PWHL Draft live blog - as it happened
Published
The inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League draft is set to get underway in minutes from Toronto. Follow along with TSN.ca's live blog for the latest. The first five rounds are complete.
Round 5 recap
25. Minnesota - FW Susanna Tapani
26. Toronto - FW Jesse Compher
27. Boston - FW Hannah Brandt
28. New York - FW Elizabeth Giguere
29. Ottawa - FW Hayley Scamurra
30. Montreal - D Kati Tabin
Round 5 concludes with Tabin to Montreal
Former Toronto Six defender Kati Tabin heads to Montreal with the 30th overall pick of the draft.
The 26-year-old Winnipeg native had four goals and 14 assists in 24 games last season as the Six claimed the Isobel Cup.
Scamurra lands in Ottawa
Two-time worlds-winning forward Hayley Scamurra was taken with the 29th overall selection by Ottawa.
The Williamsville, NY native previously suited up for her hometown Buffalo Beauts of the PHF.
Scamurra, 28, played collegiately at Northeastern
New York selects Giguere
Quebec City's Elizabeth Giguere is the 28th overall selection by New York.
The 26-year-old forward spent last season with the Boston Pride of the PHF.
Brandt headed to Boston
Veteran United States forward Hannah Brandt is the 27th overall selection to Boston.
The 29-year-old Vadnais Heights, MN native has won an Olympic gold medal and three world titles with the national team.
Collegiately, Brandt played at Minnesota.
Toronto takes Compher at 26
Wisconsin forward Jesse Compher is headed to Toronto.
The No. 26 pick spent last season with the Badgers after previously spending four seasons at Boston.
In 41 games last season, the 23-year-old Compher had 16 goals and 24 assists.
Tapani the first Finn off the board
Minnesota selects Susanna Tapani with the first selection of Round 5.
The former Metropolitan Riveters forward began her senior career with Finland in 2011 at the age of 18.
Tapani has won back-to-back Olympic bronze medals.
Round 4 recap:
19. Montreal - D Dominika Laskova
20. Ottawa - FW Gabbie Hughes
21. New York - FW Chloe Aurard
22. Boston - FW Loren Gabel
23. Toronto - FW Natalie Spooner
24. Minnesota - D Maggie Flaherty
Round 4 ends with Flaherty
Once again, Minnesota stays local.
They have selected Minnesota-Duluth's Maggie Flaherty with the final pick of Round 4.
Flaherty, 23, had nine goals and 16 assists in 39 games last season.
Canada star Spooner joins Toronto
One of Canada's best-known players will be playing in her hometown.
Toronto selected Scarbourough, Ont.'s Natalie Spooner with the 23rd pick.
A two-time Olympic gold medalist, the 32-year-old Spooner is a product of Ohio State.
Boston takes Gabel at 22
Kitchener, Ont.'s Loren Gabel and her booming shot are staying in Boston.
The Clarkson product previously played for the Boston Pride of the PHF where she was MVP last season.
New York looks to France with Aurard
It's a second European player in three selections as New York picks Chloe Aurard at No. 21.
Aurard, 24, had 54 points for Northeastern last season and is fourth all-time in scoring for the Huskies.
Hughes set for Ottawa
Patty Kazmaier finalist Gabbie Hughes heads to Ottawa with the 20th overall selection.
The 23-year-old Minnesota-Duluth forward had 10 goals and 36 assists last season in 38 games.
Hughes won gold with the United States at the 2023 worlds.
Laskova second European player off the board
Montreal takes Czechia's Dominika Laskova with the first pick of Round 4.
Montreal coach Carla McLeod is also the head coach of the Czechia national team.
The 26-year-old defender won the Isobel Cup last season with the PHF's Toronto Six.
Collegiately, Laskova played at Merrimack.
Round 3 recap:
13. Minnesota - FW Grace Zumwinkle
14. Toronto - G Kristen Campbell
15. Boston - FW Jamie Lee Rattray
16. New York - FW Jessie Eldridge
17. Ottawa - D Jincy Dunne-Roese
18. Montreal - FW Maureen Murphy
Round 3 concludes with Murphy to Montreal
Round 3 finishes up with Montreal taking Northeastern forward Maureen Murphy at No. 18.
A former linemate of Alina Muller, the Buffalo native had 20 goals and 35 assists in 33 games last season.
OSU defender Dunne taken by Ottawa
Ottawa takes defender Jincy Dunne-Roese with the 17th overall selection.
The 26-year-old O'Fallon, MO native spent four seasons at Ohio State, appearing in 147 contests.
Eldridge taken by New York
Jessie Eldridge is the 16th overall pick to New York.
The 25-year-old Barrie, Ont. native is Colgate's all-time leading scorer and has won gold with Canada at the 2022 worlds in Denmark.
Boston selects Rattray at 15
Kanata, Ont.'s Jamie Lee Rattray is on her way to Boston.
The 30-year-old forward won the Patty Kazmaier in 2014 with Clarkson.
Rattray is a Canada stalwart, having appeared multiple times for the senior team and won gold at Beijing.
Toronto takes Campbell at No. 14.
Toronto has their goalie, taking Kristen Campbell at No. 14.
Campbell, 25, is from Brandon, Man. and played collegiately at Wisconsin.
Campbell was a member of the gold medal-winning Canada team in Beijing.
Minnesota stays local with Zumwinkle
Taylor Heise gets a familiar face in Minnesota with Gophers teammate Grace Zumwinkle taken at No. 13.
The 24-year-old Zumwinkle had 25 goals and 36 assists in 28 games last season.
Zumwinkle is from Excelsior, MN.
Round 2 recap:
7. Montreal - FW Kristin O'Neill
8. Ottawa - D Ashton Bell
9. New York - D Jamie Bourbonnais
10. Boston - D Sophie Jaques
11. Toronto - D Emma Maltais
12. Minnesota - G Nicole Hensley
Minnesota finishes Round 2 with Hensley
We have our first goalie off the board in Nicole Hensley at No. 12 to Minnesota.
The veteran from Littleton, CO has backstopped the United States to a gold medal at Pyeongchang, as well as two world titles.
Collegiately, the 29-year-old Hensley played at Lindewood.
Toronto grabs Maltais at No. 11
Burlington, Ont.'s Emma Maltais stays in the area, being taken by Toronto at No. 11.
Maltais, 23, is also an OSU product and the forward has won an Olympic gold and two world titles with Canada.
The run on defenders continues with Jaques to Boston
Ohio State's Sophie Jaques heads to Boston at No. 10.
The 22-year-old Toronto native was the 2023 Patty Kazmaier winner as collegiate hockey's player, becoming just the second defender to do so.
New York picks Bourbonnais at 9
Another Canada regular is off the board in the former of defender Jamie Bourbonnais to New York.
The Mississauga, Ont. native made 127 appearances over four seasons at Cornell, recording 24 goals and 86 assists.
The 25-year-old Bourbonnais has won three medals at the worlds with Canada including a gold in 2021.
Ottawa grabs Bell at No. 8
With Canada soccer icon Diana Matheson making the pick, Ottawa takes Ashton Bell at No. 8.
The 27-year-old Minnesota-Duluth defender was a member of the 2022 Beijing team and has also won two worlds with Canada.
Montreal starts Round 2 with O'Neill
Montreal stays on the podium to take Kristin O'Neill at No. 7.
The 25-year-old forward played her NCAA hockey at Cornell.
The Oakville, Ont. has won two world championships with Canada.
Round 1 summary
1. Minnesota - FW Taylor Heise
2. Toronto - D Jocelyn Larocque
3. Boston - FW Alina Muller
4. New York - D Ella Shelton
5. Ottawa - D Savannah Harmon
6. Montreal - D Erin Ambrose
Montreal caps off first round with Ambrose
It's another defender as Montreal makes Erin Ambrose the final pick of the first round at No. 6.
The Keswick, Ont. native played collegiately at Clarkson and won gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics with Canada.
Ottawa opts for Harmon
The run on defenders continues with Ottawa taking Savannah Harmon at No. 5.
A native of Downers Grove, IL, Harmon led the United States in points at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The 27-year-old Harmon played her NCAA hockey at Clarkson.
New York selects Shelton
Ingersoll, Ont. native Ella Shelton is New York's first ever selection at No. 4.
The 25-year-old defender has won an Olympic gold and two world titles with Canada.
Shelton played collegiately at Clarkson.
Toronto's Nurse excited for what's to come
Canada's Sarah Nurse tells TSN's Kenzie Lalonde how excited she is to suit up for her hometown team.
Muller ships off to Boston
Boston makes the first international selection of the draft taking Swiss forward Alina Muller.
Muller, 25, played collegiately at Northeastern, so she is more than familiar with the city of Boston.
Larocque heads to Toronto
Veteran defender Jocelyn Larocque becomes Toronto's first ever selection at No. 2.
Larocque, 35, has won a pair of Olympic gold medals for Canada.
Minnesota takes Heise
Minnesota did the expected and made Taylor Heise the first ever player selected in the PWHL Draft.
Heise, 22, led the Minnesota Golden Gophers in goals last year and was the Patty Kazmaier Award winner as collegiate hockey's top player in 2022.
No trades during the draft
Maybe there will eventually be trades during PWHL drafts, but not today.
The league has confirmed there are no trades permitted during the draft.
'The biggest day in the history of women's hockey'
Longtime NHL executive and now PWHL executive director Brian Burke tells TSN's Gino Reda that Monday's draft is the most monumental day in the history of women's hockey.
Draft order and how it works
Monday's draft is a snake draft, meaning that the order reverses each round.
The draft order is as follows:
1. Minnesota
2. Toronto
3. Boston
4. New York
5. Ottawa
6. Montreal
The order alternates through all 15 rounds with 268 eligible players. Should a player not be taken, the player becomes a free agent. Each roster is capped at 23 players.