These players didn’t quite make the cut for the Top 25 under 25 in 2026, but they are still near the top when it comes to young talent.
Here are three of the honorable mentions from this year’s list.
Thea Johansson
By: Maya Smith
Thea Johansson breaks into the 25 under 25 list for the first time, this time as an honourable mention, just as she enters the PWHL. The 23-year-old Swedish forward was drafted by the Vancouver Goldeneyes in the second round of the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft, going 17th overall. Before coming to the United States for college, Johansson played for HV71, debuting in the 2016-17 season at just 14 years of age. She left HV71 to play for Mercyhurst University, spending three of her four years of eligibility with the Lakers.
In her debut season with the Lakers, Johansson earned a nomination to the CHA Rookie team for her nearly point-per-game pace. She went on to lead Mercyhurst in scoring in her sophomore and junior seasons. For her final NCAA season, Johansson transferred to UMD, where she led the Bulldogs in scoring.
Johansson has been playing on the Swedish national team since she was 15 years old. At the Olympic Winter Games in 2025, she led Sweden in scoring and picked up a point in the bronze medal loss.
After strong NCAA and SDHL careers, Johansson will make the jump to the PWHL this season, opening the door for a strong rookie season and a chance to move up on the 25 under 25 list in 2027.
Emma Peschel
By: Silvia Leija Rosas
Emma Peschel makes her T25U25 debut as an honorable mention after closing out her college career with her strongest offensive season. The 22-year-old defender recorded 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points in 34 games as a senior at Ohio State, earning First Team All-WCHA honours for the second consecutive season.
Peschel’s offensive game steadily grew during her four years with the Buckeyes. She finished her NCAA career with 108 points in 151 games and helped Ohio State win the 2024 national championship. At 5-foot-10, Peschel brings size to the blue line without giving up mobility, and she is comfortable moving the puck and joining the play offensively.
That combination made her one of the first defenders off the board in the 2026 PWHL Draft, where New York selected her seventh overall. Peschel has also worked her way into the U.S. national team pipeline, adding another level of competition to an already strong collegiate résumé.
The next test will be translating that two-way game to the PWHL. Rookie defenders do not always get the same offensive freedom they had in college, but Peschel’s puck movement, size and continued development give her a strong foundation entering her first professional season. A strong rookie year could move her from honourable mention into the top 25 in 2027.
Lina Ljungblom
By: Natalia Rachman
Missing the first eight games of the season with mononucleosis sounds like a recipe for a sophomore slump, but Ljungblom didn’t miss a beat upon her return to the Montréal Victoire lineup. Despite averaging just 10:34 a game in the regular season, her nine points gave her a P/60 rate (2.43) extremely comparable to second team all-star forward Rebecca Leslie (2.44). Ljungblom deservedly received an ice time bump in the playoffs, up to 14:27 a night, and netted a highlight-reel goal in the Victoire’s cup clincher for good measure.
This is Ljungblom’s second consecutive season as a T25U25 honourable mention, and her final year of eligibility for the list. The 24-year-old will have the chance to build on a heartbreaking yet encouraging Olympic performance with Sweden at November’s World Championships, and likely awaits a further increased role upon returning to Montréal with Marie-Philip Poulin on the shelf to begin the season.
