Julia Gosling decided to enter the PWHL Draft instead of returning to the NCAA for another season feeling "read for the next step." She discusses her decision and making the jump to play against the best of the best. The PWHL Draft is underway and the next name off the board is St. Lawrence University captain and Team Canada member Julia Gosling. The 5-foot-10 center bypassed her fifth year of NCAA eligibility with St. Lawrence University to enter the draft, being selected in the first round, 6th overall by PWHL Toronto. As the PWHL hockey operations department described, Gosling is “a power forward who will impact immediately in puck battles and net-front battles. She is a powerful and effective skater, providing consistent offense and a pro release.” A 23-year-old power forward, Gosling is known for threatening off the rush and driving pucks to the net. Some compare her game to PWHL Toronto star and league leading scorer Natalie Spooner. With St. Lawrence this season, Gosling recorded 22 goals and 51 points in 37 games. "She's a great player, great person, great athlete," said Team Canada head coach Troy Ryan [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/pwhl-draft-profile-julia-gosling] of Gosling following her first game with Canada at the World Championships. Gosling centralized with Canada prior to the 2022 Olympics but did not make the final roster. This season making her first appearance on the IIHF stage at the senior national level with Canada, Gosling scored two goals at the World Championships, including one in the gold medal game against Team USA. Gosling was one of only two NCAA prospects to bypass their final season of eligibility to join the PWHL Draft this season. "It was definitely a hard decision," said Gosling [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/julia-gosling-enters-pwhl-draft-feeling-ready-for-the-next-step]. "In the end after my season and the World Championships I felt like I was ready for the next step and to join all these elite athletes and playing with the best of the best and kind of challenging myself, so in the end that's just what my gut was telling me and just excited to join the league."
