Written by: Frank Mills, Women’s Hockey Scout
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) begins its third season in 2025-26 with the inclusion of two newly-added franchises: Vancouver and Seattle. The league successfully navigated its third entry draft, an expansion-only free agency window, a standard free agency period, as well as its first expansion draft.
If you’re a fan of one of the original six PWHL franchises, your head was probably spinning in June thanks to all of the roster moves. Unlike in the NHL, where expansion typically means parting ways with middle and lower-tier players, some of the most prominent faces of the game were added to the rosters of the new teams. Icons like Hillary Knight, Alex Carpenter, and Sarah Nurse found themselves moving across the continent, and the two new franchises found themselves with highly-competitive rosters.
PWHL Vancouver
The PWHL’s newest franchises were given an exclusive free agent signing period in the five days leading up to the expansion draft on June 9 where they could select up to five unprotected players. Vancouver chose defenders Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson from the Minnesota Frost, goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer from the Ottawa Charge, and forwards Sarah Nurse from the Toronto Scepters and Jenn Gardiner from the Montreal Victoire.
Vancouver then used the expansion draft to select defenders Ashton Bell (Ottawa) and Sydney Bard (Boston) as well as forwards Brooke McQuigge (Minnesota), Abby Boreen (Montreal), Izzy Daniel (Toronto), Gabby Rosenthal (New York) and Denisa Křížová (Minnesota). Later in June, Vancouver signed free agent forwards Hannah Miller (Toronto), Michela Cava (Minnesota), and Tereza Vanisova (Ottawa) as well as defenders Mellissa Channell-Watkins (Minnesota) and Emma Greco (Boston).
On June 23, PWHL Vancouver announced that Brian Idalski, formerly of St. Cloud State would be the franchise’s first head coach. At the 2025 PWHL Entry Draft, the team selected Michelle Karvinen (Frolunda HC) in the first round, followed by Nina Jobst-Smith (University of Minnesota-Duluth), Brianna Brooks (Penn State), Madison Samoskevich (Quinnipiac), and Chanreet Bassi (University of British Columbia) in later rounds. Vancouver also made a trade at the draft, acquiring goaltender Kristin Campbell from Toronto.
PWHL Seattle
In the expansion-exclusive signing period, Seattle chose defender Cayla Barnes from Montreal, goaltender Corinne Schroeder from the New York Sirens, and forwards Hillary Knight from the Boston Fleet, Danielle Serdachny from Ottawa, and Alex Carpenter from New York.
In the expansion draft, Seattle selected defenders Anna Wilgren (Montreal), Megan Carter (Toronto), Emily Brown (Boston), and Aneta Tejralova (Ottawa) as well as forwards Hannah Bilka (Boston), Jessie Eldridge (New York), and Julia Gosling (Toronto).
On June 20, PWHL Seattle named Steve O’Rourke from the Oshawa Generals as their first head coach. In the 2025 PWHL Entry Draft, they selected Jenna Buglioni from Ohio State in the first round and Hannah Murphy (Colgate), Lily Delianedis (Cornell), Jada Habisch (UCONN), Lyndie Lobdell (Penn State), and Olivia Wallin (University of Minnesota-Duluth) in later rounds. Later in the summer, the team signed free agent defender Mariah Keopple (Montreal), goaltender Carly Jackson (Toronto), and forwards Lexie Adzija (Boston), Natalie Snodgrass (Ottawa), and Mikyla Grant-Mentis (Montreal).
Boston Fleet
The Fleet announced on July 23 that they had signed a new head coach: Kris Sparre who served the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League.
The Fleet picked up a blue-chip prospect in Clarkson defender Haley Winn in the 2025 PWHL Entry Draft. They also selected Ella Huber (University of Minnesota), Oliva Mobley (University of Minnesota-Duluth), Riley Brengman (Ohio State), Abby Newhook (Boston College), and Amanda Thiele (Ohio State).
Boston was active in the free agency window, signing defenders Rylind MacKinnon (Toronto), and Zoe Boyd (Ottawa), goaltender Abbey Levy (New York), and forwards Laura Kluge (Toronto), Chloe Aurard (New York), and Liz Schepers (Minnesota).
Boston extended the contracts of Megan Keller, Aerin Frankel, Alina Muller, and Shay Maloney for two years while inking one-year contracts with Loren Gabel, Hadley Hartmetz, Theresa Schafzahl, Jill Saulnier, and Sussana Tapani.
Minnesota Frost
The two-time Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost were quieter than most teams in the offseason, picking up only one free agent, defender Sidney Morin from Boston.
In the 2025 PWHL Draft, Minnesota selected Kendall Cooper (Quinnipiac), Abby Hustler (St. Lawrence), Anna Segedi (St. Lawrence), Ava Rinker (UCONN), Vanessa Upson (Mercyhurst), and Brooke Becker (Providence).
Minnesota locked in goaltender Maddie Rooney for three more years, Dominique Petrie, Mae Batherson, and Natalie Buchbinder for two years, and signed one-year deals with Katy Knoll, Claire Butorac, and reserve player Marlene Biossonault.
Montreal Victoire
Montreal added a number of key pieces to complement their core of Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, and Erin Ambrose. In a blockbuster trade with New York, the Victoire picked up center Abby Roque, while signing free agent forwards Jade Downie-Landry (New York), Hayley Scamurra (Toronto), and Shiann Darkangelo (Ottawa), as well as defenders Maggie Flaherty (Minnesota) and Jessica DiGirolamo (Boston).
In the 2025 PWHL Draft, Montreal selected Nicole Gosling (Clarkson), Natalie Mlynkova (University of Minnesota), Skylar Irving (Northeastern), Maya Labad (Quinnipiac), and Tamara Giaquinto (Boston University).
The Victoire extended Kati Tabin’s contract for two years and completed one-year deals with Alexandra Labelle, Kaitlin Willoughby, Catherine Dubois, and goaltender Sandra Abstreiter.
New York Sirens
The Sirens added some veteran presence to their blue line, signing Jincy Roese from Ottawa. They also signed Savannah Norcross from Sweden and traded Abby Roque to Montreal in exchange for Kristin O’Neill.
New York’s real offseason work came at the 2025 PWHL Draft, where they selected nine players, including two in the first round. Colgate’s Kristyna Kaltounkova was selected first and Wisconsin’s Casey O’Brien was selected third overall. The Sirens also selected Anne Cherkowski (Clarkson), Makenna Webster (Ohio State), Dayle Ross (St. Cloud State), Madelyn Wheeler (Ohio State), Anna Bargman (Yale), and goaltenders Callie Shanahan (Boston University) and Kaley Doyle (Quinnipiac).
New York completed their most important contract extension, signing Sarah Fillier to a two-year deal. They also signed Maja Nylen-Persson (3 years), Allyson Simpson (2 years), and Kayla Vespa, Lauren Bernard, and Taylor Girard (all one-year deals).
Ottawa Charge
Ottawa picked up three free agents in the offseason: Emma Bergesen (Sweden), Brooke Hobson (New York), and Elizabeth Giguere (New York).
In the 2025 PWHL Draft, Ottawa selected Rory Guilday (Cornell), Anna Shokhina (Dynamo-Neva St. Petersburg), Sarah Wozniewicz (Wisconsin), Peyton Hemp (University of Minnesota), Sanni Ahola (St. Cloud State), and Fanuza Kadirova (Dynamo-Neva St. Petersburg).
Ottawa resigned more players than any other team in the PWHL in the offseason including Emily Clark and Gwyneth Phillips to two-year deals. They also signed Rebecca Leslie (2 years) and agreed to one-year deals with Mannon McMahon, Stephanie Markowski, Logan Angers, Jessica Adolfsson, Sam Isbell, Anna Meixner, and Taylor House.
Toronto Scepters
Toronto added a significant piece to their blueline after the departure of Sophie Jaques by trading draft picks to New York for defender Ella Shelton. Toronto also picked up three free agents who played for Montreal last year: forwards Clair DeGeorge and Claire Dalton, and goaltender Elaine Chuli.
In the 2025 PWHL Draft, Toronto selected Emma Gentry (St. Cloud State), Kiara Zanon (Ohio State), Clara Van Wieren (University of Minnesota-Duluth), Sara Hjalmarsson (Linkoping HC), and Hanna Baskin (University of Minnesota-Duluth).
Key resignings Natalie Spooner and Jess Compher both signed two-year deals and one-year contract extensions were given to Anna Kjellbin, Jessica Kondas, Kali Flanagan, and Maggie Connors.