Original Six PWHL Teams Unveil Protection Lists

Boston Fleet
Minnesota Frost
Montréal Victoire
New York Sirens
Ottawa Charge
Toronto Sceptres
Executive Signing Window Opens Tomorrow

Ahead of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Expansion Draft on June 9, each of the original six teams was allowed to select three players for protection. On June 3, each team’s protection list was revealed, including nine forwards, six defenders, and three goaltenders from the six teams.

Boston Fleet

Aerin Frankel – Goaltender
Megan Keller – Defender
Alina Muller – Forward

Minnesota Frost

Taylor Heise – Forward
Kendall Coyne Schofield – Forward and captain
Lee Stecklein – Defender

Montréal Victoire

Ann-Renee Desbiens – Goaltender
Marie-Philip Poulin – Forward and captain
Laura Stacey – Forward

New York Sirens

Sarah Fillier – Forward
Ella Shelton – Defender
Micah Zandee-Hart – Defender and captain

Ottawa Charge

Emily Clark – Foward
Gwyneth Philips – Goaltender
Ronja Savolainen – Defender

Toronto Sceptres

Renata Fast – Defender
Blayre Turnbull – Forward and captain
Daryl Watts – Forward

Ottawa and Boston protected one player of each position, Montreal and Toronto protected two forwards and a goaltender, New York protected two defenders and a forward. Two of the four of the original six teams elected to protect their captains, with two teams leaving their captains available. Both of those teams, the Boston Fleet and the Ottawa Charge, left their top scorers open as well.

PWHL Logos (Photo Credit: PWHL)

With Vancouver and Seattle set to make the PWHL an eight-team league in 2025-26, there is a plethora of talent for them to choose from even with 18 players being protected.

Executive Signing Window Opens Tomorrow

On June 4 at 9 a.m. EDT, the executive signing window opens. From then until June 8 at 5 p.m. EDT, PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle have the opportunity to sign up to five players who were not protected. On June 9 at 8:30 p.m. EDT, both expansion teams will select seven players each to draw up to 12 players. If either team does not sign five players during the executive signing window, they will be allowed more draft picks until they draw up to 12 players.