PWHL Draft
The PWHL Draft (French: Repêchage de la LPHF) is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) systematically select the rights to available ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements. The PWHL Draft is held once every year, generally within a month after the conclusion of the previous regular season. During the draft, teams take turns selecting amateur players from collegiate leagues and professional players from European leagues.
The first draft was held in 2023, and has been held every year since.
History
[edit]The inaugural PWHL Draft was held in 2023. The order of picks in the first round was decided by using a computerized list randomizer during a video conference call with all six team's general managers.[1] In the second round this order was reversed, so the team with the 6th pick would also receive the 7th pick, whilst the team with first overall pick would not pick again until the 12th pick (last pick in the second round). The order would continue alternating in each subsequent round, producing a 'snaking' order.[2][3]
Selection order
[edit]The selection order in the PWHL Draft for the top two selections is determined by the Gold Plan, where standings points accumulated by a team that can no longer make the playoffs count as draft order points, and the team with the most draft order points received the first overall selection.[4] Picks three through six went to the four playoff teams, in reverse order of regular season standings. The draft order was the same in each subsequent round.[5]
Eligible players
[edit]There is no minimum or maximum age requirement for players to be drafted in the PWHL. To be eligible for the draft, players need to declare their eligibility during the declaration period. Selected players may re-enter the draft if they are not signed to their draft club after two years. No player may declare for more than two drafts.[6]
List of PWHL Drafts
[edit]| Draft | Location | City | Date | Rounds | Total drafted | No. 1 pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Canadian Broadcasting Centre | Toronto, Ontario | September 18, 2023 | 15 | 90 | Taylor Heise (PWHL Minnesota) |
| 2024 | Roy Wilkins Auditorium | Saint Paul, Minnesota | June 10, 2024 | 7 | 42 | Sarah Fillier (PWHL New York) |
| 2025 | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino | Ottawa, Ontario | June 24, 2025 |
List of first overall picks
[edit]| ! | Hockey Hall of Fame inductee |
| ^ | IIHF Hall of Fame inductee |
| + | Selected for an All-Star Showcase |
| x | Selected for an All-Star Team |
| # | Rookie of the Year winner |
| Draft | Selected by | Player | Nationality | Position | College / former club | PWHL rookie statistics | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Goals | Assists | PIM | |||||||
| 2023 | PWHL Minnesota | Taylor Heise + |  United States
|
Forward | Minnesota | 19 | 4 | 9 | 8 | [7] |
| 2024 | New York Sirens | Sarah Fillier |  Canada
|
Centre | Princeton | 30 | 13 | 16 | 35 | [8] |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Professional Women's Hockey League announces 2023 Draft order of selection". thepwhl.com. September 1, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ Sadler, Emily (September 17, 2023). "PWHL Draft: How it will work and players to watch for". Sportsnet. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ Donkin, Karissa (September 15, 2023). "PWHL hopefuls eager to begin new chapter of women's game with first-of-its-kind draft". CBC Sports. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ Kennedy, Ian (February 28, 2024). "PWHL Adopts "The Gold Plan" For Determining First Overall Pick". The Hockey News. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ "Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) Announces 2024 PWHL Draft to be Held in Minnesota". thepwhl.com. April 27, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ Salvian, Hailey (February 27, 2024). "2024 PWHL Draft to be held in June". The Athletic. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
- ^ Zgoda, Jerry (September 18, 2023). "Minnesota picks ex-Gophers star Taylor Heise No. 1 overall in PWHL draft". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023.
- ^ Salvian, Hailey (June 10, 2024). "New York selects Sarah Fillier with No. 1 pick in 2024 PWHL Draft". The Athletic. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024.