Rookie Watch: PWHL Rookie Defenders Will Be More Important Than Ever

With a four team expansion, bluelines across the PWHL look thin. Many will enter the season with a reasonable top pair, but the depth quickly dwindles, and on many teams, third pairs are filled with players who would not have had a chance to make the PWHL last season.

It's why the emergence and development of the 2026 PWHL Draft class and other rookie invites on the blueline will be crucial to team success this season. 

Luckily for some teams, there are stars on the way like first round picks Caroline Harvey, Laila Edwards, Nelli Laitinen, Emma Peschel, Sara Swiderski, Vivian Jungels, and Grace Dwyer.

Here's a look at 10 PWHL rookie defenders who could make an immediate impact in the league.

Olympic MVP. Olympic Best Defender. WCHA Player of the Year. WCHA Defensive Player of the Year. Patty Kazmaier winner. Harvey is an incredible player on and off the puck. She's an elite skater, she's physical, and she can break games open offensively, while still managing to turn aside the best in the game using her feet and stick skills. Vancouver is getting an immediate superstar who will likely challenge for PWHL Defender of the Year. She nearly doubled every other defender in scoring in the NCAA last year putting up an eye popping 64 points in 33 games leading Wisconsin to another national title. She's the day one frontrunner for PWHL Rookie of the Year, and is a generational talent who will impact the sport on and off the ice for years to come (2002, L, 5'8", Pelham, New Hampshire).

Edwards was an Olympic All-Star. She has unique size, a unique shot, sees the ice well, and will immediately be considered San Jose's top player. She could even take a leadership role with the team in year one. While USA transitioned her to the blueline for the Olympics, which resulted in gold, Edwards was World Championship MVP and one of the best scorers in the NCAA as a forward, which is where she spent her entire career. San Jose has almost no scoring to speak of, so Edwards could move back and forth between positions, but they may also need her on the blueline given their depth at the position. Wherever she is, she's a top pairing defender or top line player, and will be one of the league's superstars. (2004, R, 6'1", Cleveland Heights, Ohio)

Laitinen elevated her game offensively last season scoring a career-best 30 points in 33 games for Minnesota, while also serving her typical top pairing role with Finland at the Olympics. She's not as flashy as others, but it a high end defender, she's mobile, and will be able to handle top four minutes in the PWHL immediately. She's cool under pressure, and an underrated blueliner who hasn't received the same hype as many North American blueliners, but she deserves it. Hamilton got the player they wanted at sixth overall, and she'll be a valued member of their roster on the ice and in the community. (2002, L, 5'7", Lohja, Finland)

Great size, mobility, and can generate offensively. She's capable in all three zones attacking off transition, on special teams, and quickly moving pucks out of danger. Peschel stepped up in a significant way in the playoffs for Ohio State and trailed only Harvey in blueline scoring this season in the NCAA, albeit by a sizeable margin scoring 39 points in 34 games for Ohio State. She was USA's last cut on the blueline ahead of the Olympics. New York got the player they wanted and added to an already strong blueline with Peschel.  (2004, L, 5'10", Edina, Minnesota)

Capable of playing physical, and even contributing offensively, Swiderski showed more consistency from game-to-game and shift-to-shift in her final NCAA campaign with Ohio State. Minnesota took her in the first round and believes they have a replacement to Kendall Cooper, or at least Mae Batherson on the back end. She'll contribute immediately, although Frost fans shouldn't expect the same level of offensive output as their young defenders gave last season. (2004, R, 5'9", Langley, British, Columbia)

A mobile player who is smooth on her feet, Jungels moves pucks up ice effectively and defends using her mobility and stick. Often overlooked on a strong Wisconsin team, Jungels will be a key member on Ottawa's blueline. They jumped at her in the first round and with their speed issues on the back end last year, Ottawa got a player who can change things up for the Charge in transition. (2003, L, 5'7", Edina, Minnesota)

Good decision maker, who might not light up the scoresheet, but will make her new team harder to play against. Dwyer will be capable of second pairing minutes providing a responsible and reliable presence, along with being physically capable of handling the contact that's coming. (2004, L, 5'8", Wynnewood, Pennsylvania)

Not afraid to play a physical game and consistently one of the NCAA's top scoring defenders. Morrow likes to jump into the play, and is strong along the blueline. She'll need to pick her moments to take risks in the pros, but she won't back down to any opponent, and should add an offensive spark to a blueline. (2004, F, 5'7", Darien, Connecticut)

Borgiel is a solid distributor of the puck, and got a look with USA's Collegiate Select roster last summer. Her mobility is a huge asset and will help her keep up with the top forwards in the PWHL. (2004, R, 5''7", Port Huron, Michigan)

Hockey East Defender of the Year has done nothing but help her stock this season with Northeastern. Constantinople has provided timely offense, and she does it through smart decisions with the puck at the blueline. A master at finding lanes, Constantinople had a stellar season. (2003, L, 5'5", East Haven, Connecticut)

Leah Stecker (Boston), Brooke Disher (Toronto), Zoe Uens (Montreal), Tova Henderson (Minnesota), Tory Mariano (Ottawa), Kendall Butze (Las Vegas), Gracie Gilkyson (Seattle).