Next Generation of Women’s Hockey: Top five 2026 PWHL Draft prospects
- therookiereporters
- 2 days ago
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The 2026 PWHL Draft takes place on June 17 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, featuring a record of 236 eligible players. These are the top five prospects ahead of the Draft.
A record-breaking pool of talent is set to enter the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). Here is a look at the top five prospects ahead of the 2026 PWHL Draft on June 17.
The 2026 PWHL Draft will be the fourth annual draft in PWHL history, and will take place on June 17, 2026, at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan.
The PWHL Draft is an annual event where the league’s teams select players from eligible pools of college, university, and professional players from around the world. It is one the key ways teams build their rosters and secure the future of women’s professional hockey.
Undrafted players become free agents, but players must first declare for the draft to reach free agency. Selected players may re-enter the draft if they are not signed to their draft club after two years, and no player may declare for more than two drafts.
The 2026 Draft features the largest talent pool since the inaugural season, with 236 eligible players declaring. This talent pool includes 23 Olympians from eight countries that competed at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
The group of 236 players features 128 forwards, 68 defenders, and 40 goaltenders, with more than 50% of draft-eligible players from NCAA programs.
The first overall pick of the 2026 PWHL Draft belongs to the Vancouver Goldeneyes, who earned it through the Gold Plan, an innovation which was introduced to encourage teams to remain competitive throughout the entire regular season.
Caroline Harvey
Caroline Harvey (23) is prospected to be the number one 2026 PWHL Draft pick. She is an American college ice hockey defenseman for the Wisconsin Badgers, and a member of the U.S. women’s national ice hockey team. Harvey is widely regarded as one of the best defensemen in the world, being named Best Defenseman at the 2023 and 2025 World Championships.
Harvey made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing at age 19, winning a silver medal as the youngest player on Team USA’s roster. She represented the United States again at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, where she played a key role on Team USA’s gold medal-winning team.
On the international stage, she has won World Championship gold medals in 2023 and 2025, as well as three silver medals (2021, 2022, and 2024).
At the University of Wisconsin, Caroline Harvey is a three-time NCAA national champion (2023, 2025, and 2026), and she has set several records for defensemen. She has been named Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Defender of the Year three times, and won the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2026.
Abbey Murphy
Abbey Murphy (24) is an American college ice hockey player who is a forward and captain for the University of Minnesota, and a member of the U.S. women’s national ice hockey team. Known for her speed, scoring ability, and competitive intensity, Murphy has established herself as one of the top forwards in women’s hockey.
In 2022, she made her Olympic debut at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, where she won a silver medal with Team USA. During the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, she represented the United States again, helping the team to their gold medal.
With Team USA, she is also a two-time World Championship gold medalist (2023 and 2025), along with silver medals in 2022 and 2024.
During the 2023 World Championship, she scored seven seconds into a game against Switzerland, setting a tournament record for the fastest goal in Women’s World Championship history.
In college hockey, Abbey Murphy ranks among Minnesota’s all-time leaders in goals, and she sets the program’s record for most career game-winning goals.
Elisa Holopainen
Finnish Elisa Holopainen (24) is a winger for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL), as well as a member of the Finnish national team.
She was one of the Naisten Liiga’s most dominant players during her eight seasons in the league. Holopainen was named the Naisten Liiga Player of the Year four times, Best Forward six times, and was a six-time All-Star team selection.
On the international stage, Elisa Holopainen represented team Finland at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where she won a bronze medal. During the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, she represented the team again, this time only finishing 6th in the standings.
At the youth level, she led the 2019 IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship in scoring with eight points from five goals and three assists in five games. Holopainen was named Best Forward by the tournament directorate.
Viivi Vainikka
Viivi Vainikka (24) is a Finnish ice hockey player for Brynäs IF of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League, and a member of the Finnish national team.
She began playing hockey at the age of five, and made her debut in the Naisten Liiga, the top flight of Finnish women’s hockey, at the age of 15 with Team Kuortane.
Across four years with Team Kuortane, Viivi Vainikka scored 129 points in 112 games. After scoring a career-best 52 points in 30 games in the 2018-19 season, she won the Emma Laaksonen Award for fair play.
On the international stage, Vainikka won silver with Team Finland at the 2019 Women’s World Championship, and represented her country at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, as well as competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Laila Edwards
American Laila Edwards (22) plays for the Wisconsin Badgers of the University of Wisconsin and she is a member of the United States women’s national hockey team. In 2023, she made history as the first black woman to play for the U.S. women’s senior national team.
At the collegiate level, Laila Edwards has won three NCAA national championships with the Wisconsin Badgers (2023, 2025 and 2026). In 2024, she won the Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year Award.
On the international stage, Edwards finished the 2024 World Championship with six goals and two assists in seven games, winning a silver medal. She was named the tournament’s MVP, becoming the youngest player to receive the honor. She went on to win gold at the 2025 World Championship.
During the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, she represented Team USA. Laila Edwards finished the tournament with two goals and six assists in seven games, helping the team to a gold medal.
Article written by Jana Van Nieuwenborgh
