Sirens select Czech star Kaltounkova first overall in PWHL draft
The 23-year-old forward made her women's worlds debut for the host nation and was named a 2025 tournament all-star.
She became the first Czech to be named a Patty Kazmaier Award finalist, recording 48 points in 37 games for the Colgate University Raiders, and finished her NCAA tenure as the program's all-time leading goal scorer with 111, and second in career points with 233.
The Sirens finished last and missed the playoffs this past season with 37 points — eight wins, four overtime wins, five overtime losses and 13 losses.
The Boston Fleet selected defender Haley Winn of Rochester, N.Y., with the second pick. The 21-year-old Winn lead the Clarkson University Golden Knights in scoring this year and finished second among defenders with 14 goals and 32 assists. She recently played at her third straight worlds for Team USA, winning a second gold medal to go along with her 2024 silver.
The Sirens picked third after making a deal with the Toronto Sceptres and took forward Casey O'Brien of the University of Wisconsin. O'Brien capped an impressive NCAA career as a three-time national champion, Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recipient, and First Team all-American.
The Badgers' co-captain set a program single-season record in 2024-25 with 88 points, including 26 goals, in 41 games. She finished her five years as Wisconsin's all-time leading scorer with 274 points — including 97 goals — in 182 games — a title previously held by Hilary Knight.
The Montreal Victoire selected defender Nicole Gosling of Clarkson University with the fourth pick. The 23-year-old from London, Ont., is the Golden Knights' all-time leading scorer among defenders with 148 points (including 104 assists) in 170 career games in five seasons.
Gosling won gold representing Canada at the 2024 women's world championship, alongside her cousin Julia Gosling, who just wrapped up her rookie season in the PWHL.
The Ottawa Charge picked Cornell University defender Rory Guilday with the fifth pick. The 22-year-old from Chanhassen, Minn., capped a four-year tenure with the Big Red producing 52 points in 106 games and earned All-Ivy League honours on three occasions including two straight First-Team nods.
In 2024-25, the two-year captain helped deliver her program's first ECAC title since 2014. The five-foot-11 defender is a three-time medallist with Team USA at the world championships, winning gold in 2023 and two silver medals in 2022 and 2024.
The Minnesota Frost selected Canadian defender Kendall Cooper of Quinnipiac University with the sixth pick. The 23-year-old from Oakville, Ont., recorded 116 points in 158 career games for the Bobcats. As captain in 2024-25, she finished third on the team with 26 points in 37 games, and was named the 2024-25 recipient of the Wayne Dean Sportsmanship Award.
Cooper was twice named one of Canada's top three players at the U18 Worlds, winning gold in 2019 and silver in 2020 as a tournament all-star and team captain.
The expansion Vancouver squad selected forward Michelle Karvinen of Frolunda HC with the seventh pick. The 35-year-old is a four-time Olympian (three Bronze) and an eight-time medallist in 12 world championships representing Finland.
In April, Karvinen became her country's all-time leading scorer in the world tournament with 62 points. The former North Dakota captain has won professional titles in Switzerland's SWHL, Russia's ZhHL, and four times in Sweden's SDHL including last year with Frölunda HC where she tallied 35 points in 32 games and added 12 points in 11 playoff games.
And the expansion Seattle squad, with the eighth and final pick of the first round, selected Canadian forward Jenna Buglioni. The 23-year-old from Port Moody, B.C., won two national championships in five seasons with the Ohio State University Buckeyes, with 166 points in 170 career games.
As captain in 2024-25, she had her most productive season with 20 goals, including a record seven game-winners, and 51 points in 44 games. She earned silver with Canada at the 2020 U18 worlds and was named a tournament all-star.
Forty-eight players will be selected by the league's eight teams over six rounds.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
ESPN names Ohio State as a college basketball team that could 'make a jump' this season
We are all getting ready for the start of the college football season now just a little over a month away, but the college basketball season won't be too far behind. In fact, we're now within 100 days of the Ohio State basketball season, and ESPN took a big look at previewing hoops for 2025-2026 by looking at many different angles and storylines. One of the things Myron Metcalf and Jeff Borzello touched on was ten teams that "could make a jump" this coming season. And, if you are an Ohio State fan, then you have to like what the ESPN duo things of the Buckeyes this season because they were named as one of those ten teams. OSU was able to retain some key pieces of its core group, but outside of that, there's been a major overhaul of the guys suiting up in the scarlet and gray this season. The mix of old and new will have to come together for the Buckeyes to get back to the NCAA Tournament, but there's good reason to believe that it could happen. Here's what Borzello says about Ohio State this winter: "The Buckeyes showed flashes of their potential last season but couldn't quite string together a consistent run of form. With a terrific trio back in Bruce Thornton, Devin Royal and John Mobley Jr. -- plus the additions of Christoph Tilly and Brandon Noel up front -- Jake Diebler's team should find itself in the NCAA tournament." It sure seems like Ohio State hasn't had a shortage of talent over the last few years, but getting the team to come together and play as a team has been an issue that seems to be a problem in today's day and age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness. Here's to hoping ESPN is right and that the Buckeyes make it back to meaningful games late and on into the postseason this basketball season. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X. This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State basketball could make a jump this season according to ESPN
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Pospisil bounced in final NBO appearance by Bagnis in three sets
TORONTO - The Toronto Farewell Tour was short-lived. Veteran tennis player Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., who announced last week that the National Bank Open in Toronto would be his final hurrah on the pro circuit, was eliminated Sunday in the first round of men's singles by qualifier Facundo Bagnis of Argentina at Sobeys Stadium. Bagnis won the best-of-three match on centre court 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in one hour, 57 minutes. Pospisil wrote on X before his match: 'Eighteen years of professional tennis. Looking forward to playing in front of you one last time Toronto.' The 35-year-old Pospisil had a career-high singles ranking of world No. 25, and No. 4 in doubles. Along with partner Jack Sock, he won the 2014 Wimbledon Championships and the 2015 Indian Wells Masters men's doubles titles. He also reached the quarterfinals in singles at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships. Against Bagnis, Pospsil had 17 winners, 39 unforced errors, six aces and five double faults. The winner had 20 winners, 25 unforced errors, 11 aces and two double faults. Meanwhile, 18-year-old wild-card entry Nicolas Arseneault of Richmond Hill, Ont., knocked off 24-year-old qualifier Valentin Royer of France 6-3, 7-6 (4) in one hour, 45 minutes on the grandstand court at Sobeys Stadium. Royer had more winners (21-14) than Arseneault, but had more unforced errors (48-23). The Canadian had five aces, four double faults, a first serve percentage of 68, and won five of 11 break points. Royer had three aces, six double faults, a first serve percentage of 61 and only won four of nine break points. Arseneault will next play 18th-seeded Alexei Popyrin of Sydney, Australia. In other action on Sunday, the world's 48th-ranked Gael Monfils of France lost to qualifier Tomas Barrios Vera of Chile 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), while 80th-ranked Roman Safiullin of Russia lost his first set 6-4 to qualifier Ugo Blanchet of France, but bounced back with 6-2, 7-6 (9) wins. The 84th-ranked Adam Walton of Australia lost his first set 6-4 to Benjamin Bonzi of France but bounced back with 6-0, 6-3 victories. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
5 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Arseneault opens NBO with straight sets win over Royer
TORONTO - Wild-card entry Nicolas Arseneault of Richmond Hill, Ont., will be among those saluting Vasek Pospisil as the Canadian tennis veteran begins play in his final National Bank Open tournament on Sunday night. The 18-year-old Arseneault warmed up for the evening's featured match by knocking off 24-year-old qualifier Valentin Royer of France 6-3, 7-6 (4) in one hour, 45 minutes on the grandstand court at Sobeys Stadium. Royer had more winners (21-14) than Arseneault, but had more unforced errors (48-23). The Canadian had five aces, four double faults, a first serve percentage of 68, and won five of 11 break points. Royer had three aces, six double faults, a first serve percentage of 61 and only won four of nine break points. The 35-year-old Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., will play Facundo Bagnis of Argentina on centre court in his opening round men's singles match. Pospisil has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 25, and No. 4 in doubles. Along with partner Jack Sock, he won the 2014 Wimbledon Championships and the 2015 Indian Wells Masters men's doubles titles. He also reached the quarterfinals in singles at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2025.
