PWHL draft set for June in Ottawa, featuring surplus of talent with national team experience
Several players who are starring at the world championship in the Czech Republic have declared for the draft, including Czech forwards Kristýna Kaltounková (Colgate University) and Natálie Mlýnková (University of Minnesota), and American defender Haley Winn (Clarkson University), according to a list provided by the league.
Kaltounková, 23, leads the host Czech team in goals at the world championship, scoring two over four preliminary-round games. It's her sixth world championship for her country.
Other top players include Clarkson University defender Nicole Gosling, who won a world championship with Canada last season, defender Rory Guilday (Cornell University), who won a world title with the Americans in 2023, and Casey O'Brien, a Wisconsin forward who won this year's Patty Kazmaier Award for the top female player in college hockey.
The league has yet to announce whether it plans to expand next season, which could affect both the format of the draft and which players ultimately declare. The league would also hold an expansion draft should expansion move forward.
Notably, the PWHL's list of top prospects doesn't include Team USA star Abbey Murphy, though players have until May 8 to declare.
"The draft is one of the most exciting times of the year for our league, as it represents the future of the game," PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations, Jayna Hefford, said in a statement.
"We're looking forward to welcoming a new class of elite talent and giving fans a first look at the next wave of hockey stars. Hosting this year's draft in Ottawa — a city that has incredibly passionate fans — is sure to be an unforgettable experience."
The draft will be sponsored by Upper Deck and will be the first event at Ottawa's new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Other players who made the league's list of top prospects who have declared include Clarkson forward Anne Cherkowski, who won a gold medal for Canada at the under-18 level, Colgate captain and goaltender Hannah Murphy, and Boston College captain Abby Newhook, who could be just the second player from Newfoundland and Labrador to play in the league.
Newhook's brother, Alex, was a first-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 NHL draft and now plays for the Montreal Canadiens.
The PWHL season resumes April 26 with three regular-season games left to play for each of the six teams. The top four will make the Walter Cup playoffs.
No team has been eliminated from playoff contention yet, and only the Montreal Victoire has secured a playoff berth.
New York Sirens forward Sarah Fillier, who ranks second in the league in points, was taken first overall last season.
In 2023, the Minnesota Frost chose Minnesota native Taylor Heise with the first pick at the league's inaugural draft.
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