed, which is what made the draft especially important.
Knight, who turned 37 during the offseason, has already signalled she's nearing the end of her career, stating the 2026 Olympics would be her last. That doesn't diminish Knight's place in the sport, and DiDia was clear about that.
The organization wasn't trading Knight because it didn't believe she could help Las Vegas win. It was trading her because the return gave the franchise another chance to add a player who could be part of its core for years.
And with two picks that high, Vegas had more than one opportunity to find that player.
Betting On What Vegas Could Become
“When the opportunity presented itself to acquire an additional first round draft pick and give us two selections, we just felt that was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” DiDia said.
The decision says something about how Didia views the job of building an expansion franchise.
There is value in having veteran stars, but there is also value in having two chances to select young stars from the top of a deep draft. Vegas chose the latter.
The trade will be judged over time, as Janecke and Eden begin their professional careers and Knight continues hers in Detroit.
Las Vegas knows what it gave up. Now it gets to find out what those two picks can become.
As DiDia said, “We ultimately believe it is the best for the team we’re building in the long run.”
