Rookie Watch: PWHL Rookie Goalies Could Get More Time

There were eight netminders selected in the 2026 PWHL Draft, and two more who went undrafted were signed in the days following the draft. It marks a massive wave of netminders, albeit from a draft lacking depth of true starters, entering the PWHL.

The 2027 PWHL Draft will be vastly different with Eve Gascon, Ava McNaughton, and Annelies Bergmann, who all hold potential to start immediately. 

This season however, with 12 teams, and a more thinly spread group of starters, the PWHL could see more new faces getting starts than ever before.

Last season, Hannah Murphy was the lone rookie netminder to get a share of starts, while Sanni Ahola, Callie Shanahan, Kendra Woodland, and Amanda Thiele also got looks.

Andrea Brändli, Alice Philbert, and Michelle Pasiechnyk head to camp in Detroit, who will enter the 2026-27 season as the only PWHL team without a netminder on their roster having stepped foot on PWHL ice. Brändli will enter as Detroit starter, and will likely be asked to carry the load all season. While technically she won't be a "rookie" this season, Brändli will have a major load to carry, and is coming off winning Best Goaltender at the Olympics, and as a former Goaltender of the Year in the SDHL. Behind here are only question marks. GM Manon Rheaume's signing of Alice Philbert to a two-year guaranteed deal surprised everyone as Philbert hasn't played in any of the world's top leagues like the SDHL, SWHL, or NCAA. She is a former U SPORTS All-Star and represented France at the Olympics, but it will be a proving ground. Due to her age, Philbert is not technically a "rookie" by PWHL standards either. She'll fight for the backup role with former NCAA Goaltender of the Year Michelle Pasiechnyk, who if she can regain her form after a year away from the game and mixed starts with Boston University last year, she could surprise. Detroit turned down other experienced goaltenders, so their plan needs to work.

Brändli and Philbert won't be the only two rookies entering the league banking on international experience. In Las Vegas, Saskia Maurer, the reigning PostFinance Women's League Goaltender of the Year in Switzerland, who looked good in her starts for Switzerland at the Olympics, will back up Nicole Hensley. She got off to a strong start in international competition in August. Russia's Darya Gredzen, a former Olympian herself, will be one of the younger goalies in the PWHL this season, and she'll challenge for playing time behind Maddie Rooney. She's a bit of wildcard, but has immense upside and came to the league with high praise from scouts, some of whom believed she was the top goalie available in the draft. In Seattle, Italian starter Gabriella Durante won fans at the Olympics, but like Philbert, comes without top league experience, and with a young netminder in front of her, she may need to step in at times. Hamilton's Emma-Sofie Nordstrom is likely in a fight with Lucy Morgan for third spot in Hamilton's depth chart, as Hamilton looks like they'll enter camp with a veteran tandem sitting 1-2. The Danish starter will get World Championship starts before camp to arrive sharp.

Finally, Tia Chan was born and trained in Canada, but has played internationally in China, including representing the nation at the 2022 Olympics and World Championship competitions helping them earn back-to-back promotion. Chan enters as the reigning NCAA Goaltender of the Year. She didn't garner the same confidence as past winners of th award, but San Jose may have found a draft day steal in Chan in the third round.

Not only will there be 2026 PWHL Draft picks like Katie DeSa (Vancouver) from Penn State and Hailey MacLeod (Montreal) from Ohio State, but Toronto Sceptres' free agent signing Grace Campbell (Boston College) and free agent invites like Abby Hornung, who is headed to camp in Boston.

MacLeod and Campbell are the only two with a spot that looks guaranteed as MacLeod will back up Ann-Renee Desbiens, and Campbell will enter Toronto camp in competition with Jessie McPherson, who was Toronto's third goalie last season.

McPherson is among a group of returning third goalies, a list that also includes netminders like New York's Kaley Doyle, who didn't get into a game last year, but backed up and have a season of PWHL experience as third string practice netminders.

Last season Hannah Murphy was the obvious choice for the PWHL's All-Rookie team in net. This season, it's going to be wide open. In all likelihood, it's going to take a starter faltering or suffering an injury for most of the PWHL's first-year netminders to make their mark.

Saskia Maurer is a decent bet to get time in Las Vegas, which could help her gain traction in this race, and Durante could challenge for time in Seattle as well, although CJ Jackson will look to establish themself as Seattle unquestioned backup this season as well. Maurer has been a starter, faced stronger competition, and has Hensley ahead of her, who has championship experience, but hasn't managed to join the league's elite statistically in her first three seasons in the league.

Tia Chan is another probable name who could get time joining Corinne Schroeder in San Jose. Schroeder was the other half of Seattle's pair last season that saw Hannah Murphy step in and win time. 

Aside from Maurer and Chan, Gredzen and MacLeod are also in positions where they could get time with a veteran ahead of them who could need rest. Minnesota approached the past three seasons in a true tandem, although last season Maddie Rooney won that role, and Ann-Renee Desbiens has faced injury concerns in the past, but looked far more resilient last season. 

There's no easy answer to the PWHL's rookie race in net, but there will be plenty of candidates this season who could step forward and make waves.