2026 PWHL Draft Projection: Top 4 Picks
The 2026 PWHL Draft class is widely regarded as the deepest and most talented the league has ever seen. With Vancouver, Seattle, New York, and Toronto holding the top four picks, each team has a real opportunity to add an immediate impact player. Here is our projection for how it plays out.
Pick #1 — Vancouver Goldeneyes
Projected Pick: Caroline Harvey — D — University of Wisconsin
This one is a near lock. Caroline Harvey is not just the best player in this draft class — she is arguably one of the best players in the entire world right now. In her senior season at Wisconsin, she led all NCAA defenders with 64 points in 33 games and posted a 1.94 points-per-game average that finished second in the entire nation among all skaters. She then went to the Milan Olympics and won gold, was named tournament MVP, and was awarded Best Defender — the third defender in history to win the Patty Kazmaier Award as the NCAA’s top player.
For Vancouver, an expansion team in just its second season, Harvey is the kind of generational cornerstone that franchises are built around. She skates unlike anyone else in this draft, controls games on both sides of the puck, and is already regarded as one of the best offensive defenders on the planet. The Goldeneyes do not need to overthink this one. Harvey goes first overall, and Vancouver immediately has its face-of-the-franchise player.
Position: Defence – School: University of Wisconsin – Nation: USA – Why it fits: Vancouver needs a franchise cornerstone. Harvey is the clearest #1 pick in PWHL draft history.
Pick #2 — Seattle Torrent
Projected Pick: Abbey Murphy — F — University of Minnesota
With Harvey off the board, Seattle turns its attention to the biggest need on its roster — high-end forward depth. The Torrent finished last in the league in their inaugural season, and while their top line of Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter is elite, both players are on the wrong side of 30. Seattle needs a young, dynamic scorer who can carry a line on her own and grow into a first-line role as the veteran core ages out.
Abbey Murphy is exactly that player. Had she declared a year earlier, she would have gone first overall in the 2025 draft. She is one of the most physical and tenacious forwards in the class — a 5-foot-5 speedy forward who combines a lethal shot with elite board play and relentless energy. She averaged more points per game than any forward in the NCAA this season and is expected to be an immediate first-line producer in the PWHL. For a Seattle team desperate for forward depth and a long-term star, Murphy is the perfect fit.
Position: Forward – School: University of Minnesota – Nation: USA – Why it fits: Seattle is top-heavy and aging up front. Murphy gives them a young first-line star to build around for the next decade.
Pick #3 — New York Sirens
Projected Pick: Laila Edwards — F/D — University of Wisconsin
New York is in an interesting spot. They have 11 players already under contract for next season, the most of any team in the league, and they have used their first overall pick in each of the past two seasons on forwards. With Harvey and Murphy gone, the Sirens look to Wisconsin for the next name on the board — the remarkable Laila Edwards.
What makes Edwards so special is her versatility. She is a 6-foot-1 power forward with one of the heaviest shots in the sport — she led the entire NCAA with 35 goals last season — but she also played in USA’s top defensive group at the Milan Olympics, where she was named an All-Star. Her Wisconsin coach moved her back to forward for the Frozen Four, where she promptly scored twice in the national semifinal. For New York, Edwards can slot into the top six immediately and gives the team a rare combination of size, skill, and two-way reliability. She is also one of the most exciting and marketable players in this entire class, which matters in the New York market.
Position: Forward / Defence – School: University of Wisconsin – Nation: USA – Why it fits: New York gets another high-end forward with elite versatility. Edwards is a power play weapon and a potential All-Star from day one.
Pick #4 — Toronto Sceptres
Projected Pick: Tessa Janecke — F — Penn State University
Toronto finds itself in a tricky position heading into this draft. With several key players — including Renata Fast, Daryl Watts, Emma Maltais, Raygan Kirk, and captain Blayre Turnbull — all pending unrestricted free agents, the Sceptres roster could look dramatically different by the time draft day arrives. What Toronto does know is that they need a reliable, high-end forward who can contribute immediately and provides long-term stability regardless of what the free agency period brings.
Tessa Janecke is one of the safest picks in this entire class. She is the only true number-one centre available in 2026, and her two-way game is already considered pro-ready. She is excellent in the faceoff circle, contributes on both the power play and the penalty kill, and has shown she can deliver in the biggest moments — she scored twice in the national semifinal to push Wisconsin to overtime, and previously scored the golden goal for Team USA at the 2025 World Championships. Janecke will not generate the same headlines as the three players taken ahead of her, but she could quietly be the most impactful pick of the four when it is all said and done.
Position: Forward (Centre) – School: Penn State University – Nation: USA – Why it fits: Toronto needs a dependable centre they can build around regardless of free agency outcomes. Janecke is pro-ready and fills a genuine positional need.
Draft Summary
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Vancouver Goldeneyes | Caroline Harvey | D | Wisconsin |
| 2nd | Seattle Torrent | Abbey Murphy | F | Minnesota |
| 3rd | New York Sirens | Laila Edwards | F/D | Wisconsin |
| 4th | Toronto Sceptres | Tessa Janecke | F | Penn State |