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Jun 17, 20261
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Caroline Harvey Selected First Overall in PWHL Draft by Vancouver Goldeneyes
The Vancouver Goldeneyes selected U.S. Olympic defender Caroline Harvey with the first overall pick in the PWHL draft on Wednesday in Detroit. The draft, held at Fox Theater, featured 11 Olympians over the first two rounds, with American players dominating the early selections in what was regarded as the league's deepest and most talented draft class.
Quick Facts
Who
Caroline Harvey
What
Caroline Harvey selected first overall in PWHL draft
When
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Where
Detroit, Michigan
- Caroline Harvey selected first overall in PWHL draft
- Named IIHF female player of the year
- 11 Olympians selected in first two rounds
- Americans swept top five picks
- Laila Edwards selected fourth overall
The Vancouver Goldeneyes selected U.S. Olympic defender Caroline Harvey with the first overall pick in the Professional Women's Hockey League draft on Wednesday, marking a significant moment for the league following its expansion to 12 teams. Held at Detroit's Fox Theater, the draft showcased the deepest and most talented class in PWHL history, with 11 Olympians selected over the first two rounds, including five Americans who dominated the opening selections.
Harvey, a Wisconsin defender and two-time Olympian, was named the International Ice Hockey Federation's female player of the year on the same day. The 23-year-old from Pelham, New Hampshire, expressed relief and gratitude upon hearing her name called, acknowledging the depth of the draft class. "There's always this, you have no idea until you officially hear it," Harvey said. "This draft class is just so deep and so many phenomenal players. Anyone could get picked at any time." She is the second American player selected first overall in PWHL history, following Minnesota's selection of Taylor Heise in 2023.
The draft generated considerable emotion and celebration throughout the event. Laila Edwards, Harvey's longtime friend and teammate, grew emotional when selected fourth overall by San Jose, becoming the first Black player chosen in the first round of the PWHL draft. Detroit's selection of Swiss Olympic goalie Andrea Brandli in the second round drew the largest crowd response. "I had the whole crowd with me," the 29-year-old Brandli said. "I just felt like a big family up there and I'm so excited."
Americans swept the top five picks and comprised nine of 12 first-round selections, reflecting the talent surge following the U.S. national team's 2-1 Olympic overtime victory over Canada in February's Milan Cortina Games. Fellow American Olympians selected early included Seattle's Abbey Murphy (second), Las Vegas's Tessa Janecke (third), and Toronto's Kirsten Simms (eighth). The strong performance of American players underscores the momentum generated by the Olympic triumph and recent media appearances by gold medalists such as Hilary Knight and Megan Keller on Saturday Night Live.
The PWHL's expansion to 12 teams and the caliber of this draft class reflect the league's growth in women's professional hockey. PWHL executive board member Stan Kasten noted the positive trajectory: "Milan was just one of those amazing things that keeps happening to us. You see what the city of Detroit is going to do for this team, right? We just think the more people that get exposed, the more fans we make."
Harvey arrives in Vancouver with an exceptional résumé that includes three NCAA titles won at Wisconsin and the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as college hockey's MVP, capping her four-year career with the Badgers.
Why This Matters
Caroline Harvey's selection as the first overall PWHL pick marks a watershed moment for women's professional hockey, signaling the sport's accelerating growth and commercial viability. The dominance of American players—particularly following the U.S. Olympic gold medal triumph—reflects how high-profile international success directly translates into talent pipeline momentum and fan engagement. For stakeholders, this draft demonstrates that PWHL expansion and increased investment can attract elite talent and drive media attention, validating the league's long-term sustainability and positioning it as a destination for the world's best female players.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2023
WireInaugural PWHL draft; Taylor Heise selected first overall by Minnesota
Entities
- San Jose Barracuda
- Andrea Brandli
- Laila Edwards
- Kirsten Simms
- Las Vegas
- Toronto
- Tessa Janecke
- Detroit, Michigan
- Hilary Knight
- Detroit
- Abbey Murphy
- Fox Theater
- Vancouver Goldeneyes
- Pelham, New Hampshire
- Cleveland
- Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL)
- Milan Cortina
- Seattle
- Caroline Harvey
- International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
- University of Wisconsin
- Stan Kasten
- Megan Keller