The PWHL announced details for the 2024 PWHL Draft this week, and it couldn't have come at a better time as teams in Europe continue signing players. 42 players is more than was originally discussed, and more than some teams wanted for a PWHL draft, but without a developmental system it may have the potential to keep more players involved and tied to the new league.
Declaration for the draft and free agency opens March 1. Like last year, to be able to sign a contract in the PWHL, players must declare themselves eligible. It doesn't mean, as we saw with Tatum Skaggs, Lina Ljungblom, and Minttu Tuominen, that you must sign with the PWHL, or can't play in Europe and have your rights retained by a team in the league. What it does mean, is that if you don't declare, you'll need to wait another year until you can sign, no matter what.
According to the PWHL, there will be a window following the completion of the season where draft picks can be included in trades, which could see some players on two or three year contracts moving teams.
If you look at the PWHL's depth chart currently, replacing 42 players seems like a task. 18 spots conceivably, could be to replace reserves who didn't manage to grab roster spots this season.
Currently, there are 29 players in the PWHL playing less than 10 minutes per game. It's conceivably this group, which includes players drafted last season like Clair DeGeorge, Madison Bizal, Emma Buckles, Maude Poulin-Labelle, Kristin Della Rovere, Jess Healey, Alexandra Labelle, Alexa Vasko, Olivia Zafuto, and Jillian Dempsey, as well as many free agent signings, that is the most at risk.
Ice times however, have shifted drastically for some players following the first month of the season, so this group will continue to evolve.
The Hockey News compiled a Top 36 draft list based on a six round draft, but will now expand those rankings to a Top 60 heading toward the 2024 PWHL Draft which will take place sometime in June.
Inevitably, there will be significant turnover in the PWHL. If all 42 players made the league, which is unlikely, it would represent 30% of players currently in the PWHL losing their roster spots and jobs next season. When you consider 36 players are on guaranteed contracts who cannot lose their roster spot no matter how poorly they play, that number grows to 41% of current PWHL players not on three-year deals potentially losing their spots.
When you climb to that point in the PWHL in terms of time on ice, names like Chloe Aurard, Brittany Howard, Becca Gilmore, Jill Saulnier, Elizabeth Giguere, Taylor Girard, Akane Shiga, Shiann Darkangelo, Kennedy Marchment, and Claire Dalton come into play. It would be a stretch to imagine all of these players out of work next year.
Any way you look at it, there will be significant turnover in the league next season sending an influx of players to Europe or retirement, but it's a move that will also come with another step up in the talent level and on-ice product in the PWHL.