With the completion of the expansion signing process, San Jose has assembled the first ten players in franchise history, providing the clearest indication yet of how general manager and head coach Troy Ryan intends to build the league's newest West Coast team. The group's composition is striking. Four defenders, five forwards and a franchise goaltender form the foundation of a roster that emphasizes youth, mobility and international experience. Rather than chasing established stars, San Jose targeted players entering their prime years, creating a roster capable of growing together while remaining competitive immediately. The cornerstone is goaltender Corinne Schroeder. As San Jose's first-ever signing, Schroeder [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhl-san-jose-starts-in-net-signing-corinne-schroeder-to-a-two-year-contract] instantly became the face of the franchise. One of the PWHL's most accomplished netminders, she arrives with expansion experience after helping launch Seattle's inaugural roster. Her consistency and elite save percentage make her the obvious choice to anchor the team through its formative seasons. As a member of New York, Schroeder was a Goaltender of the Year finalist in 2024. In front of Schroeder, San Jose's blue line is another early strength. Olympic gold medalist Rory Guilday brings size, leadership, skating ability and shutdown instincts after reaching the Walter Cup final with the Ottawa Charge. Fellow defenders Hadley Hartmetz and Mariah Keopple add mobility and puck-moving finesse, while Czech national team standout Daniela Pejšová gives the club another young defender [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/san-jose-brings-in-second-member-of-team-czechia-signing-boston-fleet-blueliner-daniela-pejsova] with significant international experience. She was the Best Defender at the 2022 World Championships and has two World Championship bronze medals. Collectively, the quartet provides San Jose with a defensive core that is both talented and young. Up front, the team has assembled a group built around versatility. Kristin O'Neill headlines the forwards after her selection as San Jose’s Expansion Foundational Offer recipient. A dependable two-way center capable of playing in all situations, O'Neill projects as one of the team's early leaders both on and off the ice. Anne Cherkowski and Maddi Wheeler arrive from New York after promising starts to their professional careers. Both players bring speed and offensive upside and are positioned to have breakout campaigns this upcoming season. Two-time teammates with Canada's U-18 national team the duo combined for 19 points last season with New York. Maggie Connors adds another layer of competitiveness and scoring ability that coach and GM Troy Ryan is familiar with after developing into a reliable contributor with Toronto. Meanwhile, Czech Olympian Natálie Mlýnková gives San Jose additional skill and international pedigree while expanding the club's growing European influence. Mlýnková, the 12th overall pick in the 2025 PWHL Draft, was a World Championship All-Star in 2024. The roster includes players from six different organizations, international experience from multiple countries, and athletes who have already succeeded in a variety of roles throughout the PWHL. There is a blend of leadership, youth and long-term potential that should serve the franchise well as it prepares for its first season. However, one of the more intriguing aspects of San Jose's first ten signings isn't who Troy Ryan added, it's who he didn't. Troy Ryan discusses what players will be the face of PWHL San Jose and the Bay Area RYAN DEPARTS FROM TRADITIONAL TIES Throughout much of his coaching career, whether with Team Canada or behind the bench in Toronto, Ryan has often leaned on veteran players in key situations. Experience, reliability and proven performance have traditionally been hallmarks of teams he has coached. That's what makes San Jose's inaugural roster particularly noteworthy. Rather than building around established PWHL stars in their late 20s and early 30s, Ryan has assembled a group whose average age skews younger than many expected. Outside of goaltender Corinne Schroeder and center Kristin O'Neill, many of San Jose's foundational pieces are players still establishing themselves at the professional level. In includes passing on, or failing to attract, players with Canadian national team experience under Ryan himself like Ashton Bell, Jessie Eldridge, Jamie Lee Rattray, Jill Saulnier, Emma Maltais, Blayre Turnbull, Claire Thompson, and Jocelyne Larocque who all remained available well into Phase 4 of expansion. While established veterans were available during the expansion process, many came with higher acquisition costs, shorter competitive windows, or significant protection considerations. Ryan instead appears to have prioritized players entering their prime years, athletes with enough professional experience to contribute immediately but young enough to grow alongside the franchise. There's also a practical hockey argument behind the approach. Several of San Jose's additions, including Rory Guilday, Daniela Pejšová, Natálie Mlýnková and Hadley Hartmetz, possess strong skating ability and upside that may not yet be fully realized. If even a handful of those players take significant developmental steps over the next two or three seasons, San Jose could find itself with a core that matures together rather than ages out together. The result is a roster that feels less like a collection of established names and more like a long-term project. For a coach often associated with veteran-heavy lineups, it represents a notable shift in approach, and perhaps a recognition that building an expansion franchise requires a different kind of patience than coaching a championship contender. The work, of course, is not finished. The PWHL Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/2026-pwhl-draft-rankings-final-top-125] and additional roster moves remain ahead, and San Jose will continue shaping its identity throughout the summer. San Jose will be able to sign up to 19 players before camp, and will need to build a 23 player roster including three goaltenders. But every franchise begins somewhere. For PWHL San Jose, it begins with Schroeder in goal, a talented young defensive corps, and a forward group eager to establish a winning culture in the Bay Area.
