PWHL Expansion: Predicting protected lists and possible losses
- 3 min read

PWHL Expansion: Predicting protected lists and possible losses

PWHL Expansion: Predicting protected lists and possible losses by Nicole Haase, Sam Gray, Liz Popfly

We hope everyone enjoyed their one PWHL-free week, because there's no rest for the weary as expansion means we head straight into offseason hot stove time. Team protected lists are due to the league by Tuesday at 12 PM Eastern. Expansion teams have a five-day exclusive signing window that starts Wednesday, June 4 at 9 AM Eastern and ends Sunday, June 8 at 5 PM Eastern.

The can sign a maximum of five players in that window and there is no required minimum. Any unprotected player or any player on an expiring contract is eligible to be signed.

The expansion draft is one week from today - Monday, June 9 and 8:30 PM Eastern. Seattle and Vancouver will select until each has reached a 12-player roster. Players eligible to be selected in the Expansion Draft consist of unprotected players under contract for the 2025–26 season or those whose playing rights are held through the 2025–26 season.

It's time to let all the speculation begin and we decided to make both lists of who we think each team will protect and which players we think they'll lose either through free agency or the expansion draft.

You could say we each had a different approach to making our lists...

Nicole Haase: Whew this was hard. It’s really difficult to keep this strictly need- and stat-based and not let sentimentality play into it.

Liz Koetting: I’m letting sentimentality play into it because I don’t care about reality. Heh.

Sam Gray: I chose based on vibes, players I like and how cool their names are.

... though we mostly ended up with the same picks in the end.

We didn't pick a fourth protected player because so much of what else happens in free agency and the expansion draft mean there are too many variables.

There's plenty to argue here and I'm guessing at least one team will surprise us, but the lesson in making these lists was that every team is going to lose at least a player or two we can't imagine wearing any other jersey.

Boston 


Nicole

Liz

Gray

Players They’ll Protect

Aerin Frankel

Hilary Knight

Alina Müller

Aerin Frankel

Hilary Knight

Alina Müller

Aerin Frankel

Hilary Knight

Alina Müller

Players They’ll Lose to Expansion

Hannah Bilka

Klára Peslarová

Megan Keller

Jamie Lee Rattray

Hannah Bilka

Megan Keller

Megan Keller

Jamie Lee Rattray

Hannah Bilka

Minnesota


Nicole

Liz

Gray

Players They’ll Protect

Taylor Heise

Lee Stecklein

Sophie Jaques

Kendall Coyne-Schofield

Taylor Heise

Sophie Jaques

Taylor Heise

Sophie Jaques

Lee Stecklein

Players They’ll Lose to Expansion

Grace Zumwinkle
Claire Thompason
Michaela Cava

Maddie Rooney

Michela Cava

Claire Thompson

Brooke McQuigge

Claire Thompson

Michaela Cava

Montréal


Nicole

Liz

Gray

Players They’ll Protect

Marie Philip Poulin

Ann-Renée Desbiens

Erin Ambrose

Ann-Renée Desbiens

Marie-Philip Poulin

Laura Stacey

Marie-Philip Poulin

Ann-Renée Desbiens

Erin Ambrose

Players They’ll Lose to Expansion

Laura Stacey
Cayla Barnes

Abby Boreen

Jennifer Gardiner

Erin Ambrose

Cayla Barnes

Laura Stacey

Jennifer Gardiner

Cayla Barnes

New York


Nicole

Liz

Gray

Players They’ll Protect

Sarah Fillier

Alex Carpenter

Ella Shelton

Sarah Fillier

Alex Carpenter

Ella Shelton

Sarah Fillier

Ella Shelton

Alex Carpenter

Players They’ll Lose to Expansion

Jessie Eldridge
Maja Nylen Persson
Abby Roque

Jessie Eldridge

Abby Roque

Micah Zandee-Hart

Jessie Eldridge

Corinne Schroeder

Paetyn Levis

Ottawa 


Nicole

Liz

Gray

Players They’ll Protect

Gwyn Philips

Emily Clark

Gabbie Hughes

Emerance Maschmeyer

Emily Clark

Gabbie Hughes

Emily Clark

Emerance Maschmeyer

Gabbie Hughes

Players They’ll Lose 

Ronja Savolainen
Danielle Serdachny
Tereza Vanišová

Gwyneth Philips

Tereza Vanišová

Ronja Savolainen

Gwyneth Philips

Tereza Vanišová

Kateřina Mrázová

Toronto


Nicole

Liz

Gray

Players They’ll Protect

Blayre Turnbull

Daryl Watts

Renata Fast

Daryl Watts

Renata Fast

Blayre Turnbull

Renata Fast 

Daryl Watts

Blayre Turnbull

Players They’ll Lose 

Hannah Miller

Sarah Nurse

Savannah Harmon 

Hannah Miller

Sarah Nurse

Jesse Compher

Hannah Miller 

Sarah Nurse

Izzy Daniel