The 2026 PWHL Draft is loaded with freakishly talented women and will more than likely go down as one of the best draft classes in PWHL history. As the league continues to grow, so does setting the bar for speed, skill, and size. The top prospects of 2026 were highly scouted prior to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games. Now witnessing the elite-level of intensity, talent, and capability that several of these women possess and put on display competing on the world stage, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind who will make waves upon their arrival to the big show. Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio State each had players that participated in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, and still are the cream of the crop for women’s college hockey programs.
1. (D) Caroline Harvey (University of Wisconsin) – Sweeeeet Caroline. Number one. Premium Grade-A Firepower. Best in her Class. No question, Harvey will be the #1 pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft. She possesses generational talent that doesn’t appear often in the game of hockey. Harvey etched her name in the Wisconsin Badgers history book as the highest-scoring defenseman to wear a Badgers jersey. In four years, Harvey laced up insane numbers. 200 points (53 goals, 147 assists) from 2022-26. Caroline is Cale Makar caliber, claiming her throne as the NCAA Stat Queen with inconceivable accomplishments such as the 2023 WCHA Rookie of The Year, WCHA Defender of The Year in 2024 and 2025, the 2025-26 Patty Kazmaier Award Winner (3rd defenseman in 29 years to win it), 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Silver medalist, Two-time IIHF World Championship Best Defenseman in 2023 & 2025, 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Gold Medalist and MVP, and 3x NCAA National Champ. Caroline. Freaking. Harvey. Start printing the Seattle Torrent jerseys with her last name now. Unless she becomes the face of another PWHL expansion franchise for the 2026-27 season.
2. (RW) Abbey Murphy (University of Minnesota) – “The Murphinator”, a CCMA/AHCA First Team All-American is a household name in the hockey world. Abbey is one of the most extravagant players in the country, finishing up her superordinate college career. She is one of the best in the history of NCAA D1 Hockey, out on the ice bouncing pucks like a basketball between defenders’ legs. Murphy was the backbone for Team USA’s Women’s hockey team this year. She is the all-time leader for Minnesota in career goals with 143 that also led the nation with 40 goals, while averaging (2.13) points per game. Murphy was named “WCHA Forward of The Year” and was also one of the three finalists for the 2026 Patty Kamaier Memorial Award. Abbey is as gritty as they come with the mouth of a sailor and an arsenal of elite skills to get the job done. “Gold Medal Girl” on a mission.
3. (C) Tessa Janecke (Penn State) – Senior Captain Janecke is arguably the best player to ever put on a Penn State sweater. Janecke can skate circles around the best defensemen in the country on a bad day and can score from just about anywhere on the ice, and make it look easier than ever. Janecke’s experience in big games is second to none. We’re talking about a two-time world champion winning gold in the IIHF Women’s World Championship games in 2023 and 2025, and a silver medal in 2024. Captain Janecke just won a gold medal in the 2026 Winter Olympics, being the first Penn State player in history to make the Team USA Women’s Hockey roster. Through her college career she logged 180 points (74 goals, 106 assists) and now is the all-time points leader for both women and men’s hockey. She was also a killer on the dot back in her 2023-24 season with 617 faceoff wins, which is absurd. Captain Janecke is damn good at hockey and shouldn’t go lower than the 3rd pick of the draft.
4. (RW) Lacey Eden (University of Wisconsin) – Eden is a dog and no stranger to pressure on the big stage having competed in five National Championships and became the first player to win four championships. Lacey also has a collection of Olympic medals, two gold medals (2023, 2025), and three silver medals (2021, 2022, 2024). One of the best to come out of Wisconsin, in her final year she led the nation in scoring with 77 points (29 goals, 48 assists). A great all-around forward and top 10 finalist in 2026 for the Patty Kazmaier Award. Eden has been very consistent for the past 5 years with minimal injuries, so her stock should be hitting once draft day arrives.
5. (D) Emma Peschel (Ohio State) – Captain Emma is a prominent offensive defenseman. Her presence is well-known as she stands 5’10” and moves the puck around like it’s nobody’s business. Peschel is liable to score at any time that she is on the ice and a cut above everyone else when developing plays and strategically positioning her teammates in the right spots to score. She logged 21 goals and 48 assists with her time as a Buckeye. For accolades, Emma is a two-time WCHA regular season champ, 2024 National Champion, 2025 AHCA Second Team All-American, and was on the First Team All-WCHA in 2025. Her resume speaks for itself as one of the elite blueliners in the nation.
6. (RW) Laila Edwards (University of Wisconsin) – Laila is not to be messed with and a force with an intimidating presence, standing 6’1” able to play both ways as a defenseman and a forward. The best two-way player in the draft by far. Edwards finished with 195 career points in the NCAA with one of the hardest shots out of anyone in her draft class. She’s a 2026 gold medalist for Team USA and played a huge part of her team’s success coming out on top in the 2026 Winter Olympics, scoring 8 total points (2 goals, 6 assists). Edwards is also a two-time NCAA D1 National Champion (2025, 2026), IIHF Women’s World Champion winning the gold in 2025, and silver in 2024. She was also crowned the 2024 IIHF World MVP, as well as the 2022 IIHF U18 MVP. Laila is a top 5 pick for the 2026 Draft bound to have a solid career in the PWHL.
7. (LW) Kirsten Simms (University of Wisconsin) – “Captain Clutch” Simms is another Badger that has put her print in the college record books. In the 2023-24 season, she led the NCAA in scoring with 75 points, became the 8th Badger in history to record 200 career points, crowned as the 2025 NCAA Most Outstanding Player, as well as the 2024 WCHA Player of the Year and Forward of The Year. On the international stage she won gold this season in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics with Team USA, also in the Worlds Championship she won gold in 2025 and silver in 2022. As a U18 at the IIHF World Championship, she won gold in 2020, and silver in 2022. Simms is an elite talent that can orchestrate offense like a pro already. Expect her to carry on her unique style of play into the PWHL with an abundance of success.
8. (FW) Grace Elliott (University of British Columbia) – Elliot is a sleeper that is bound to go under the radar. She won the Brodrick Trophy as the U Sports Player of the Year, finished her college career as UBC’s all-time leader in goals/points, and is a gigantic thunderous unit standing 6’2” that isn’t afraid to lay the wood or battle hard along the boards. You can hear her coming when she’s on the prowl. Her size and skill put her at the top, giving her an advantage that most players don’t have in this draft class. Elliot is also very clutch. A player that any coach would want to have the puck when the game is on the line. She also set the Canada West record with 12 game winning goals in a season. A popular Canadian star having earned First-Team All-Canadian Honors for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 season. Elliott will be one of the largest forwards in the PWHL next season that’ll make an immediate impact on how teams approach entering the offensive zone.
9. (D) Nelli Laitinen (University of Wisconsin) – Straight out of Finland, Laitinen is a true defenseman by all means. A solid blueliner that is very challenging to score on and can be a huge threat transitioning back into the opposing zone looking to set up a play. Her vision and hockey IQ are what makes her one of the best in her class. Nelli is headstrong when it comes to leadership, which is why she was named the senior captain of the Golden Gophers this past season. She was also appointed as the alternate captain for Finland during the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic games. Laitinen logged 93 total points in her four seasons with Wisconsin and is on the radar of every team in need of a feisty highly skilled defenseman, and that is exactly what Nelli brings to the table.
10. (G) Emma-Sofie Nordstrom (University of St. Lawrence) – Emma “The Wall” is the best goalie in the draft, hands down. Nordstrom is a leftie catcher with a quick stick equally balanced stick side and glove side. Through her four-season of her NCAA college career from 2022-2026, she played a total of 104 games with a 1.89GAA and a (.937SV%) with 17 total shutouts. Emma also participated in Denmark’s national team that competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic games. The best goaltender in the draft should be the first netminder to get her name called in the first round.
11. (C) Issy Wunder (Princeton University) – “Captain Wunder” is the focal point of the Tigers and won the Ivy League Player of The Year Award two consecutive years (2025, 2026). She also ranked 3rd nationally in goals per game. Wunder was also named as a finalist for ECAC Forward of The Year in 2025 and 2026 while also being included as a two-time first team All-ECAC selection as well. She is as clutch as they come with a total of 8 game winning goals that will indubitably find a home in the PWHL as a starter.
12. (D) Sidney Morrow (University of Minnesota) – Morrow flies like a sparrow. She plays fast and aggressively. Morrow is a for sure top 5 defensemen in the country, and just recently recorded her 100th career point, named a Second Team All-American for the second straight time, and was highly considered for the “WHCA Defender of The Year”. Morrow takes pride in giving opposing forwards a hard time to get a shot off. She had 57 blocked shots, which was the second highest on her team and was also ranked third nationally as a defender with 38 points (8 goals, 30 assists). A great PP kill defender that is physical and a joy to be around in the locker room. She should go higher in the draft than most would expect.
13. (G) Katie DeSa (Penn State) – A problem between the pipes. DeSa is a top notch netminder set to take the PWHL by storm upon her arrival. The Penn State Alumni Katie DeSa’s rap sheet is lengthy. She’s the all-time leader for Penn State with 21 career shutouts, set the record having won 27 times for two consecutive seasons (2024-25, 2025-2026), named the “Goaltender of The Year” two years in a row (2025 & 2026) for the AHA (Atlantic Hockey America) and the HCA (Hockey Commissioners Association). She often resembles the sudden movements of Andrei Vasilevsky with the acrobatic saves she puts on display. DeSa is dialed in and primed for a great career with immediate potential to start in the PWHL.
14. (FW) Thea Johansson (Minnesota Duluth) – The finest Swede indeed. A month ago, she entered the Olympics looking to prove her worth as one of the best defensemen internationally, and she did just that. Thea led Team Sweden during the 2026 Winter Olympics in scoring with 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 7 games. Johansson is the lead Bulldog when it comes to scoring and putting up numbers. This past season she logged 21 points (17 goals and 6 assists) during the regular season and finished with a total of 117 points (68 goals, 49 assists) throughout her college career. The silver medalist in the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship has wicked game, projected to go high (Top 20) in the 2026 PWHL Draft.
15. (D) Vivian Jungels (University of Wisconsin) – Viv is the “Silent Assassin” for Wisconsin. She doesn’t say much. She doesn’t need to, and lets her game do the talking. One of the best smaller defenders at 5‘7” leads by example and puts it all on the line, sacrificing her body to assist the goaltender in keeping shots from entering the crease. Jungels stood in front of the net her entire college career, blocking a total of 87 shots. All defense is her style of play that has taken her to two national championships, securing them both crowning her as a two-time champion. Viv will be a highly sought out defensemen in the 2026 PWHL Draft.
The Final Verdict:
The 2026 Draft Class is ridiculously loaded with superior world-class athletes. The 1st round is expected to go as fast as any fantasy league draft with so many remarkable skaters. Depending on how many expansion teams are added to the league, whether it’s two or four teams, the PWHL is headed in the right direction to further expand their fanbase. PWHL rosters will be seeing a lot of movement if there are four expansion teams. The same team expansion rules from the last expansion draft should apply to where each team can lock up three players, potentially only having to move four. Either way, this year’s draft will be the most highly anticipated draft in PWHL history in hopes of giving the league a gigantic boost while attracting new fans as did the Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes.
Dante Robinson | Senior PWHL Analyst for The NSR Network
