With PWHL expansion and the need for the league to bring in at least 46 new players, many are looking at the incoming 2025 PWHL Draft class.

While there is strength in the 2025 class including players like Kristyna Kaltounkova, Casey O'Brien, Haley Winn, Nicole Gosling, Natalie Mlynkova, Michelle Karvinen, and Rory Guilday. While it's a strong group, the 2026 class is where the league will take its next significant step forward.

Who are the NCAA headliners?

It's a who's who of women's hockey stars leaving the NCAA after next season. The top name in the group is Caroline Harvey who might already be the best defender in the World. At 22 she's already been named the Best Defender at the World Championships twice, including in 2025. She'll be joined by Wisconsin teammates and USA national team members Laila Edwards, Kirsten Simms, and if she doesn't declare this year, Lacey Eden. There's a belief at this point that Abbey Murphy may be heading back to the University of Minnesota for one more season, which means she'd be added to this very deep draft class as well. Tessa Janecke is another player who will sit at the top of the draft class. But the depth of this draft is wide spanning. On the blueline, players like Finland's Nelli Laitinen, and USA's Sydney Morrow will be in the mix. As will  Josefin Bouveng, Isabel Wunder, Elyssa Biederman, Sarah Paul, and Emma Peschel. This is just the surface of a draft that will be deep and diverse.

Why is 2026 significant?

2026 is significant not only for the incoming talent in the draft, but also because it's the end of another Olympic cycle. Teams are preparing for the 2025 Olympics in Milano Cortina, and for some European players, the've chosen the certainty of a position on a top line in Europe over the opportunity to play against the best in the world in the PWHL.

The 2026 European draft class could be very large and deep including players like Viivi Vainikka, Elisa Holopainen, Petra Nieminen, Sanni Rantala, Jenniina Nylund, Ida Kuoppala, and Emilia Vesa from Finland. From Czechia, names like Sara Cajanova, Tereza Radova, and Michaela Pejzlova could declare. Sweden's group includes Hanna Olsson, Emma Forsgren, Paula Bergstrom, Ida Boman, Hanna Thuvik, Linnea Johansson, and Sofie Lundin. Although it's uncertain if she has interest in the PWHL, Swiss legend Lara Stalder will also be a free agent in 2026 and could enter the draft. Many of these names are expected to attempt the jump after the Olympics. 

Could it mean another expansion?

From everything the PWHL has stated, there is no reason to believe the league won't consider expanding again immediately. The PWHL knows this massive wave of talent is incoming, and they know the only way to keep their pool of players well paid, and to attract European players, is through expansion. Both Amy Scheer and Jayna Hefford who have been leading the league's decisions, have made it clear, this year's expansion was step one, and they'll continue to expand as soon as it's viable. 

2026 Could Also Be A Farewell

With the PWHL in existence, it's hard to say how long players will continue to compete. What we do know is that the bulk of the league's stars will become unrestricted free agents following the 2025-26 season. This includes all 18 of the league's initial three year signings. With 2026 also marking the completion of another Olympic cycle, it could also be a farewell tour for some of the older players in the league. There's no telling how long we'll continue to see players like Natalie Spooner, Hilary Knight, Marie-Philip Poulin, Jocelyn Larocque, Brianne Jenner, Jamie Lee Rattray, Susanna Tapani, Katerina Mrazova, and Kendall Coyne Schofield will continue, who are all part of the league's top group of players, but are all also 32 or older. The PWHL is likely to extend careers, and with the newness of the league, players aren't as likely to call it a career unless they need to. But 2026 will be the first real question mark for most of these players as to whether or not it's time to move on from playing and turn their focus to coaching, family, or off ice careers.