PWHL Draft 2026

For the first time, the PWHL Draft is heading to Hockeytown. On June 17, 2026, the Fox Theatre in Detroit will host the league's biggest player intake yet: 236 declared players, 23 of them with 2026 Olympic experience, and an expansion class of new franchises waiting to stack their rosters. Vancouver Goldeneyes own the No. 1 pick. Caroline Harvey, the Patty Kazmaier winner and Olympic MVP, sits at the top of nearly every public board. From there, things get interesting fast.

About the 2026 PWHL Draft

The 2026 PWHL Draft is the league's fourth, and by every measurable yardstick the deepest pool the PWHL has ever produced. According to the league's own announcement, 236 players officially declared by the May 8 deadline, broken down as 128 forwards, 68 defenders and 40 goaltenders. More than half come from NCAA programs, with the remainder spread across U Sports, the SDHL, and clubs in Switzerland, Germany, Czechia, Russia and beyond. The draft will be open to ticketed fans for the first time and follows a Detroit-hosted awards ceremony the night before.

Two storylines drive the class. The first is the Olympic effect: gold medalists Harvey, Laila Edwards, Abbey Murphy, Tessa Janecke and Kirsten Simms headline a deep American group, while Switzerland's bronze-medal goaltender Andrea Braendli and Sweden's Thea Johansson lead a 23-player international contingent that includes four Finns, five Germans and three Italians. The second is expansion. The league announced PWHL Detroit earlier this month, along with newly announced franchises in Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose. All four expansion teams are set to enter play in 2026-27, bringing the league to 12 franchises.

When is the PWHL Draft 2026?

The 2026 PWHL Draft takes place on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, beginning at 5 p.m. ET at the historic Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. The PWHL Awards will be held at the same venue the previous evening, June 16. Tickets went on sale to the public on May 13.

PWHL Draft Order 2026

The top of the 2026 PWHL Draft order was set by the league's Gold Plan, the points-based system that rewards eliminated clubs for finishing the regular season strong. Both expansion sides bottomed out the standings, and the race for No. 1 went down to the final weekend.

Pick	Team	Gold Plan Points
1	Vancouver Goldeneyes	5
2	Seattle Torrent	5
3	New York Sirens	0
4	Toronto Sceptres	n/a

Vancouver and Seattle finished tied on five Gold Plan points, with the Goldeneyes winning the tiebreaker on the strength of their post-elimination record. New York and Toronto round out the non-playoff group. The rest of the first round will be determined by playoff results and the placement of the new expansion teams in Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose, with the league confirming the back-end order closer to draft night.

For Vancouver, this is a chance to immediately address the structural problem that defined their inaugural season. The Goldeneyes scored 64 goals and conceded 78, and their pipeline of high-end finishing forwards is thin. The No. 1 pick can change that overnight.

2026 PWHL Top Prospects

There's no quibble about No. 1. From there, the board fragments into a half-dozen legitimate top-six forwards, two true No. 1 goaltending candidates, and a deeper group of NCAA-tested defenders than the league has seen since its inaugural draft. The names below stand out, presented in no particular order.

Caroline Harvey, D, Wisconsin (NCAA)

The headline. Harvey just swept the 2026 Patty Kazmaier as the NCAA's top player, was named MVP and Best Defender at the 2026 Olympics, and capped it all with another national title in Madison. There hasn't been a defenseman to enter this league with her combination of skating, vision and international pedigree.

Abbey Murphy, F, Minnesota (NCAA)

Olympic gold medalist, Patty Kazmaier finalist, and one of the hardest players in the women's game to play against. Murphy returned for her graduate season at Minnesota and only sharpened the physical edge that already made her a nightmare matchup. Goal-scoring touch to match.

Laila Edwards, F/D, Wisconsin (NCAA)

The most versatile player in the draft. Edwards has played both forward and defense at the international level and owns arguably the best shot in the class. Built for the physicality of the pro game.

Lacey Eden, F, Wisconsin (NCAA)

The Annapolis, Maryland native just made history as the first player in NCAA women's hockey history to win four national championships, capping a graduate season in which she also led the country in scoring with 77 points (29 goals, 48 assists) in 41 games. Creative, elite passer, equally comfortable on the half-wall or in the middle of the ice. The kind of mind a coaching staff trusts in any situation.

Kirsten Simms, F, Wisconsin (NCAA)

Saved her best for the biggest games. Simms isn't physically imposing, but her quickness and ability to manipulate defenders in tight spaces translate cleanly to pro hockey. A Plymouth, Michigan native heading into a draft hosted in her home state.

Tessa Janecke, F, Penn State (NCAA)

The Nittany Lions captain who carried a program to its first Frozen Four ever and finished as a Patty Kaz top-three finalist. Reliable at both ends, dangerous off the rush, and already comfortable playing alongside Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter for Team USA.

Thea Johansson, F, Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)

Sweden's leading scorer in Milan. The transfer from Mercyhurst to Duluth unlocked another gear. A sneaky-quick release and elite off-puck reads make her one of the more underrated names in this class.

Andrea Braendli, G, Frölunda (SDHL)

Finally. After years of being the best goaltender outside North America, Braendli has declared. Named Best Goaltender at the 2026 Olympics on Switzerland's bronze-medal run. The PWHL gains a player who can carry a starting workload from day one.

Petra Nieminen, F, Luleå (SDHL)

Eight seasons in the SDHL, the reigning SDHL scoring champion, five league championships, and one of Finland's central figures on the international stage. The best European forward to declare since the inaugural class.

Emma Peschel, D, Ohio State (NCAA)

Quiet, complete, two-way blueliner. Doesn't generate Harvey-level highlight clips, but she shuts plays down and moves the puck cleanly. The model of the modern PWHL defender.

Elisa Holopainen, F, Frölunda (SDHL)

Holopainen has been the runner-up to Nieminen in SDHL scoring two years running and just won league MVP honors after leading the SDHL with 27 goals. Another Finn capable of stepping straight into a top-nine role.

Josefin Bouveng, F, Minnesota (NCAA)

Sweden's Olympic showing was uneven, but Bouveng's NCAA résumé speaks for itself: 43 points this season after a 50-point sophomore year. North-south skater with the kind of straight-line speed PWHL coaches will love.

Vivian Jungels, D, Wisconsin (NCAA)

Played pair-mate to Harvey for two years in Madison. A stay-at-home defender in the truest sense, with enough mobility to escape pressure. The kind of complementary piece that lets a top pair thrive.

Nelli Laitinen, D, Minnesota (NCAA)

Power play and penalty kill, ECAC scoring and international shutdown duty. Laitinen has done all of it. Three IIHF World Championship bronze medals and an Olympic bronze with Finland.

Viivi Vainikka, F, Brynäs (SDHL)

Just led Brynäs to the first SDHL title in club history with a tournament-leading seven goals, named playoff MVP for her efforts. Career-best 52 points in 2023-24 with Luleå. A pure playmaker who should slot into a top-six somewhere in this expansion class.

Tia Chan, G, UConn (NCAA)

The reigning NCAA Goaltender of the Year. A 27-8-2 record, .951 save percentage and 1.55 GAA in her fifth year in Storrs. The best North American goaltender entering the pro ranks behind Braendli.

Issy Wunder, F, Princeton (NCAA)

Tigers captain. Fifty points as a junior, then 43 points (27 goals) as a senior. The kind of finisher who will draw a Hockey Canada call sooner rather than later.

Honorable mentions that should land somewhere in the top three rounds: Meghan Agosta (a three-time Olympic gold medalist mounting a comeback at 39), Laura Fortino (the former Canadian national-team blueliner who represented Italy in Milan), Sydney Morrow, Sloane Matthews, Lily Shannon, Grace Dwyer, Emma Nordström, Rhea Hicks, and the Welcke twins from Boston University.

All PWHL Draft Prospects

Below is the full list of declared players for the 2026 PWHL Draft, grouped by position. Each name links to that player's Elite Prospects profile, and verified team pages are linked where available.