2025 PWHL Draft
DateJune 24, 2025
LocationHard Rock Hotel & Casino
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Rounds6
Overall48
LeagueProfessional Women's Hockey League
FirstKristýna Kaltounková
(New York Sirens)
Prev2024
Next2026

The 2025 PWHL Draft was the third annual draft in Professional Women's Hockey League history, and took place on June 24, 2025, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Kristýna Kaltounková was selected first overall by the New York Sirens.[1]

Eligibility

The declaration period for the draft opened on March 1, 2025, and closed on May 8.[2] Undrafted players will become free agents; players must declare for the draft to reach free agency. Selected players may re-enter the draft if they are not signed to their draft club after two years. No player may declare for more than two drafts.[3] Players ineligible to play in the 2025–26 season are not eligible to be selected.

On May 15, 2025, the PWHL released the full list of eligible players. In total, 199 eligible players declared for the draft, of which 117 were forwards, 56 were defenders, and 26 were goaltenders.[4]

Top prospects

Top skaters

Source: The Hockey News (June 1, 2025) ranking.[5]
RankingPlayerSchool/club team
1Kristýna Kaltounková (C)Colgate (NCAA)
2Haley Winn (D)Clarkson (NCAA)
3Casey O'Brien (C)Wisconsin (NCAA)
4Nicole Gosling (D)Clarkson (NCAA)
5Natálie Mlýnková (LW)Minnesota (NCAA)
6Rory Guilday (D)Cornell (NCAA)
7Michelle Karvinen (LW)Frölunda HC (SDHL)
8Anne Cherkowski (C)Clarkson (NCAA)
9Kendall Cooper (D)Quinnipiac (NCAA)
10Jenna Buglioni (C)Ohio State (NCAA)

Top goaltenders

Source: The Hockey News (June 1, 2025) ranking.[5]
RankingPlayerSchool/club team
1Sanni AholaSt. Cloud State (NCAA)
2Hannah MurphyColgate (NCAA)
3Ena NystrømBrynäs IF (SDHL)

Expansion

The PWHL established two new teams for the 2025–26 season, the Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes. In order to help these new teams fill their rosters, the league granted them an exclusive signing window from June 4–8, and held an expansion draft on June 9, 2025.

Protected lists and exclusive signing window

Before 5:00 pm on June 3, each current team submitted the names of three current players under contract for next season to the league to be protected from signing by the expansion teams. After a current team lost two players, they were then allowed to protect a fourth player. Once the protected lists were submitted, the Seattle and Vancouver teams had a five-day exclusive window, from June 4 through June 8, to sign up to five players each. Any player who was either unprotected, or on an expiring contract, could be signed by either expansion team.[6]

Protected players

BostonMinnesotaMontrealNew YorkOttawaToronto
Aerin FrankelKendall Coyne SchofieldAnn-Renée DesbiensSarah FillierEmily ClarkRenata Fast
Megan KellerTaylor HeiseMarie-Philip PoulinElla SheltonGwyneth PhilipsBlayre Turnbull
Alina MüllerLee SteckleinLaura StaceyMicah Zandee-HartRonja SavolainenDaryl Watts
Shay MaloneyBritta Curl-SalemmeErin AmbroseMaja Nylén PerssonGabbie HughesEmma Maltais

Sources:[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Signed players

RoundSeattle TorrentVancouver Goldeneyes
PlayerFormer teamPlayerFormer team
1Hilary Knight[15]Boston FleetClaire Thompson[16]Minnesota Frost
2Danielle Serdachny[17]Ottawa ChargeSophie Jaques[18]Minnesota Frost
3Cayla Barnes[19]Montreal VictoireSarah Nurse[20]Toronto Sceptres
4Alex Carpenter[21]New York SirensEmerance Maschmeyer[20]Ottawa Charge
5Corinne Schroeder[22]New York SirensJennifer Gardiner[23]Montreal Victoire

Expansion draft

On June 9, the two expansion teams drafted at least seven additional players from the current PWHL teams, until they reached a 12-player roster. If one (or both) of the expansion teams signed fewer than five players during the exclusive signing window, they would receive more than seven picks in the expansion draft.[6] On June 6, 2025, the Seattle Torrent announced that they had come to agreement with New York Sirens goaltender Corinne Schroeder, ensuring that both teams picked the minimum number of players (seven) in the expansion draft.[24]

Brooke McQuigge, Gabby Rosenthal, and Anna Wilgren are restricted free agents with their rights controlled by Vancouver or Seattle; they will technically not be members of those teams until they sign a contract in free agency.

NumberPlayerPositionPWHL teamTeam drafted from
1Ashton BellDVancouver GoldeneyesOttawa Charge
2Aneta TejralováDSeattle TorrentOttawa Charge
3Hannah BilkaFSeattle TorrentBoston Fleet
4Brooke McQuiggeFVancouver GoldeneyesMinnesota Frost
5Abigail BoreenFVancouver GoldeneyesMontreal Victoire
6Jessie EldridgeFSeattle TorrentNew York Sirens
7Julia GoslingFSeattle TorrentToronto Sceptres
8Izzy DanielFVancouver GoldeneyesToronto Sceptres
9Gabby RosenthalFVancouver GoldeneyesNew York Sirens
10Anna WilgrenDSeattle TorrentMontreal Victoire
11Megan CarterDSeattle TorrentToronto Sceptres
12Denisa KřížováFVancouver GoldeneyesMinnesota Frost
13Sydney BardDVancouver GoldeneyesBoston Fleet
14Emily BrownDSeattle TorrentBoston Fleet

Format

The eight teams will pick in each of six rounds for a total of 48 selections. The top selection in the draft was determined by the Gold Plan, where standings points accumulated by a team that can no longer make the playoffs count as draft order points, and the team with the most draft order points received the first overall selection.[6] On June 13, the PWHL announced the order that all teams would pick for all six rounds of the draft.[25]

Selections by round

Round one

PlayerNationalityPWHL teamSchool/club team
1Kristýna Kaltounková (F)New York SirensColgate (NCAA)
2Haley Winn (D)Boston FleetClarkson (NCAA)
3Casey O'Brien (F)New York Sirens (from Toronto) [Trade 1]Wisconsin (NCAA)
4Nicole Gosling (D)Montreal VictoireClarkson (NCAA)
5Rory Guilday (D)Ottawa ChargeCornell (NCAA)
6Kendall Cooper (D)Minnesota FrostQuinnipiac (NCAA)
7Michelle Karvinen (F)/Vancouver GoldeneyesFrölunda HC (SDHL)
8Jenna Buglioni (F)Seattle TorrentOhio State (NCAA)

Round two

PlayerNationalityPWHL teamSchool/club team
9Anne Cherkowski (F)New York SirensClarkson (NCAA)
10Ella Huber (F)Boston FleetMinnesota (NCAA)
11Emma Gentry (F)Toronto SceptresSt. Cloud State (NCAA)
12Natálie Mlýnková (F)Montreal VictoireMinnesota (NCAA)
13Anna Shokhina (F)Ottawa ChargeDynamo-Neva St. Petersburg (ZhHL)
14Abby Hustler (F)Minnesota FrostSt. Lawrence (NCAA)
15Hannah Murphy (G)Seattle TorrentColgate (NCAA)
16Kiara Zanon (F)Toronto Sceptres (from Vancouver Goldeneyes)[Trade 2]Ohio State (NCAA)

Round three

PlayerNationalityPWHL teamSchool/club team
17Makenna Webster (F)New York SirensOhio State (NCAA)
18Olivia Mobley (F)Boston FleetMinnesota Duluth (NCAA)
19Nina Jobst-Smith (F)/Vancouver Goldeneyes (from Toronto) [Trade 2]Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)
20Skylar Irving (F)Montreal VictoireNortheastern (NCAA)
21Sarah Wozniewicz (F)Ottawa ChargeWisconsin (NCAA)
22Anna Segedi (F)/Minnesota FrostSt. Lawrence (NCAA)
23Clara Van Wieren (F)Toronto Sceptres (from Vancouver Goldeneyes)[Trade 2]Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)
24Lily Delianedis (F)Seattle TorrentCornell (NCAA)

Round four

PlayerNationalityPWHL teamSchool/club team
25Dayle Ross (D)New York SirensSt. Cloud State (NCAA)
26Riley Brengman (D)Boston FleetOhio State (NCAA)
27Maddi Wheeler (F)New York Sirens (from Toronto) [Trade 1]Ohio State (NCAA)
28Callie Shanahan (G)New York Sirens (from Montreal) [Trade 3]Boston University (NCAA)
29Peyton Hemp (F)Ottawa ChargeMinnesota (NCAA)
30Ava Rinker (D)Minnesota FrostUConn (NCAA)
31Jada Habisch (F)Seattle TorrentUConn (NCAA)
32Brianna Brooks (F)Vancouver GoldeneyesPenn State (NCAA)

Round five

PlayerNationalityPWHL teamSchool/club team
33Anna Bargman (F)New York SirensYale (NCAA)
34Abby Newhook (F)Boston FleetBoston College (NCAA)
35Sara Hjalmarsson (F)Toronto SceptresLinköping HC (SDHL)
36Maya Labad (F)Montreal VictoireQuinnipiac (NCAA)
37Sanni Ahola (G)Ottawa ChargeSt. Cloud State (NCAA)
38Vanessa Upson (F)Minnesota FrostMercyhurst (NCAA)
39Madison Samoskevich (D)Vancouver GoldeneyesQuinnipiac (NCAA)
40Lyndie Lobdell (D)Seattle TorrentPenn State (NCAA)

Round six

PlayerNationalityPWHL teamSchool/club team
41Kaley Doyle (G)New York SirensQuinnipiac (NCAA)
42Amanda Thiele (G)Boston FleetOhio State (NCAA)
43Hanna Baskin (D)Toronto SceptresMinnesota Duluth (NCAA)
44Tamara Giaquinto (D)Montreal VictoireBoston University (NCAA)
45Fanuza Kadirova (F)Ottawa ChargeDynamo-Neva St. Petersburg (ZhHL)
46Brooke Becker (D)Minnesota FrostProvidence (NCAA)
47Olivia Wallin (F)Seattle TorrentMinnesota Duluth (NCAA)
48Chanreet Bassi (F)Vancouver GoldeneyesUBC (U Sports)

Trade notes

  1. ^ Toronto → New York. Toronto's first-round pick went to New York as the result of a trade on June 24, 2025, that sent a first-round pick (3rd overall) and a fourth-round pick (27th overall) to New York in exchange for Ella Shelton.
  2. ^ Vancouver → Toronto. Vancouver's second-round pick went to Toronto as the result of a trade on June 24, 2025, that sent a second-round pick (16th overall) and a third-round pick (23rd overall) to Toronto in exchange for a third-round pick (19th overall) and Kristen Campbell.
  3. ^ Montreal → New York. Montreal's fourth-round pick went to New York as the result of a trade on June 24, 2025, that sent a fourth-round pick (28th overall) and Kristin O'Neill to New York in exchange for Abby Roque.

References

  1. ^ Salvian, Hailey (June 24, 2025). "New York Sirens select Kristýna Kaltounková with No. 1 pick in 2025 PWHL Draft". The Athletic. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  2. ^ Kennedy, Ian (March 2, 2025). "PWHL's Draft Declaration Period Is Officially Open". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  3. ^ Kennedy, Ian (April 15, 2025). "Ottawa To Host 2025 PWHL Draft On June 24". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  4. ^ "PWHL Releases 2025 Draft Eligibility List Featuring 199 Players Representing 15 Countries". Professional Women's Hockey League. May 15, 2025. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  5. ^ Kennedy, Ian (June 1, 2025). "2025 PWHL Draft: Final Rankings". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  6. ^ Kennedy, Ian (May 19, 2025). "PWHL Unveils Expansion Draft Rules". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  7. ^ "PWHL Announces Player Protection Lists For 2025 Expansion Roster Building Process". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 3, 2025. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  8. ^ Kennedy, Ian (June 3, 2025). "The Picks Are In: Here's Who Each PWHL Team Protected And Left Exposed For Expansion". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  9. ^ "Minnesota Frost Adds Britta Curl-Salemme To Protected List For 2025 PWHL Expansion Roster Building Process". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  10. ^ "Ottawa Charge Adds Gabbie Hughes To Protected List For 2025 PWHL Expansion Roster Building Process". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  11. ^ "Montréal Victoire Adds Erin Ambrose to Protected List For 2025 PWHL Expansion Roster Building Process". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  12. ^ "New York Sirens Add Maja Nylén Persson To Protected List for 2025 PWHL Expansion Roster Building Process". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  13. ^ "Boston Fleet Adds Shay Maloney To Protected List for 2025 PWHL Expansion Roster Building Process". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  14. ^ "Toronto Sceptres Add Emma Maltais To Protected List for 2025 PWHL Expansion Roster Building Process". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  15. ^ "PWHL Seattle Signs Hilary Knight to One-Year Contract". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  16. ^ "PWHL Vancouver signs Claire Thompson to one-year contract". thepwhl.com. June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  17. ^ Kennedy, Ian (June 4, 2025). "Danielle Serdachny Heading To PWHL Seattle". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  18. ^ "PWHL Vancouver signs Sophie Jaques to three-year contract". thepwhl.com. June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  19. ^ "PWHL Seattle signs Cayla Barnes to one-year contract". thepwhl.com. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  20. ^ Kennedy, Ian (June 4, 2025). "PWHL Vancouver Reportedly Adding Sarah Nurse And Emerance Maschmeyer, Jaques Signs Extension". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  21. ^ "PWHL Seattle signs Alex Carpenter to one-year contract". thepwhl.com. June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  22. ^ "PWHL Seattle Signs Corinne Schroeder to Two-Year Contract". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  23. ^ "Jenn Gardiner Signs With Hometown PWHL Vancouver". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 5, 2025. Surrey, BC, native signs a one-year contract to become the fifth and final player to join the expansion team during the exclusive signing window
  24. ^ "2025 PWHL Expansion Draft Presented By Upper Deck". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  25. ^ "PWHL Announces Broadcast Details and Order of Selection for 2025 Draft". ThePWHL.com. Professional Women's Hockey League. June 13, 2025. Retrieved June 13, 2025.