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Jun 18, 20261
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Professional Women's Hockey League Holds 2026 Draft
The Professional Women's Hockey League conducted its 2026 draft, selecting players across six rounds to fill rosters for its eight franchises. The draft featured talent from NCAA programs and European professional leagues, drawing from a global pool of elite female hockey players.
Quick Facts
Who
Vancouver Goldeneyes
What
Professional Women's Hockey League draft
When
2026
Where
Professional Women's Hockey League
- Professional Women's Hockey League draft
- Selection of players across six rounds
- Franchise roster building
- International player recruitment
- Vancouver Goldeneyes
The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) held its 2026 draft, selecting players across six rounds to stock its eight franchises. The draft featured talent from North American colleges, European professional leagues, and international players, reflecting the growing global reach of women's professional hockey.
Vancouver Goldeneyes opened the draft by selecting Caroline 'KK' Harvey, a defenseman from the University of Wisconsin, as the first overall pick. The draft proceeded through all eight PWHL teams—Vancouver Goldeneyes, Seattle Torrent, PWHL Las Vegas, PWHL San Jose, PWHL Hamilton, New York Sirens, Toronto Sceptres, Minnesota Frost, Boston Fleet, Ottawa Charge, and Montreal Victoire—with teams making selections based on their draft order.
Players came from diverse backgrounds, with the majority emerging from NCAA Division I programs such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Penn State, and Ohio State. The draft also included international talent from European professional leagues, including Sweden's Lulea and Frolunda HC, as well as players from Finland, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, and other nations. This reflects the PWHL's commitment to recruiting elite female hockey players from around the world.
Notable selections included forwards and defensemen who had competed at the highest amateur and semi-professional levels. The six-round draft process allowed each franchise to build depth across multiple positions, including forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders, setting the stage for the league's competitive balance in the upcoming seasons.
Topics
Why This Matters
The PWHL's 2026 draft represents a critical milestone in the professionalization and global expansion of women's ice hockey. By recruiting talent from NCAA programs and international European leagues, the league is strengthening competitive depth while signaling commitment to gender equity in professional sports. For fans and stakeholders, this draft determines the composition of rosters for the upcoming competitive season and showcases the growing pool of elite female hockey talent worldwide.