A little over two years ago, the PWHL held what would be their first true entry draft. The inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft dispersed professional players from various leagues, but also saw many of the sport's top players sign prior to the draft.

It wasn't until 2024 that the league held a draft dominated by college grads and European prospects. Sarah Fillier was the top pick in the 2024 draft, headlining a first round compiled completely of past and present North American national team members. The draft itself held talented players from top to bottom, including the final pick in the seven round, 42 player draft, Raygan Kirk, who is now a starter in Toronto and was a player protected by her team in expansion. 

From the 2024 draft, there are only three players — Amanda Kessel, Ilona Markova, Madeline Wethington — who have not played a game in the league. Noora Tulus left the league after one season despite being drafted 13th overall by the New York Sirens, and Anna Meixner returned to Europe this season after two seasons in the league. 

In a full re-draft, a few players like Rylind MacKinnon, Laura Kluge, and Nadia Mattivi who went undrafted in 2024 would likely hear their names called.

Hindsight is the best tool.

With that in mind, The Hockey News' Pat Laprade and Ian Kennedy sat down to re-draft the 2024 PWHL Draft, just as they did with the 2023 Draft last year.

Raygan Kirk was the biggest climber in the redraft for both, jumping up by an average of 34 spots between the two redrafts. Conversely, four players fell out of the top for rounds in both mock redrafts including Noora Tulus (Round 3, 13th overall), Stephanie Markowski (Round 4, 20th overall), Sydney Bard (Round 2, 22nd overall), and Lauren Bernard (Round 4, 24th overall).

Here's how their redrafted selections look for the first four rounds (original selection positions are listed in brackets for all players).

1. Sarah Fillier (Round 1, 1st overall, New York)
2. Britta Curl-Salemme (Round 2, 9th overall, Minnesota)
3. Gwyneth Philips (Round 3, 14th overall, Ottawa)
4. Hannah Bilka (Round 1, 4th overall, Boston)
5. Claire Thompson (Round 1, 3rd overall, Minnesota)
6. Cayla Barnes (Round 1, 5th overall, Montreal)

Sarah Fillier has been the star of this cohort alongside netminder Gwyneth Philips and the polarizing Britta Curl-Salemme. Fillier was Rookie of the Year in 2025. She and Curl-Salemme remain league leaders in offensive totals, and have been All-Stars, and Philips has a playoff MVP to her name and back-to-back Walter Cup finals appearances. If Thompson doesn't return, her value would decrease dramatically and fall. Bilka was difficult to place, because her impact while healthy warrants a first round slot, but her inability to stay healthy could have sent her down a round. In a redraft, Barnes would have felt a push from Ronja Savolainen for the second defender picked, and her bounce through three teams in three seasons has hurt her performance. If she can stay in one place, she should settle into first round value.

1. Sarah Fillier (Round 1, 1st overall, New York)
2. Britta Curl-Salemme (Round 2, 9th overall, Minnesota)
3. Gwyneth Phillips (Round 3, 14th overall, Ottawa)
4. Claire Thompson (Round 1, 3rd overall, Minnesota)
5. Ronja Savolainen (Round 2, 8th overall, Ottawa)
6. Raygan Kirk (Round 7, 42nd overall, Toronto)

Sarah Fillier might not have had the sophomore season fans expected, but she would still be the first overall pick. She’s only 26, and I expect her to bounce back. Curl-Salemme won a Walter Cup and has proven to be a valuable piece for the Frost. She’s only six points behind Fillier through two seasons, which is why she jumps nine spots from where she was originally selected. Without Gwyneth Philips, does Ottawa make back-to-back finals? She already has a playoff MVP award under her belt. Thompson and Savolainen have both established themselves as top-pairing defenders, while Kirk ranks third all-time among goaltenders with at least 30 games played in both save percentage and goals-against average, trailing only Desbiens and Frankel. Not bad for the last overall pick in 2024!

7. Julia Gosling (Round 1, 6th overall, Toronto)
8. Jennifer Gardiner (Round 2, 11th overall, Montreal)
9. Ronja Savolainen (Round 2, 8th overall, Ottawa)
10. Raygan Kirk (Round 7, 42nd overall, Toronto)
11. Danielle Serdachny (Round 1, 2nd overall, Ottawa)
12. Maja Nylen Persson (Round 2, 10th overall, New York)

If you were to give it another season or two, most of the players in this round could play their way into first round redraft consideration. Gosling looked like a budding star in Seattle last season, Gardiner has shown flashes of brilliance, Savolainen is a number one D in Ottawa, Kirk has outperformed all expectations playing her way not only into a secure starting role, but into conversations among the best PWHL goaltenders overall, and Serdachny still has the potential, it just hasn't clicked in the PWHL...yet.

7. Jennifer Gardiner (Round 2, 11th overall, Montreal)
8. Julia Gosling (Round 1, 6th overall, Toronto)
9. Cayla Barnes (Round 1, 5th overall, Montreal)
10. Megan Carter (Round 2, 12th overall, Toronto)
11. Danielle Serdachny (Round, 2nd overall, Ottawa)
12. Hannah Bilka (Round 1, 4th overall, Boston)

I hesitated between Gardiner and Gosling. Gardiner has been the more consistent player over her first two seasons. Gosling’s ceiling may be higher, but she only really came into her own in her second season. Based on what they’ve accomplished so far, I have Gardiner ahead of her. Barnes has a good offensive upside, while Carter has established herself as a strong defensive presence and a hitting machine. Serdachny didn’t quite live up to the hype surrounding her golden goal during her rookie season, but she doubled her point total last season. As for Bilka, injuries are really the only reason she isn’t ranked higher.

13. Kayle Osborne (Round 5, 28th overall, New York)
14. Anna Wilgren (Round 5, 29th overall, Montreal)
15. Mae Batherson (Round 6, 33rd overall, Minnesota)
16. Shay Maloney (Round 6, 34th overall, Boston)
17. Megan Carter (Round 3, 13th overall, Toronto)
18. Izzy Daniel (Round 3, 18th overall, Toronto)

Osborne made Team Canada on a stellar first half of last season, Wilgren has World Championship gold with USA, and Batherson was one of the league's best breakout defenders last year. This round has an abundance of upside. Izzy Daniel is a former Patty Kazmaier winner who could climb this season with a bigger role in Vancouver. Add in Shay Maloney who has twice been protected by Boston from expansion showing her value, and Megan Carter who remains a hard nosed two-way defender. There was plenty of value in round three, but in a redraft, only Carter and Daniel remain, while the rest have climbed through their on-ice play.

13. Anna Wilgren (Round 5, 29th overall, Montreal)
14. Maja Nylen Persson (Round 2, 10th overall, New York)
15. Abby Boreen (Round 3, 17th overall, Montreal)
16. Izzy Daniel (Round 3, 18th overall, Toronto)
17. Katy Knoll (Round 7, 39th overall, Minnesota)
18. Brooke McQuigge (Round 4, 21st overall, Minnesota)

Wilgren was a real surprise in Montreal two years ago and has developed into one of the league’s best young shot-blocking defenders. Considering her team’s struggles in the standings, Persson has been a steady presence on New York’s blue line. Boreen showed flashes of her potential in Montreal, and Vancouver will be hoping to see more of that next season. Daniel hasn’t put up the kind of numbers that earned her the Patty Kazmaier Award in college, but she took a significant step forward last season, scoring seven goals after just two as a rookie. Knoll also scored eight goals last season despite spending only half the year on the first line. If McQuigge can get back to the numbers she produced during her rookie season, Ottawa will be more than pleased.

19. Ally Simpson (Round 3, 16th overall, New York)
20. Abigail Boreen (Round 3, 17th overall, Montreal)
21. Daniela Pejsova (Round 2, 7th overall, Boston)
22. Brooke McQuigge (Round 4, 21st overall, Minnesota)
23. Gabby Rosenthal (Round 4, 19th overall, New York)
24. Mannon McMahon (Round 5, 26th overall, Ottawa)

Year one Brooke McQuigge climbs, years two McQuigge stays where she is. But watch for her next season. And Daniela Pejsova could be one of the PWHL's biggest breakout stars this season. She's only at the age now where most North American players are entering the league. A fresh start for her outside of Boston could be the best move in her career. This round is filled with middle six and middle pairing players, but ones that have ernedthe respect of the league for their work ethic, checking, and secondary scoring. Katy Knoll deserves to be in here, Sydney Bard could have got a call, and a healthy Dominique Petrie would certainly make a move too, but the depth of this draft ends there.

19. Dominique Petrie (Round 5, 27th overall, Minnesota)
20. Daniela Pejsova (Round 2, 7th overall, Boston)
21. Shay Maloney (Round 6, 34th overall, Boston)
22. Dara Greig (Round 4, 23rd overall, Montreal)
23. Klara Hymlarova (Round 3, 15th overall, Minnesota)
24. Mannon McMahon (Round 5, 26th overall, Ottawa)

Petrie has been plagued by injuries, but her 0.5 points per game is encouraging if she can stay healthy. Pejsova is only 23 and finished last season at +6. I’d love to revisit this exercise in a few years to see how high she could climb. Maloney has been effective in Boston’s bottom six, winning faceoffs and blocking shots. Greig took a significant step forward last season and became a reliable presence on the penalty kill. Hymlarova has proven to be a versatile player, while McMahon’s production has remained consistent through her first two seasons.