The 2026 PWHL draft will be held on Wednesday, June 17th. The Minnesota Frost have the ninth overall selection, and they have several holes to fill after losing key players in the expansion process. The Frost are lacking a dynamic defender after losing Kendall Cooper and Mae Batherson to PWHL Las Vegas. Minnesota has also seen its scoring depth take a big hit with the losses of Britta Curl-Salemme and Abby Hustler.
If I were the Frost, I’d look to add a dynamic defender in the first round, and then try to add forwards that can fill middle-six roles immediately with some offensive upside later in the draft. Here are five draft prospects that I think would fit well on the Minnesota Frost.
Emma Peschel (Defender)
It’s probably a long shot that Emma Peschel will still be on the board when the Minnesota Frost pick at ninth overall, but if she is, she’d be a great selection for the Frost. There is a lot to like about Peschel’s game. She has good size at 5’10”, she skates well, and she defends at a high level. Last season at Ohio State, Peschel put up career bests in goals (10), assists (29), and points (39).
I have no doubt Peschel will step into a PWHL lineup and be an effective defender. Her size makes her a great fit for the Frost defense core. I think she will be a minute-eating shut-down defender on day one, and if her offensive game continues to develop, she could become one of the best all-around defenders in the league. Adding Peschel would go a long way towards filling the hole left by the losses of Kendall Cooper and Mae Batherson. If she’s still on the board in round one when the Frost are on the clock, I’d run to the podium to select her.
For more on Emma Peschel, check out: Top 2026 PWHL Draft NCAA Defender Prospects: WCHA
Nelli Laitinen (Defender)
If Peschel’s already been selected by the time the Frost are on the clock, Nelli Laitinen would be a great consolation prize. Laitinen is another defender I really like in this draft, and a lot of that has to do with her skating ability. In my opinion, Laitinen’s skating is already elite. She doesn’t have Peschel’s size, but she makes up for it with her feet, defending on the rush and breaking pucks out of her own zone. Laitinen’s dynamic skating ability will allow her to defend against the PWHL’s best on day one.
My question about Laitinen concerns her offensive upside. She had a career-high 30 points last season for the Gophers. She’s a ready-made shutdown defender in the PWHL, but I’m not sure she’s someone who will ever score a ton or quarterback a top power play unit. If she can improve her decision-making a bit and unlock some more offense, the sky is the limit. I think worst case, you can pencil her into a shutdown role for years to come.
For more on Nelli Laitinen, check out: Top 2026 PWHL Draft NCAA Defender Prospects: WCHA
Issy Wunder (Forward)
Princeton’s Issy Wunder feels like she was built inside a lab to be a Minnesota Frost forward. Wunder is a big, strong power forward with plenty of skill and scoring ability. Wunder scored in bunches for Princeton last season, racking up 27 goals and 43 points. At Princeton, Wunder proved she was adept at using her size to bully defenders and get to the front of the net. Once she’s there, Wunder has tons of skill to finish off chances.
My big hesitation with Wunder is her skating ability. She put up plenty of points in college, but in my opinion, her skating projects as below average in the PWHL. If she’s paired with the right forwards and she can improve her skating a bit, I think she’s got a chance to be a dominant, top-six power forward. However, I’m not convinced her skating won’t limit her scoring ability in the PWHL. Wunder is likely to be a first-round pick; there is plenty of upside, but also plenty of risk.
For more on Issy Wunder, check out: Top 2026 PWHL Draft NCAA Forward Prospects: ECAC
Sloane Matthews (Forward)
Every time I watch Sloane Matthews, I come away impressed. Matthews is almost always noticeable, hounding the puck, forcing turnovers, and breaking up plays. She’s quick, and she’s responsible in her own zone. Her compete level makes her a natural fit for the Frost.
The question with Matthews is how much offense she will produce in the PWHL. Last season at Ohio State, Matthews scored 22 goals and 44 points, which were both career highs. Matthews doesn’t have great size, and I wouldn’t describe her as a dynamic offensive player. However, she thinks the game well, and she isn’t afraid to go to dirty areas to score. I think she could fit nicely as a complementary piece with linemates that are more puck-dominant. Whether or not she scores a bunch at the next level, I’m confident she’ll be an effective forward, and she’s exactly the type of player I’d target if I were the Frost in rounds two and three.
For more on Sloane Matthews, check out: Top 2026 PWHL Draft NCAA Forward Prospects: WCHA
Jamie Nelson
Much like Matthews, Jamie Nelson really impressed me this season. I think her combination of size, grit, and skating ability makes her a perfect fit for the Frost forward group. Importantly, Nelson flashed some skill and offensive upside last year at Minnesota. Nelson wasn’t always deployed on the top scoring lines for the Gophers, but she still managed to score 11 goals and 42 points last season.
Much like Matthews, it’s a question of upside for me with Nelson. I have no doubt Nelson would have no problem jumping into a bottom-six role with the Frost next season, and the skill she displayed last season has me excited about how her offensive game could continue to develop. If that happens, I think she could become a really effective middle-six forward. Nelson could be an option in the second or third round for the Frost.
For more on Jamie Nelson, check out: Top 2026 PWHL Draft NCAA Forward Prospects: WCHA
More prospects I like
I struggled to hold myself to only five names. Here are a few more players in the 2026 PWHL Draft that I think could fit in nicely for the Minnesota Frost.
Elyssa Biederman
Elyssa Biederman was incredibly consistent in her career at Colgate. She scored over 35 points in all four seasons, including scoring 19 goals and 51 points in her junior season. I love how Biederman competes. She’s tenacious on the puck, drives the net, and has a ton of skill to make plays and create scoring opportunities. I think she will be a difference maker in some team’s top-six, but I wonder if her size might be a dealbreaker for teams in the first round. Biederman could slide out of the first round due to her size, but I’d be surprised if she makes it all the way to 21 when the Frost select in round two.
For more on Elyssa Biederman, check out: Top 2026 PWHL Draft NCAA Forward Prospects: ECAC
Thea Johansson
Thea Johansson had a strange year at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Johansson scored 17 goals but had only 6 assists, for a total of 23 points. However, Johansson was dynamic for Sweden in the Olympics. She was noticeable in almost every game, scoring 4 goals and 7 points in 7 games. I think Johansson could be a great value selection for a team like the Frost outside of the first two rounds. If things break right for Johansson, I think she has top-six forward upside in the PWHL. I think she’s a player worth gambling on in the second or third round of the draft.
For more on Thea Johansson, check out: Top 2026 PWHL Draft NCAA Forward Prospects: WCHA
Brooke Disher
Brooke Disher may have been overshadowed by some of her fellow Ohio State defenders, but I think she’s got all the makings of a solid PWHL defender. Disher doesn’t have gaudy offensive numbers; she scored 2 goals and 15 points last season, but she has decent size, skates well, and does a good job breaking pucks out of her own zone. Her game isn’t flashy, but it’s effective. Disher could be a great option to pick up in the later rounds of the draft. I think she can jump into a PWHL lineup immediately and be effective.
