PWHL mock draft: Who could your favourite team pick on Tuesday?
Just two weeks after an expansion draft that reshaped the PWHL, teams will have a chance to re-stock talent at this year's entry draft.
The PWHL Draft, set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET in Ottawa, will see each team select players over six rounds.
The New York Sirens will pick first, followed by the Boston Fleet, Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Minnesota Frost, PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle. Vancouver and Seattle will alternate draft positions each round, while the rest of the teams will maintain the same order.
Unlike in 2023 and 2024, which brought Taylor Heise (Minnesota) and Sarah Fillier (New York) into the league, the choice at first overall isn't as clear cut this season. The draft also isn't quite as deep as last season, when teams could pick from a large cohort of players finishing their NCAA careers and veterans coming from Europe.
But that doesn't mean there isn't high-end talent available.
Top contenders to be taken first include Casey O'Brien, a centre out of the University of Wisconsin who scored at a prolific rate in college, sharp-shooting forward Kristýna Kaltounková (Colgate University), and two-way defender Haley Winn (Clarkson University).
Here's a look at what each team needs to add, and which draft prospect might fit those needs.
New York Sirens
Pick: Casey O'Brien, forward (Wisconsin)
The Sirens have major holes at forward after losing both Alex Carpenter and Jessie Eldridge to PWHL Seattle.
The best outcome for the Sirens would see the team acquire a top forward who can play alongside Fillier, who is a restricted free agent in need of a new contract.
Leadership will also be a key factor in who GM Pascal Daoust selects in the draft. Last season, all seven of his picks were former captains.
The obvious choice would be O'Brien, the 2025 Patty Kazmaier winner who has the smarts to play alongside one of the world's best forwards. No Wisconsin player, male or female, scored more career points than O'Brien's 267, a number that only seven female players in history have surpassed during their college careers.
O'Brien also served as co-captain of the national championship-winning Badgers.
What the five-foot-four centre lacks in size, she makes up for with her skating and IQ.
"She plays way above her size," Gordie Stafford, who coached O'Brien in prep school at Shattuck-St. Mary's, told CBC Sports. "Her strength on her skates is incredible, but to also skate on top of the ice like she does, I think that's one of the things that's been really remarkable. You cannot knock that kid off the puck."
Alternatively, New York could opt for Kaltounková, who Sirens' head coach Greg Fargo would know well, having coached Colgate before coming to the PWHL.
Boston Fleet
Pick: Haley Winn, defender (Clarkson University)
GM Danielle Marmer has prioritized rebuilding her defence, where five players have departed due to free agency or expansion.
Marmer added size and toughness in free agency with Zoe Boyd and Rylind MacKinnon, but a top-four defender who can move the puck will likely be on her shopping list.
Winn would be the perfect candidate. She could play on Boston's top pair beside Megan Keller or anchor a second pair.
Clarkson University head coach Matt Desrosiers described Winn as a dynamic defender who excels at both ends of the ice. She's a strong skater, but she also works harder than just about anyone else.
"I've been fortunate to have some really good players go through our program but Haley's definitely at the top as someone who puts in the time, the effort, the preparation," Desrosiers told CBC Sports. "She's really dialled in to reaching her goals of making the Olympics and being on the national team and making it to the PWHL."
Toronto Sceptres
Pick: Nicole Gosling, defender (Clarkson University)
It wouldn't be a stretch to imagine GM Gina Kingsbury and head coach Troy Ryan opting for a player they know well in Gosling, who became a world champion with Team Canada in 2024.
Gosling is an intelligent two-way defender who could quarterback a power play.
She models her game after Renata Fast, who would become her teammate.
"She has the ability as a defenceman to slow the game down but then also speed it up," Clarkson coach Desrosiers said.
Montreal Victoire
Pick: Rory Guilday, defender (Cornell University)
GM Danièle Sauvageau has done a formidable job rebuilding the team's defence after losing several key pieces to expansion or free agency. She re-signed Kati Tabin and brought in Jessica Digirolamo and Maggie Flaherty via free agency.
But adding another top tier defender should be the goal in the first round of the draft. Winn or Gosling would be an ideal fit.
Assuming both are gone by the time Montreal picks at number four, the next best bet might be Guilday.
The five-foot-11 defender is more of a shutdown type than Gosling or Winn. She won a world championship with Team USA in 2023.
Anna Wilgren and Mariah Keopple blocked 117 shots combined on Montreal's blue line last season. With both in Seattle next season, Guilday could be the perfect candidate to pick up the slack.
Ottawa Charge
Pick: Kendall Cooper, defender (Quinnipiac University)
The consensus is that there is a gap between the top four defenders available in this draft and the rest who play the position.
With that in mind, it wouldn't be surprising to see them go off the board early in the first round. Every team, except for New York, needs at least one top-four defender, and Ottawa is no different.
GM Mike Hirshfeld knows exactly how hard it is to find defensive talent in this league. He used his first three picks in the 2023 draft to select defenders.
Guilday fits into the Ottawa Charge DNA a bit more, but assuming she's gone, Hirshfeld could opt for Cooper.
"I think size and physicality is important to us," Hirshfeld said on Monday, when asked what kind of defender he might be looking to add. "But at the same time, we need to improve our power play next year and so puck moving offensive defenders are also of interest."
Only one team allowed fewer goals than Quinnipiac University last season, and Cooper was a big part of that. She also owns the record for most points by a defender in Quinnipiac women's hockey history.
Minnesota Frost
Pick: Kristýna Kaltounková, forward (Colgate University)
It would be surprising to see Kaltounková fall this far, but that's more of a statement on the supply and demand of defenders across the league.
Kaltounková was the first Czech player to be a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award this season after scoring 26 goals in 37 games for Colgate, where she is the all-time goal scoring leader.
She also tied Natálie Mlýnková, who has also declared for this draft, atop the Czech team's leaderboard at her debut world championship in April, recording six points in seven games.
PWHL Vancouver
"She can play in any situation," said Desrosiers, who coached Cherkowski at Colgate.
"She can play centre. She can play wing. At [the PWHL] level, if they need a third-line checker that can contribute on the offensive side, she's able to do that. But if they need someone in a top-six role, she's able to do that."
As a bonus, Cherkowkski is from Coldstream, B.C.
PWHL Seattle
Pick: Ella Huber, F (University of Minnesota)
Seattle doesn't have many holes to fill. On expansion draft night, GM Meghan Turner already had a solid top six sketched out.
A versatile forward like Huber seems to fit into the DNA Turner is looking for in a PWHL Seattle player: someone who is fast and can make plays with quickly, knowing that a hit is coming.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
Edmonton teen with medical condition participates in archery
Edmonton Watch Edmonton junior high student Kaiya isn't letting her medical conditions stop her from competing in archery. CTV News Edmonton's Evan Kenny has her story.
Globe and Mail
38 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's NBA victory could inspire the next generation of Canadian basketball
Like many Canadians, Michael Bartlett watched Game 7 of the NBA Finals with bated breath. But as Canada Basketball's president and CEO, he had a unique rooting interest, with players on both teams. Hamilton's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Montreal's Luguentz Dort helped the Oklahoma City Thunder capture their first-ever championship, defeating Andrew Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., and Montreal's Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers. Bartlett said he was thrilled for all four Canadians, no matter who came out on top. 'Oh, it was uncontrollable at times,' said Bartlett in a phone interview on Monday morning. 'I looked up, it was 4:50 left on the clock in Game 7 last night, and four Canadians are on the court playing meaningful minutes in crunch time with the ball in their hands. Gosh, that's exciting. 'There's nothing better than seeing people you care about, truly care about, and they care about you, shine when they have the opportunity to shine.' Bartlett said all of Canada Basketball's staff were exchanging texts throughout the climactic game, which Oklahoma City ultimately won 103-91. Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort are the 11th and 12th Canadians to win an NBA title, and Bartlett believes the experience gained by all four players will benefit Canada's senior men's team. 'They're learning how to win on the toughest of stages, which you also can't help but draw a connection to when we're in a tough situation, a game on the line, winner goes home,' he said. Gilgeous-Alexander, in particular, will be a key to Canada's future success. He became the fourth player in league history to win the scoring title, MVP, NBA championship and Finals MVP in the same season, joining Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O'Neal. How Canadian NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander began charting his path to MVP when he was a teen Rowan Barrett, the general manager of Canada's men's senior basketball team, said Gilgeous-Alexander's experience in the post-season will help him in international competition because, through each round of the playoffs, he faced the opposing team's toughest defenders. 'It's got to help your national team at some point when he's back in the fold playing,' said Barrett. 'Those experiences, the pressure, the different ways they try to guard him, the different ways you've got to bring your teammates along while balancing attacking the defence every possession, all those things, I think are going to help him. 'I think it will help the other players that were playing in the Finals as well.' Gilgeous-Alexander was selected 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA Draft but was traded the same day to the Los Angeles Clippers. After one season in L.A., he was sent to Oklahoma City in a blockbuster deal that brought all-star guard Paul George to the Clippers. TSN basketball commentator Tamika Nurse, who is also from Hamilton, said that how Gilgeous-Alexander carries himself through difficult times perfectly embodies the Ontario city's ethos. 'Hamilton is built on blue-collar workers, Steeltown, they call it,' she said. 'A lunch pail and hard hat kinda town, and that's exactly what he is. 'He really had to work hard. He really had to prove some doubters wrong. This is a guy who was drafted and then traded and then traded again, right?' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander conquered the NBA. Now, he's conquering the fashion world Michael Naraine, an associate professor of sport management at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., said Gilgeous-Alexander's season, one of the best ever by a Canadian in any sport, and the Finals performances of Dort, Nembhard and Mathurin have created a unique opportunity for Canada Basketball. Naraine sees it as similar to the creation of the Toronto Raptors in 1995, the emergence of Vince Carter as a superstar in the late 1990s, Steve Nash's back-to-back MVPs in 2005 and 2006, and the Raptors' NBA championship in 2019. 'It's going to create another wave of people wanting to pick up the game and that's going to be both on the men's and women's side, boys and girls are going to want to pick up the game because they see that the No. 1 men's professional basketball player in the world right now is Canadian,' said Naraine. 'If you are living in Montreal, if you're living in Dorval, you're looking at this going well, you know, our Canadian teams in hockey didn't do so great. 'But then you're looking at Dort or Mathurin saying, 'hey, look, here's this kid with these Haitian roots, growing up in Montreal. That could be me.'' Bartlett also compared these NBA Finals to those other moments in Canadian basketball history that fed into the growing popularity of the sport. 'We want there to be no shortage of opportunities for kids at all skill levels to be able to play this game and to stay in love and play this game for as long as they want,' said Bartlett. 'What does that look like for somebody who's still involved in the game (in their 40s), either as a player, as a coach, as an official. 'Are there enough great coaches, well-trained coaches, to teach the game the right way in Canada, in gyms across this country? Canada Basketball can't be in every gym, but we can develop a curriculum that lives through every gym, that coaches are taught the right way, and then officiating as well. That's a big part of it, too.'
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Funding for $250M event park next to Oilers arena tied to future of city tax levy
One Edmonton councillor is questioning why the city should pay, through a tax levy, for a portion of the downtown event park project announced earlier this year by the province and the organization that runs the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) along with the Alberta government and the City of Edmonton originally laid out plans for the $250-million permanent fan park facility adjacent to Rogers Place in February after the province laid bare spending details in its annual budget. The province has committed nearly $130 million to the Ice District projects if the city pitches in millions of public dollars through the downtown Community Revitalization Levy (CRL). The future of the CRL is a topic of discussion at Edmonton city hall, where council is considering a 10-year extension of it. Since 2015, the CRL has funded parks, infrastructure upgrades and other so-called catalyst projects downtown. The city says they've helped generate nearly $5 billion-worth of public and private investment and development, including Rogers Place, towers downtown and LRT expansion. Fan Park The Oilers Fan Park down the street from Rogers Place on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Jeremy Thompson/CTV News Edmonton) But after the pandemic interrupted that momentum, business leaders and downtown boosters say an extension of the CRL is vital. 'We're talking about $550 million in tax uplift that is coming that would be lost without the extension,' Doug Griffiths, the president and chief executive officer of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, told media on Monday. The permanent event park plus site servicing for homes north of the arena are all on land owned by the OEG. But Griffiths says discussion over the extension of the CRL 'is not about the fan park – one councillor is making this about the fan park – this is about downtown Edmonton and the entire city's fiscal sustainability over the next 20 years.' 'If we want to have a conversation about how to maximize public dollars for public benefit, let's have that in public, but this is not it.' — Michael Janz That councillor is Michael Janz, who says the provincial government and the OEG 'setting up this deal, and then sharing it with Edmontonians … is not how this should go.' 'If we want to have a conversation about how to maximize public dollars for public benefit, let's have that in public, but this is not it,' he told media. The representative for the south-side Ward papastew says the decision over the event park funding should be put to residents in a referendum, separating it from the debate over the CRL, a tax program he otherwise calls beneficial as it would help fund projects such as transit, bridges and beautification efforts along Jasper Avenue. 'The owners can pay for it themselves,' Janz said. 'They don't need Edmontonians to pay for this. We have a lot of other priorities that we need to pay for.' Coliseum The Coliseum in Edmonton in a file photo (CTV News Edmonton.) In a statement to CTV News Edmonton on Monday afternoon, Dan Williams, Alberta's minister of municipal affairs, said the province 'remains committed' to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) it signed with the city regarding the event park funding, which is tied to other funding for city projects, including housing and the demolition of the Coliseum. 'As part of the MOU, we would extend Edmonton's community revitalization levy, which would play a key role in ensuring expanding housing options in downtown and that Edmontonians have year-round access to incredible sports, cultural events, entertainment, and much more,' Williams said. The event park is expected to be the focus of a public hearing on extending the CRL Thursday at city hall.
