It's PWHL trade deadline day. At 5:00pm on March 30, trades will be off the table. Tomorrow, March 31, the league's roster freeze date means teams will no longer be able to add to their rosters, whether it's part of their 23 player active roster, or reserves. Unlike the NHL, making trades in the PWHL is not easy [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhl-trade-bait-is-the-league-moving-closer-to-having-buyers-and-sellers]. That said, general managers and their teams have been meeting this week and making calls looking for ways to improve their rosters. Here's what you need to know on PWHL trade deadline day. FREE AGENT SIGNINGS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE WEEK Nadia Mattivi (Montreal), Sam Cogan (Minnesota), Alexie Guay (Ottawa), Noemi Neubauerova (Boston), Gabrielle David (Seattle), Samantha Isbell (Montreal), and Anneke Rankila (Toronto) all joined, or in many cases, rejoined the PWHL this week as free agents. The group, with the exception of Isbell, all came from Europe following the conclusions of their seasons. David and Mattivi were the only two to step directly into full time roster spots, while the rest have signed as reserves. NO DRAFT PICKS CAN BE TRADED One limiting factor on the PWHL trade front is the fact that the trading of draft picks is still prohibited. Draft picks can be traded only on draft day. Why? The primary reason is because neither teams, nor the league, know exactly what the draft will look like. Will there be six rounds? Seven? Five? What will the draft order be? Will a first round pick traded by a top team be the 8th overall selection, or the 12th? Will expansion teams pick at the top of each round, or like last season, the bottom? Will there be two expansion teams or four? Until the league can ensure a consistent draft structure year over year, picks are a currency that will remain off the table. Abby Roque highlights SPEAKING OF EXPANSION...AND THE PLAYOFF RACE Making a significant move now, without understanding whether the league will expand by two or four teams, whether the league will follow a similar plan to last season for roster protection, nor how many players each team can be expected to lose, makes it extremely difficult to make a roster move of significance. The league's set up certainly does not allow for long term planning, but it would also be foolish to assume teams are planning one year at a time. Perhaps larger than the uncertainty around expansion is the fact that seven teams remain within reach of a playoff spot on deadline day. Seattle looks to be out, and they could be willing to make a move if the right opportunity comes up. Teams will look at their blueline as a target. Vancouver has already made a pair of trades this season, and they should be counted out of the market. They'll have a hard time keeping their roster together regardless of what happens at the deadline. Contract status isn't really a consideration in the PWHL as teams will lose a significant chunk of their signed or recently drafted players. In fact, teams may be more interested in acquiring players on expiring contracts in hopes of a leg up in re-signing them in the offsason. WILL THERE BE ANY TRADES? On the inaugural PWHL trade deadline, Montreal sent Tereza Vanisova to Ottawa in exchange for Amanda Boulier. Ottawa also acquired Shiann Darkangelo in exchange for Lexie Adzija and Caitrin Lonergan from Boston. Last season, only one trade occurred, a deal that saw Kaitlin Willougby head to the Montreal Victoire, with Anna Kjellbin heading to Toronto. This season, there has already been a trio of trades, including most recently a deal sending Jessie Eldridge to Boston and Theresa Schafzahl to Seattle [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/fleet-acquire-jessie-eldridge-from-seattle-in-exchange-for-thereza-schafzahl] earlier this month. At the 2026 deadline, it would be shocking to see more than a deal or two come to fruition. Teams have done their work this week filling reserve spots with veteran depth. Every team is listening, most teams are kicking tires, there are players who want to move now or in the offseason, and everyone wants to get better. The problem is, when every team is looking to win a trade, not just make one, things can get bogged down. Like the Willoughby for Kjellbin deal, look for a deal that is more of a minor shuffle to meet positional needs, than a blockbuster.
