Claire Thompson is one of the best defenders on the planet, and if she declares for the 2024 PWHL Draft as expected, she could become an x-factor pick for a PWHL team. Claire Thompson took a year away from hockey while attending medical school in New York, but she's back after being selected third overall in the PWHL Draft by PWHL Minnesota. Thompson, 26, hasn't played a full season since 2019-2020 when she captained Princeton, although she did play 20 games in the PWHPA during 2022-2023. “Picking up Claire would be a huge win for any team,” Sarah Fillier told The Athletic of her former Canadian teammate. [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5540998/2024/06/05/claire-thompson-pwhl-draft/] “Nobody in the PWHL or international hockey plays like her. Claire thinks of the game like no one else,” she said. “She just plays four steps ahead of everyone and you might think plays look risky or what she’s doing is reckless, but it’s actually super calculated. And she rarely makes mistakes.” Thompson has won a World Championship and Olympic gold medal along with a World Championship silver as a member of Team Canada, and she was named a tournament All-Star at the 2022 Olympics after scoring 13 points in 7 games. With Team Sonnet in the PWHPA during the 2022-2023 season Thompson recorded six points in 20 games. The 5-foot-8 Princeton graduate transitioned from forward to defense a season before stepping into the NCAA, and is seen as an offensive defender who enjoys jumping into the rush.
