Off the ice, the Seattle Torrent are receiving immense support from their new market. On the ice, the Torrent have struggled in almost every way. In the expansion draft the team loaded up on talent, but it hasn't translated.

There are many factors that have led to Seattle's early season struggles. But at the core, it's been a lesson in chemistry...and drafting, that has resulted in the Torrent sitting in last overall, and 19 points behind first place Boston entering the second half of the season.

Seattle certainly targeted high end skill in their initial signings and expansion selections. They also grabbed a group of forwards who, at various points in the first two seasons of the league's existence were unhappy where they were. It doesn't mean they were necessarily the problem, but bringing together a group who has believed the coaching staffs and players around them are the problem, has risks. 

It's certainly not their entire forward group. Young stars like Julia Gosling and Hannah Bilka have come over free of those past burdens and continued to thrive, but it's clear that whether Steven O'Rourke knows it or not, the message Seattle is preaching may not be hitting ever player the same way. Without Hilary Knight in the locker room and on the ice, leadership through the struggles is another concern as Knight is one of the most respected leaders in the game.

When you look at the league's most successful teams in recent seasons, the mixture of offensive minded blueliners and defensive defenders is clear. The Minnesota Frost won back-to-back Walter Cups watching Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson produce while Lee Stecklein and others shutting down the attack at the other end. This season Megan Keller and Haley Winn, while Zoe Boyd, Riley Brengman and co. play steady minutes on the other side of the puck. 

In Seattle, their blueline was designed to be a shut down group. Cayla Barnes and Aneta Tejralova have offensive upside, but their blueline hasn't produced. It took 12 games this season for any blueline to score for the Torrent, and they didn't get their second goal until Aneta Tejralova, who was shelved by injury for much of the season, following the Olympics. Anna Wilgren, Barnes, Lyndie Lobdell, Emily Brown, and Mariah Keopple are all looking for their first goal of the season. Wilgren leads the blueline in assists with four, which is the lowest total of any team leader among defenders in the league.

In the PWHL, where teams can't plan beyond the season they're in due to expansion, the draft is the first crucial step in retooling rosters, but without in-season development, it's meaningless. Teams that thrive in the PWHL have proven better in-season developers giving their picks opportunities to thrive in bigger roles early, which gives their teams better prepared and playoff ready competitors by the postseason. Only netminder Hannah Murphy has played a role in Seattle's competitiveness this season, but arguably, with Corinne Schroeder, the crease was the least of Seattle's worries.

Seattle went too high on Jada Habisch in round four, who The Hockey News had ranked 82nd in their final PWHL Draft rankings, and cut Olivia Wallin, their sixth round pick. They've buried Jenna Buglioni, their first round pick who has played only 89:53 in 13 games this season, averaging only 6:54 per game, a number where development isn't possible. Third round pick Lily Delianedis has yet to reach a full game of time on ice playing only 54:56 and averaging only 5:29 per game in her 10 appearances. Lyndie Lobdell was a benefactor of Aneta Tejralova's absence, but the blueliner is still averaging only 11:44 per game, 16th among Torrent players. In her last outing, she played only 1:59, enough to kill the confidence of any young player. Overall, it was a disastrous first draft for rookie Torrent general manager Meghan Turner, and since then the lack of developmental opportunities for those picks hasn't helped.

It hasn't been all bad for the Torrent. Julia Gosling has emerged as one of the league's true stars. She was buried last season in Toronto, and with opportunity in Seattle has thrived. She'll certainly be one of Seattle's protections in the next wave of expansion, as will second year forward Hannah Bilka who has been electric. Her absence, along with Knight's following the Olympics has hurt. The young duo will provide hope moving forward for Seattle. Danielle Serdachny continues to show potential, but has yet to break out, and blueliner Megan Carter has been solid.