The announcement from the PWHL that the league expects to expand with two more teams by the 2025-26 season has inspired buzz about how new rosters would be created. The PWHL has strongly emphasized the parity in the league. Even one new team’s induction would have to be managed carefully to maintain an even spread of talent, much less two new teams.
With this balancing act in mind, the writers at the Ice Garden have put together a two-part expansion draft made of protected lists from the established teams and the selections our two mystery teams could make from those players left behind. While a fun exercise, this is also an opportunity to examine the limitations of the expansion draft system and what procedures would have to be enacted to make sure new teams aren’t at a disadvantage out of the gate.
What we found is that exposing enough players to give two new expansion teams a firm base from which to build a roster means some very difficult decisions. Some of the best players in the league had to be left available, almost certain to leave for a new city. Draft picks and available free agent talent mean that the established teams would still be able to construct good lineups, but a two-team expansion draft like this may be too painful for the league to enact at this young stage.
Since we came up with this exercise during the preseason, before cuts were made, all players at team training camps were considered for the expansion.
The Rules
Each existing team protects eight players, which must include at least three forwards and one defender. This must include the three ‘foundational signings’ each team made before the league’s inaugural draft in 2023.
PWHL rookies cannot be taken in the expansion draft. This includes players who were drafted in 2024, as well as players who were drafted or signed with a team in season one who did not play in a regular season game.
At least one player must be exposed who is signed to a contract extending past the 2024-25 season.
The Protection Lists
Boston Fleet, by Lydia Murray
Protected forwards: Hannah Brandt, Hilary Knight, Alina Müller, Jamie Lee Rattray, Susanna Tapani
Protected defenders: Megan Keller, Emily Brown
Protected goalie: Aerin Frankel
Overall, Boston’s protected list was pretty easy to make. Many Fleet players had down years offensively, so I decided to stick with protecting more experienced and versatile players. If those players bounce back, this list could change a lot by the end of the season. But, for now, Boston has a lot of exciting new faces who don’t need to be protected and if you want them to reach their full potential, you need good leaders and players you already know you can trust in all situations.
Hannah Brandt (F)—A Swiss army knife of a player with a high hockey IQ, Brandt can be deployed in any situation and find success. That kind of reliability is hard to come by, so it’s not something to let slip away for free.
Hilary Knight (F)—As a foundational signing, Knight had to be protected, but I would’ve done so anyway despite her rocky season last year. She showed at the World Championships that she still has what it takes to be an impact player and her presence in the locker room is extremely valuable. Even as her career winds down, she’s not a player I’d want to give up for nothing.
Alina Müller (F)—A no-brainer of a pick, Müller is the future of the Fleet. She led the team in points last season as a rookie, and like Frankel, she’s still improving. Her playmaking ability is among the best in the world and, like Keller, she’s a great player to build around.
Jamie Lee Rattray (F)—Rattray was my last selection, and it was a difficult choice between her and Loren Gabel. Gabel is younger and usually more of a goalscorer, which the Fleet desperately need, but she struggled to find her groove in the PWHL last season and it’s hard to say whether it was just a down year or not. Meanwhile, Rattray also had a bit of a down year, but she brings more of a two-way game and is a great leader, so her overall presence would be much harder to replace.
Susanna Tapani (F)—Boston does not have a lot of center depth, and Tapani can play anywhere in the lineup. She’s brilliant at slowing down play to create chances for herself and her teammates and seems to be at her best when the lights are the brightest. She’s on an expiring contract after this season, but Boston would do well to keep her around for a bit. At the very least, they can’t let her walk for free.
Megan Keller (D)—Keller also had to be protected, but again, I would’ve done it anyway. She’s in the prime of her career and is one of the best all-around defenders in the world. Few can impact the game like she can, and she’s a great player to build around.
Emily Brown (D)—Brown may not be the flashiest player, but she’s an excellent shutdown defender. Her presence gives players like Keller the freedom to jump into the offense more. With the amount of high-end transitional defenders Boston has coming in this year, they need the kind of stability Brown brings to reach their full potential.
Aerin Frankel (G)—Like Keller, there’s no way I would’ve exposed Frankel even if she didn’t have to be protected per our rules. She is a huge part of why the team made the Finals last year and is one of the best goaltenders in the world. Plus, at just 25, she should only keep getting better.
Minnesota Frost, by J Gray
Protected forwards: Kendall Coyne Schofield, Kelly Pannek, Taylor Heise, Grace Zumwinkle
Protected defenders: Lee Stecklein, Sophie Jaques, Natalie Buchbinder
Protected goalie: Nicole Hensley
The Frost’s protection list was pretty simple, if painful, to select. Coyne-Schofield, Pannek, and Stecklein were required, then Heise and Zumwinkle were obvious picks, leaving me to choose between exposing Deniza Křížová, Sophie Jaques, and Nicole Hensley as the remaining eligible players on multi-year deals. I didn’t want to leave Hensley or Jaques exposed more than I wanted to protect Křížová, so she became my unprotected multi-year contract.
That only left me with one protection slot, and a tough choice between Michela Cava and Natalie Buchbinder. Although I would love to keep Cava, who could have been the team’s Finals MVP last year, I think the Frost would have an easier time plugging the hole she’d leave in the top six than rebuilding their right side defense, since I’m expecting to lose one if not both of the exposed defenders in the expansion draft.
Montréal Victoire, by J Gray
Protected forwards: Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey, Kristen O’Neill
Protected defenders: Erin Ambrose, Amanda Boulier, Dominika Lásková, Kati Tabin
Protected goalie: Ann-Renée Desbiens
After protecting foundational signings Poulin, Stacey, and Desbiens, along with top defender Erin Ambrose, this protection list required a difficult choice.
The Victoire have seven multi-year contracts and one of them had to be exposed. Unfortunately, those multi-year contracts all belong to the players I would have liked to protect the most. The choice came down to Maureen Murphy and Amanda Boulier. Murphy had 16 points last year after being drafted in the third round by Montréal and signed to a three-year contract. Montréal traded for Boulier mid-season and signed her to a two-year contract in the off-season. In the end, I chose to expose Maureen Murphy, since I felt that the team would be more easily able to compensate for losing a talented forward than a puck-moving defender. Particularly in the wake of Cayla Barnes’ injury at the Rivalry Series, having an abundance of reliable defenders cannot be underappreciated.
My other picks are Kristin O’Neill, Dominika Lásková, and Kati Tabin, shoring up the team’s center depth and blueline.
New York Sirens, by Geremy
Protected forwards: Alex Carpenter, Abby Roque, Élizabeth Giguère, Jade Downie-Landry
Protected defenders: Micah Zandee-Hart, Ella Shelton, Jaime Bourbonnais
Protected goalie: Corinne Schroeder
New York not being active in free agency and instead focusing on rebuilding through the draft left me with a mostly easy job. I really only had two mildly tough decisions to make: who was going to be the player with term left on their contract exposed in the draft and who was the odd player out between Giguère, Aurard, and Downie-Landry. When it came to choosing who the player with term left exposed, I had to choose between blueliner Jaime Bourbonnais and forward Jessie Eldridge. I love Eldridge and she had a really good year for New York last year in a lost season. In women’s hockey, though, there’s a deficiency of top-4 level blueliners, and Bourbonnais is a proven top-4 defender, which beats out a very good top-6 forward in my books. I’ll take my chances finding another Eldridge. Last but not least was choosing Giguère or Downie-Landry over Aurard. Choosing Giguère felt like the smart choice, considering her ceiling is among the highest. Then it came down to the goal scorer Downie-Landry versus the playmaker Chloe Aurard. I went with Downie-Landry but it wasn’t an easy decision. Maybe Aurard shows this season she should be protected, but as is, I’m taking the proven goal scorer. It’s so hard to score goals in this league and Downie-Landry can score goals.
Ottawa Charge, by Elisha Côté
Protected forwards: Brianne Jenner, Emily Clarke, Gabbie Hughes, Kateřina Mrázová, Hayley Scamurra
Protected defenders: Ashton Bell, Savannah Harmon
Protected goalie: Emerance Maschmeyer
Ottawa’s protection list required tough decisions, focusing on balancing the team’s foundational players with emerging talent and strong defensive options. With foundational signings Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, and Emerance Maschmeyer automatically protected, I prioritized players who would solidify Ottawa’s core for immediate success and future growth.
The biggest challenge was meeting the requirement to expose at least one multi-year contract. After considering different options, I chose to expose Aneta Tejralová, given Ottawa’s stronger depth among defenders.
Regarding forwards, Gabbie Hughes was an easy pick, with her offensive upside and potential to become a pivotal contributor to Ottawa’s top six. Kateřina Mrázová made the cut for her versatility and playmaking skills, particularly on the power play, adding critical depth to Ottawa’s offensive lineup. Hayley Scamurra was the final forward chosen, as her two-way play and ability to slot into various roles make her an asset, even with her expiring contract.
For defense, Ashton Bell and Savannah Harmon were essential selections. With her youth and physicality, Bell promises long-term value as she continues to develop. Harmon, Ottawa’s first PWHL draft pick, brings reliability and high hockey IQ, which is essential for stabilizing the Charge’s defensive core.
Toronto Sceptres, by J Gray
Protected forwards: Sarah Nurse, Blayre Turnbull, Natalie Spooner, Hannah Miller, Emma Maltais
Protected defenders: Renata Fast, Jocelyn Larocque
Protected goalie: Kristen Campbell
After the initial three protected slots of Sarah Nurse, Blayre Turnbull, and Renata Fast, I protected 2024 MVP Natalie Spooner, top pairing defender Jocelyn Larocque, and workhorse starter Kristen Campbell. Those players are core members of this team and I’d be shocked to see the Sceptres expose any of them. This left only two players to protect from a team that was known for its depth in season one. I chose two players who really impressed me last year, who were also the team’s third- and fourth-leading scorers in Emma Maltais and Hannah Miller. It was a difficult decision to expose the rest of the Sceptres’ defense, but this move keeps together the core of the best offense in the PWHL last year, a group that will make an impact staying together even as the rest of the roster changes.
