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New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
NHL Draft 2025: Analyzing fit, potential of the top 5 picks
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NHL Draft. Hockey's next generation of stars is here. The New York Islanders kicked off the 2025 NHL Draft with their No. 1 selection of defenseman Matthew Schaefer. As the rest of the first-round selections roll in from L.A.'s Peacock Theater, The Athletic's experts break down picks No. 1-5 and what fans of the Islanders, Sharks, Blackhawks, Mammoth and Predators can expect. Players tend to be ranked higher based on two key elements: an elite ceiling and a likelihood of reaching that level sooner than later. So the more Schaefer became the consensus No. 1 pick, between rankings here at The Athletic and throughout the hockey sphere, the better bet he appeared to be here. There are two especially noteworthy elements to his game, according to our Scott Wheeler: his elite skating ability that translates on both ends of the ice and his maturity, despite being on the younger side of this draft class. Advertisement A team's draft strategy should be selecting the best player available, not need. So, Schaefer should have been the pick here, regardless of the Islanders' needs. But after today's Noah Dobson trade, this happens to check both boxes; he projects to grow into a top-pair caliber defenseman who can drive play and fills an important need on the back end. — Shayna Goldman, national writer Ultimately, Sharks general manager Mike Grier and his staff went with a polished all-around forward in Misa rather than uncorking a rumored curveball with Swedish center Anton Frondell. Frondell had emerged through reports in recent days as a consideration given his combination of size, skill and offensive potential. Even Porter Martone was rumored as a fit given his true power forward profile. But there is a reason why Misa was projected to be the No. 2 pick all along. One of the few to be granted exceptional player status, Misa delivered on his immense promise in the Ontario Hockey League. The Saginaw Spirit star was the leading scorer in Canadian major junior hockey last season with 134 points, including 62 goals, in just 65 regular-season games. Misa is a committed defender in his own zone in addition to his offensive feats. Listed at 6 feet 1 and 184 pounds, it's not as if he is diminutive. Misa can play center and wing, though he returned to the middle this past season. Because of his versatility, the Sharks could envision him as their 2C behind Macklin Celebrini or move him to the wing if they're determined to shift Will Smith back to center. Smith did display great chemistry with Celebrini in the second half of last season, and so San Jose could stick with that and have Misa, whose game has drawn comparisons to John Tavares, Dylan Larkin and Marian Hossa, develop into a top-six pivot. And the Sharks would do well even if Misa has the kind of career Logan Couture had for the franchise. — Eric Stephens, Sharks beat reporter With the first two selections going as most expected, the Blackhawks became the team to really set the path for the top-10 picks. Would they go with Anton Frondell, Caleb Desnoyers, Porter Martone, someone else? Almost none of them would have been a surprise. The Blackhawks ended up taking Frondell, a 6-foot-1 and 205-pound forward who they envision as another top-six piece to their rebuild puzzle. With Frondell's size and two-way game, the Blackhawks think he can perfectly complement what they already have in their forward roster pool, especially the likes of Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, two undersized centers. Frondell took off in his draft year while playing in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second division. Frondell's 25 points in that league were he most by an under-18 player since William Nylander produced 27 points during the 2013-14 season. — Scott Powers, Blackhawks beat writer After talk for weeks that they could move the No. 4 pick for more immediate help, the Mammoth instead selected center Caleb Desnoyers from the Moncton Wildcats. Desnoyers adds another skilled forward to a loaded prospect pool that includes last year's No. 6 selection Tij Iginla. Desnoyers won the QMJHL playoff MVP in taking Moncton to the Memorial Cup and piled up 35 goals and 84 points in 56 games for one of the best points per game in the Q in the last 25 years. He's a very high-IQ pivot who excels as a playmaker and two-way player. Desnoyers is considered a high-end competitor and potential No. 1 center once he fills out — he's 6 feet 2 and 180 pounds — and spends another year or two developing. Utah has quickly been building out one of the deepest pools of young offensive talents in the league, including the recently acquired JJ Peterka, and Desnoyers will fit right in. — James Mirtle, national writer The Predators started this draft with a major organizational need at center and, with the No. 5 pick, a guaranteed opportunity to fill it. They did just that; Brady Martin, as mocked to them by Corey Pronman, was the pick. Martin was a bit of a late riser, but the appeal is clear. There might not be a better blend of skill, productivity and physicality in the draft. Martin starred at the World Juniors, scoring twice in the gold medal game, and finished the OHL season with 72 points in 57 games. Maybe more importantly, he loves Sam Bennett and Tom Wilson's games, and it shows. Nashville got the type of player it desperately needed. — Sean Gentille, national writer
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
NHL trade grades: Ducks cut bait on Trevor Zegras, selling low to the Flyers
By Corey Pronman, Sean Gentille and Shayna Goldman Philadelphia Flyers get: F Trevor Zegras Anaheim Ducks get: F Ryan Poehling, 2025 second-round pick (No. 45), 2026 fourth-round pick Corey Pronman: Zegras' time in Anaheim was tumultuous. After a sterling rookie year where he dazzled, he hit some bumps and had frustrated his coaching staff over the past few years. He's a player with elite skill and hockey sense. NHL scouts have wondered if he can be a consistent 70- to 80-point player with how ridiculously skilled and creative he is. He can be a legit top-six forward and benefit a power play. But he also has noticeable warts in his game. He's a below-average NHL skater who takes too many shifts and games off and rubs people the wrong way. Philadelphia has been searching for a center, and while Zegras has played center before, it's questionable if he can pivot in a major role on a good NHL team. Advertisement It's a dramatic decline in value as well for a player Anaheim was hoping to get a high first-round pick or major young asset in return for when it first put him on the market. Zegras supporters will argue it's a potential buy-low scenario for the Flyers, given his massive potential, NHL track record and reasonable contract. His critics will say he's not a 'winner' and it's addition by subtraction for the Philadelphia while opening up opportunities for the Ducks' plethora of talented young forwards. I understand the latter argument, but the caliber of player plus the low price paid for him seems a little off. This is a nice gamble by the Flyers, who gave up very little, and if it doesn't work out they could simply move him again in a rising cap environment. Owen Tippett had similar issues in Florida, and the Flyers did good work turning him into a useful NHL forward. Ryan Poehling is a 2026 free agent. He's a hard-working center with good skill, but he's not dynamic in terms of his pace or creativity. He's a bottom-six forward. Flyers grade: A- Ducks grade: C+ Sean Gentille: In the summer of 2023, Zegras was 22 years old and coming off his second straight season with at least 20 goals and 60 points — one in which he shared the cover of EA's NHL 23. Not bad. Around that same time, Ryan Poehling was non-qualified by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the equivalent of a team saying 'thanks, but no thanks.' Not good. Now, somehow, three years later, Poehling was the primary player the Ducks brought back in a trade that, on their end, was more about dumping Zegras' salary than anything else. The fact that Anaheim moved on from Zegras — Michigan goals and all — shouldn't surprise anyone. He's been too frequently injured and too frequently ineffective for most of the past two seasons, killing his momentum on and off the ice. Playing for Dallas Eakins and Greg Cronin probably didn't help; Zegras is an imperfectly electric player, and ditching too much of that on the road to two-way responsibility feels like it was a Pyrrhic victory. Zegras' name has been part of trade rumors for years. If this is what he's worth, one line of logic goes, this is what he's worth. Advertisement Still, if you assume that to be true, the question for Anaheim should be, 'why bother?' Why bother moving a 24-year-old with high-end offensive upside and (dampened) star power if the return is a decent fourth-line center, the 45th pick in one draft and a fourth-rounder from another? The best argument is that Zegras counts $5.75 million against the cap for one more season and future contract talks, given his career arc, could get bizarre. The Ducks also have extensions for other young forwards — namely Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish — to consider down the line. On the other hand, they're still more than $36 million under the salary cap, according to PuckPedia. With only Pittsburgh starting the summer in traditional 'seller' mode, why not wait and see how the market looks in a week or two? It's hard to imagine it being worse. That fact alone makes it impossible to give Anaheim anything other than a mediocre mark here. It's not just about the underwhelming return; it's about the road that brought them to it. The Flyers, meanwhile, got themselves a lottery ticket with solid odds. If Zegras' health holds up, his worst-case scenario probably lands him as an offense-only middle-six winger with power-play utility. His upside: the exact sort of high-end, top-six center that they've been unable to add during their rebuild. The Athletic, pre-trade, put their center depth chart at second from the bottom in the NHL. No matter what, Philadelphia desperately needed another potential offensive star to pair with Matvei Michkov, maybe on the same line, maybe not, and Zegras has a shot at filling the bill. Those sorts of players are best added through the draft. If that's not an option — and for the Flyers, it doesn't seem to be — then it's time to seek a different route. There's plenty to like about the one they've chosen. It's not just about the player; it's about the fit. Flyers grade: A Ducks grade: D+ Shayna Goldman: The big question around Zegras over the past few years is whether he has the chops to be a true franchise cornerstone to build around. At this point, it doesn't seem to be the case. But that doesn't mean the Ducks should have shipped him off in an imbalanced deal. Zegras has his flaws — he isn't a perfect play-driver and has some real defensive gaps in his game. After making some improvements in his own zone in a condensed 2023-24, he took a step back this past season with the Ducks, allowing 0.26 more expected goals against per 60 relative to the rest of the team. And unlike years past, the offense wasn't enough to make up for it. Defense is a team-wide problem in Anaheim, and it seems to be overwhelming Zegras at this point. Pair that with some of the comps for Zegras at 25 years old — from Robby Fabbri and Chris Tierney to Sam Gagner — and there is reason to worry about his trajectory from here. Advertisement But even if Zegras isn't worth the same hype that he once was, it doesn't make enough sense to sell this low. Even if management wanted a deal done sooner than later, to go into next season with a clean slate, there is still an entire offseason ahead. Ryan Poehling addresses the Ducks' bottom-six need for more defensive upside, but him plus a second-rounder doesn't thread the needle enough. Because even if Zegras isn't meant to be the No. 1 center of a contender, his offensive strengths can be worth betting on in a different top-six capacity. Playoff teams still need complementary talent around their big guns, and there are signs that Zegras can be that. His creativity and puck-moving ability, which still tracks well according to AllThreeZones, are worth investing in. Even though Zegras' value has declined, it makes sense for a rebuilding team like the Flyers. Philadelphia has defensive structure and strong two-way forwards, like Noah Cates and Sean Couturier. What they need is more high-octane offensive skill around Michkov and more depth down the middle, so he checks both of those boxes. No matter what, this is still a gamble for the Flyers. But it's a low-risk, high-return bet worth investing in. Flyers grade: B+ Ducks grade: C-
New York Times
12-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
NHL trade grades: Rangers needed to unload Chris Kreider to move forward
By Shayna Goldman, Harman Dayal and Corey Pronman Anaheim Ducks get: F Chris Kreider, 2025 fourth-round draft pick (No. 104). New York Rangers get: Prospect F Carey Terrance (OHL Erie), 2025 third-round draft pick (No. 89) (No salary was retained on either side.) Harman Dayal: At first glance, trading away a popular, assumed-Ranger-for-life for a modest return isn't anything worth celebrating. If anything, losing Kreider is a painful, emotional goodbye for Rangers fans. However, the Rangers' cap situation was dire before this trade, and moving the full freight of Kreider's $6.5 million cap hit, especially coming off a down year, opens up much-needed breathing room. Advertisement Before the Kreider trade, New York only had $8.4 million of cap space, according to PuckPedia. The Rangers needed to move out at least one significant contract just to afford pending restricted free agents K'Andre Miller and Will Cuylle's next contracts (or to find a top-four replacement in the event Miller is traded), let alone any roster upgrades for a team that missed the playoffs. There weren't a ton of options to manufacture that cap space — many of New York's top players have trade protection — so getting Kreider off the books was important. It's a win that the Rangers got off Kreider's contract without having to retain salary, take money back or pay a sweetener. Kreider's obviously a highly accomplished player, but at 34 years old, coming off a 30-point season in which he played through back issues and illness, this didn't profile as an easy contract to trade. And let's not forget that teams weren't exactly jumping to bid for his services back in November when Chris Drury sent out a memo to the league's 31 other teams stating both Kreider and Jacob Trouba were available for trade. The Ducks need a healthier, rejuvenated version of Kreider to make this trade worth it. The biggest area where Kreider could help the Ducks is on the power play. Kreider has long been an elite net-front power-play scorer, and the Ducks' man advantage could certainly use a boost after ranking 32nd in the NHL this season. It isn't farfetched to think he could deliver 25 to 30 goals in 2025-26 if he rebounds. But given his age, there's always a chance that he never regains the top-six form he showed in previous years. That would be a scary thought, especially because his even-strength play-driving also fell considerably this season. With all that said, Anaheim's risk isn't too high here. The Ducks didn't surrender any premium assets, Kreider only has two years left on his deal and the Ducks still have more than $30 million in cap space this offseason. Advertisement Rangers grade: B+ Ducks grade: B Shayna Goldman: It's the end of an era in New York, with the Rangers trading one of their longest tenured players to Anaheim. The reality is that Kreider's value cratered over the last year. He still scored 22 goals, but only tallied eight assists in 68 games for a career-low 30 points — and it's not just because his linemates weren't converting on his passes. One of Kreider's strengths is that he is more than just an elite net-front presence on the power play. His speed and strength make him more of a threat at five-on-five. But this past year, he wasn't as effective off the rush and didn't drive to the net as often. Unlike in most seasons, there wasn't a lot of power-play production to make up for it. The problem is, it's not clear how much of that was due to his surroundings, age-related decline or a lingering back injury. Or whether that injury is exacerbating the aging effects, which can happen to players who take a lot of wear and tear in a net-front role. The Rangers have to be active this summer. The team can't afford to just run it back and hope for a bunch of rebounds after a disastrous 2024-25 season. One takeaway from the four teams that reached the conference finals this year is that general managers need to know when it's time to move on and start fresh, despite long-term connections to a player. Plus, Rangers management couldn't afford to extend key RFAs and improve with Kreider's contract on the books. So, clearing out his entire cap hit is a win for New York. The timing is interesting. The Rangers could have waited to see if there was interest from teams that missed out on the few high-end wingers set to hit the free-agent market. Maybe management didn't want any lingering questions this offseason and wanted a clean slate. But at what cost? Unless the team has corresponding moves in mind to add more high-end talent, then this was the first domino that had to fall to create space. The Ducks, on the other hand, have a ton of cap space, and management should leverage it to take on reclamation projects such as Kreider. Absorbing his $6.5 million cap hit won't stop management from taking big swings this summer. And it shouldn't be a problem next year, either, with $12 million coming off the books between Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas. By the time the Ducks are truly competitive again, this contract will be over — and until then, it'll help the team stay above the cap floor. Advertisement Between Kreider, Trouba, Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome, there's a lot of 2021-22 Rangers, which is a choice. But as long as Kreider doesn't take away meaningful minutes from up-and-coming players and provides some much-needed support at even strength and on the power play, this is fine for the Ducks. Rangers grade: B- Ducks grade: B Corey Pronman: Kreider's game fell off notably this season, but he's still a useful forward. He's a big-bodied winger who skates very well, plays hard, and has some scoring touch. He's never been the most natural playmaker, and there's always a worry that, with a speed-based player, when the end of his career comes, it can come to an abrupt stop. Anaheim has money to play with, and their exceptionally young lineup can use a veteran like Kreider. They also have a deep prospect system, so losing Terrance is tolerable. Terrance is a strong skating forward. He has the edge work and speed for higher levels and can skate by junior defenders routinely. He has good hands and can create offense off the rush. I don't think his vision is a selling point, and he's more of a goal-scorer, but Terrance makes enough plays. His compete is solid and he can kill penalties. Terrance won't ever stand out in any one area, but he has versatility in his style of play and in the fact that he can play center or wing. He could be a bottom-six forward. He's not the biggest coup ever, but this is essentially a salary dump for New York. Rangers grade: B- Ducks grade: B+
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PWHL expansion mock draft: The Athletic plays GM and picks players for Vancouver and Seattle
The Professional Women's Hockey League has revealed which players will be protected in the league's first-ever expansion draft. Now it's time for us to put our GM hats on. For the next five days, Seattle and Vancouver will be able to sign players — either free agents or those who went unprotected — ahead of the June 9 expansion draft. Before that officially begins, however, Hailey Salvian and Shayna Goldman will be building their own rosters to simulate how the PWHL's expansion draft process could go if they were decision-makers. Advertisement Some ground rules: The PWHL expansion teams are permitted to sign up to five players during the signing window, and will make at least seven draft selections to get to a roster of 12 players. Only players signed through 2025-26, or whose rights remain with a team, can be protected. A refresher on who was protected and who might be available can be found here. After each team loses two players, in either the signing window or the draft, they will be permitted to protect one additional player. We will project who those players might be as part of the process. The league has yet to announce the expansion draft order, so we did a random selection, which Seattle won. While we will follow the league's rules, this is not meant to be a projection or even speculation on what could happen in the draft. These are the decisions would make if we were building our own expansion teams. Advertisement As reported Tuesday, the PWHL Players Association voted to disclose salaries, but we don't have access to those figures just yet so the signing window — and more generally constructing teams that will be cap compliant — is not a perfect science. This exercise is more about fun, and the friends we make (or lose) along the way. Let's begin. The signing window Vancouver (Salvian): This is a near-perfect start for the Vancouver franchise, if I do say so myself. The organization leaves the signing window with a star forward, two elite defenders, a local cornerstone and a starting goalie. Toronto not protecting Sarah Nurse gives me the chance to sign one of the most marketable women's hockey players in the world to a brand-new franchise. Not to mention, she was second in league scoring last season and was nearly a point-per-game player before getting injured this season. Jennifer Gardiner, from Surrey, B.C., is well-rounded and can easily be a top-line piece beside Nurse, or become a middle-six depth player depending on who we draft. Emerance Maschmeyer is a reliable No. 1 goalie and an easy fit for Vancouver. Advertisement Stealing both Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson away from Minnesota was the toughest part of this window, with Shayna in Seattle also trying to lock them in. The selling point for each — given they'd both be drafted if they went unsigned — was to play in a major Canadian market. For Thompson specifically, joining Vancouver gives her the option to play professionally in her home country before returning to medical school. I'm OK with using one of these slots for potentially just one year of Thompson, too. Seattle (Goldman): The idea of the signing window? Find franchise cornerstones to build around. That starts with Knight, one of the greatest hockey players of all time. After a tough first year in Boston, she showed what she still has left in the tank this past season. But the harsh reality is that while Knight will help usher in this new era of hockey in Seattle, longevity is another factor to consider. That's what inspired the Jesse Compher and Hannah Bilka signings, even with Alex Carpenter available. Carpenter is 31 years old and still has a lot of hockey left to play. But there's something about adding two expensive contracts to the salary cap off the bat for two 30-plus-year-olds. Instead, Compher can slot in behind Knight on the depth chart to start and then eventually take over as the leading winger on this team. Bilka is a rising star to build around too, which gives this team a strong outlook in the near future and in the long term. After watching the Frost win their second straight championship, we are taking notes on what made them successful. One of the standouts? A deep, skilled blue line. That's why Seattle pursued Jaques, but ultimately lost the bidding war. But this team still has a true number one to build around in Cayla Barnes. Behind that defense will be Corinne Schroeder, who can be a backbone in net for her team. The expansion draft Round 1 Seattle: Danielle Serdachny, 24, forward (Ottawa Charge) Goldman: As modest as Serdachny's rookie season was in Ottawa, it was just a small glimpse into her star-caliber ceiling. The biggest issue with her first PWHL season was her usage — someone with game-breaking potential should be given the ice time to thrive. That's what she is going to get in Seattle at the top of the lineup. Serdachny will have a lot of offensive support to develop her game here, between Knight, Bilka, Compher and Barnes around her. She will grow into a franchise cornerstone that will help Seattle make the playoffs in Year 1 and for the foreseeable future. Advertisement Vancouver: Alex Carpenter, 31, forward (New York Sirens) Salvian: The PWHL has made it so expansion teams can compete in Year 1, which is why a player like Carpenter is available at all throughout this process. And if Seattle wants to keep an eye on the future, I'm going to focus on winning the Walter Cup in 2026 and take one of the very best forwards in the league. New York finished last in the league two straight years, but it wasn't her fault. Carpenter scored 19 goals and 43 points in 50 career games, the most among any available player in the draft. Round 2 Seattle: Savannah Harmon, 29, defense (Toronto Sceptres) Goldman: The balance here is that every team has to draft for skill and for need. Harmon accomplishes both. The 2024-25 season wasn't her strongest in Toronto, but Seattle is the perfect place for a rebound. Harmon has experience playing with Barnes and solidifies the top pair into a two-way threat that can go head-to-head with the best in the league. Advertisement Vancouver: Julia Gosling, 24, forward (Toronto Sceptres) Salvian: Gosling was Toronto's best forward in the postseason, scoring three goals in four games. She has pro size (5-foot-10) and should develop into a solid power forward. With Nurse and Carpenter in their 30s, Gosling also gives me another young core forward along with Gardiner. Round 3 Seattle: Maureen Murphy, 25, forward (Montreal Victoire) Goldman: Over the last couple of seasons in Montreal, Murphy has emerged as a real difference-maker. She can keep up and complement top players on the first line or play a supporting role on the third. That versatility gives a new team like Seattle options in the early goings. Unlike the six established teams, everything here is being built from scratch — including chemistry. That's why it helps to have character players like Murphy, and options to choose from to find the best matches up and down the lineup. Advertisement Vancouver: Anna Wilgren, 25, defense (Montreal Victoire) Salvian: With two offensive-minded defenders, I wanted to grab someone who played with a bit more focus on the defensive side of the puck. I had Megan Carter highlighted on my draft board, but she's no longer available with Toronto losing four players early into the process. Still, I'm happy with Wilgren. She's smart in the defensive zone and was second in blocked shots (57) in the PWHL as a rookie. She has proved to be a steady partner beside a more offensively gifted defender — like she was beside Cayla Barnes in Montreal — which could make her a great fit beside Jaques or Thompson. Round 4 Seattle: Daniela Pejšová, 22, defense (Boston Fleet) Goldman: Pejšová isn't an offensive game-breaker, but she provides balance to the blue line that Seattle needs with her two-way ability. She grew familiar with the speed and skill of the league around her in Year 1 with Boston, after excelling in the SDHL and with the Czech national team; now she can build on that in new surroundings. Her size and physicality give this new club an edge that's needed in this league, while her skating and shot will help facilitate plays from the back end. Advertisement Vancouver: Gabbie Hughes, 25, forward (Ottawa Charge) Salvian: With elite forward talent and some young complementary pieces, it's time to find someone who can anchor the middle six. To me, there's nobody better than Gabbie Hughes. She's a 200-foot center who can contribute on both sides of the puck. Hughes was among Ottawa's top scorers in her first two PWHL seasons (14 goals and 28 points in 53 games), but she was also one of the Charge's most reliable shutdown centers. In the first round of the PWHL playoffs, her line helped keep Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin largely off the scoresheet. Round 5 Seattle: Aneta Tejralová, 29, defense (Ottawa Charge) Goldman: The third pair can be addressed in free agency, but it was important to build a top four on defense through the draft. Tejralová absolutely helps solidify the group. She can absorb a lot of minutes, be deployed in any situation, and has been asked to shoulder tough minutes. Her play this year could have earned her a nod for Defender of the Year, even though her scoring didn't stack up to some of the league's best. Tejralová also has experience playing with Harmon in Ottawa, which gives the coaches more options to mix and match on defense for the best possible combinations. Advertisement Vancouver: Brooke McQuigge, 24, forward (Minnesota Frost) Salvian: McQuigge was one of my favorite players in the 2024 entry draft. She plays a physical, hard-nosed game with a clear, transferable identity, which has made McQuigge a solid contributing depth forward. McQuigge finished fourth in rookie scoring and her eight goals ranked third, behind only New York star Sarah Fillier (13) and teammate Britta Curl-Salemme (9). That her contract is likely cheaper than other top available players like Curl-Salemme or Kelly Pannek makes her the perfect late-round selection. Round 6 Seattle: Sophie Shirley, 25, forward (Boston Fleet) Goldman: With a top-four defense in place, it's time to shift the focus back to the forwards. Shirley's developed into an all-around threat over the last couple of seasons. She has the chops to bring reliable depth scoring, but has improved her defensive play as well. Shirley has become a utility player who gives this team more lineup flexibility. And at 25 years old, she is only just entering the prime of her career, and should keep growing from here. Advertisement Vancouver: Allyson Simpson, 24, Defense (New York Sirens) Salvian: I've kicked the defense can down the road long enough, and only players from New York and Minnesota are available at this point. That realistically left me with a choice between two fairly comparable defenders in Simpson and Jaime Bourbonnais. They're both on the bubble of their respective national teams, with solid offensive instincts. Simpson is a touch younger than Bourbonnais (26) and might have a slightly higher ceiling, at least on the defensive side of the puck. Simpson is also likely cheaper, which helps the bottom line. Round 7 Seattle: Dominique Petrie, 24, forward (Minnesota Frost) Goldman: Between Shirley, Tejralová and Pejšová, I found enough physicality to help complement all the skill at the top of the lineup. Seattle should be able to play an up-tempo game while being tough to match up against. But one thing is missing: extra support down the middle. That's what Petrie brings with her two-way game. The power forward was clearly missed by Minnesota when she missed time this year, but she returned just in time to become a champion. Advertisement Vancouver: Kayle Osborne, 23, goalie (New York Sirens) Salvian: This is the first time I was truly stumped. I wanted Petrie in this slot and was hoping Shayna might grab Bourbonnais or Abby Roque from New York. Taking a second goalie wasn't part of my plan, but Osborne is young, played well in her rookie season (2.22 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage) and definitely makes less money than Roque and Bourbonnais. With big-ticket players such as Nurse and Carpenter on the books, I just can't afford to go there. Osborne feels like the best player at the best price available, and now I can focus my free agency energy on shoring up my team's depth at forward and defense. The final rosters Vancouver (Salvian): This is a team that could win the Walter Cup next season, which is exactly what I set out to do. I have superstars at the top of the lineup, role players and strong goaltending. I'll try to grab some more offense in free agency (Michela Cava tops the list) and the entry draft, but this roster is well on its way to competing in 2025-26. Advertisement Seattle (Goldman): There is still work to do in free agency. I need to find more help up front and bolster this blue line (with Maggie Flaherty high up on my list). Plus, Schroeder needs a partner in net. But between the signing period and the expansion draft, this team has the makings of a playoff team in 2026. But more importantly, this is a group of players who can all grow with Seattle to make this team a perennial contender. Who got taken This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NHL, Women's Hockey 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
PWHL expansion mock draft: The Athletic plays GM and picks players for Vancouver and Seattle
The Professional Women's Hockey League has revealed which players will be protected in the league's first-ever expansion draft. Now it's time for us to put our GM hats on. For the next five days, Seattle and Vancouver will be able to sign players — either free agents or those who went unprotected — ahead of the June 9 expansion draft. Before that officially begins, however, The Athletic's Hailey Salvian and Shayna Goldman will be building their own rosters to simulate how the PWHL's expansion draft process could go if they were decision-makers. Advertisement Some ground rules: The real PWHL expansion teams are permitted to sign up to five players during the signing window, and will make at least seven draft selections to get to a roster of 12 players. Only players signed through 2025-26, or whose rights remain with a team, can be protected. A refresher on who was protected and who might be available can be found here. After each team loses two players, in either the signing window or the draft, they will be permitted to protect one additional player. We will project who those players might be as part of the process. The league has yet to announce the expansion draft order, so we did a random selection, which Seattle won. While we will follow the league's rules, this is not meant to be a projection or even speculation on what could happen in the draft. These are the decisions we would make if we were building our own expansion teams. As The Athletic reported Tuesday, the PWHL Players Association voted to disclose salaries, but we don't have access to those figures just yet so the signing window — and more generally constructing teams that will be cap compliant — is not a perfect science. This exercise is more about fun, and the friends we make (or lose) along the way. Let's begin. Vancouver (Salvian): This is a near-perfect start for the Vancouver franchise, if I do say so myself. The organization leaves the signing window with a star forward, two elite defenders, a local cornerstone and a starting goalie. Toronto not protecting Sarah Nurse gives me the chance to sign one of the most marketable women's hockey players in the world to a brand-new franchise. Not to mention, she was second in league scoring last season and was nearly a point-per-game player before getting injured this season. Jennifer Gardiner, from Surrey, B.C., is well-rounded and can easily be a top-line piece beside Nurse, or become a middle-six depth player depending on who we draft. Emerance Maschmeyer is a reliable No. 1 goalie and an easy fit for Vancouver. Advertisement Stealing both Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson away from Minnesota was the toughest part of this window, with Shayna in Seattle also trying to lock them in. The selling point for each — given they'd both be drafted if they went unsigned — was to play in a major Canadian market. For Thompson specifically, joining Vancouver gives her the option to play professionally in her home country before returning to medical school. I'm OK with using one of these slots for potentially just one year of Thompson, too. Seattle (Goldman): The idea of the signing window? Find franchise cornerstones to build around. That starts with Knight, one of the greatest hockey players of all time. After a tough first year in Boston, she showed what she still has left in the tank this past season. But the harsh reality is that while Knight will help usher in this new era of hockey in Seattle, longevity is another factor to consider. That's what inspired the Jesse Compher and Hannah Bilka signings, even with Alex Carpenter available. Carpenter is 31 years old and still has a lot of hockey left to play. But there's something about adding two expensive contracts to the salary cap off the bat for two 30-plus-year-olds. Instead, Compher can slot in behind Knight on the depth chart to start and then eventually take over as the leading winger on this team. Bilka is a rising star to build around too, which gives this team a strong outlook in the near future and in the long term. After watching the Frost win their second straight championship, we are taking notes on what made them successful. One of the standouts? A deep, skilled blue line. That's why Seattle pursued Jaques, but ultimately lost the bidding war. But this team still has a true number one to build around in Cayla Barnes. Behind that defense will be Corinne Schroeder, who can be a backbone in net for her team. Note: With two players taken from several teams during the signing window, we've projected who each team might protect with the extra fourth slot. • Toronto protects forward Emma Maltais • Montreal protects defender Erin Ambrose • Boston protects forward Shay Maloney • Minnesota protects forward Grace Zumwinkle Advertisement Seattle: Danielle Serdachny, 24, forward (Ottawa Charge) Goldman: As modest as Serdachny's rookie season was in Ottawa, it was just a small glimpse into her star-caliber ceiling. The biggest issue with her first PWHL season was her usage — someone with game-breaking potential should be given the ice time to thrive. That's what she is going to get in Seattle at the top of the lineup. Serdachny will have a lot of offensive support to develop her game here, between Knight, Bilka, Compher and Barnes around her. She will grow into a franchise cornerstone that will help Seattle make the playoffs in Year 1 and for the foreseeable future. * Ottawa protects defender Ashton Bell * Vancouver: Alex Carpenter, 31, forward (New York Sirens) Salvian: The PWHL has made it so expansion teams can compete in Year 1, which is why a player like Carpenter is available at all throughout this process. And if Seattle wants to keep an eye on the future, I'm going to focus on winning the Walter Cup in 2026 and take one of the very best forwards in the league. New York finished last in the league two straight years, but it wasn't her fault. Carpenter scored 19 goals and 43 points in 50 career games, the most among any available player in the draft. *New York protects forward Jessie Eldridge * Seattle: Savannah Harmon, 29, defense (Toronto Sceptres) Goldman: The balance here is that every team has to draft for skill and for need. Harmon accomplishes both. The 2024-25 season wasn't her strongest in Toronto, but Seattle is the perfect place for a rebound. Harmon has experience playing with Barnes and solidifies the top pair into a two-way threat that can go head-to-head with the best in the league. Vancouver: Julia Gosling, 24, forward (Toronto Sceptres) Salvian: Gosling was Toronto's best forward in the postseason, scoring three goals in four games. She has pro size (5-foot-10) and should develop into a solid power forward. With Nurse and Carpenter in their 30s, Gosling also gives me another young core forward along with Gardiner. Advertisement Seattle: Maureen Murphy, 25, forward (Montreal Victoire) Goldman: Over the last couple of seasons in Montreal, Murphy has emerged as a real difference-maker. She can keep up and complement top players on the first line or play a supporting role on the third. That versatility gives a new team like Seattle options in the early goings. Unlike the six established teams, everything here is being built from scratch — including chemistry. That's why it helps to have character players like Murphy, and options to choose from to find the best matches up and down the lineup. Vancouver: Anna Wilgren, 25, defense (Montreal Victoire) Salvian: With two offensive-minded defenders, I wanted to grab someone who played with a bit more focus on the defensive side of the puck. I had Megan Carter highlighted on my draft board, but she's no longer available with Toronto losing four players early into the process. Still, I'm happy with Wilgren. She's smart in the defensive zone and was second in blocked shots (57) in the PWHL as a rookie. She has proved to be a steady partner beside a more offensively gifted defender — like she was beside Cayla Barnes in Montreal — which could make her a great fit beside Jaques or Thompson. Seattle: Daniela Pejšová, 22, defense (Boston Fleet) Goldman: Pejšová isn't an offensive game-breaker, but she provides balance to the blue line that Seattle needs with her two-way ability. She grew familiar with the speed and skill of the league around her in Year 1 with Boston, after excelling in the SDHL and with the Czech national team; now she can build on that in new surroundings. Her size and physicality give this new club an edge that's needed in this league, while her skating and shot will help facilitate plays from the back end. Vancouver: Gabbie Hughes, 25, forward (Ottawa Charge) Salvian: With elite forward talent and some young complementary pieces, it's time to find someone who can anchor the middle six. To me, there's nobody better than Gabbie Hughes. She's a 200-foot center who can contribute on both sides of the puck. Hughes was among Ottawa's top scorers in her first two PWHL seasons (14 goals and 28 points in 53 games), but she was also one of the Charge's most reliable shutdown centers. In the first round of the PWHL playoffs, her line helped keep Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin largely off the scoresheet. Seattle: Aneta Tejralová, 29, defense (Ottawa Charge) Goldman: The third pair can be addressed in free agency, but it was important to build a top four on defense through the draft. Tejralová absolutely helps solidify the group. She can absorb a lot of minutes, be deployed in any situation, and has been asked to shoulder tough minutes. Her play this year could have earned her a nod for Defender of the Year, even though her scoring didn't stack up to some of the league's best. Tejralová also has experience playing with Harmon in Ottawa, which gives the coaches more options to mix and match on defense for the best possible combinations. Advertisement Vancouver: Brooke McQuigge, 24, forward (Minnesota Frost) Salvian: McQuigge was one of my favorite players in the 2024 entry draft. She plays a physical, hard-nosed game with a clear, transferable identity, which has made McQuigge a solid contributing depth forward. McQuigge finished fourth in rookie scoring and her eight goals ranked third, behind only New York star Sarah Fillier (13) and teammate Britta Curl-Salemme (9). That her contract is likely cheaper than other top available players like Curl-Salemme or Kelly Pannek makes her the perfect late-round selection. Seattle: Sophie Shirley, 25, forward (Boston Fleet) Goldman: With a top-four defense in place, it's time to shift the focus back to the forwards. Shirley's developed into an all-around threat over the last couple of seasons. She has the chops to bring reliable depth scoring, but has improved her defensive play as well. Shirley has become a utility player who gives this team more lineup flexibility. And at 25 years old, she is only just entering the prime of her career, and should keep growing from here. Vancouver: Allyson Simpson, 24, Defense (New York Sirens) Salvian: I've kicked the defense can down the road long enough, and only players from New York and Minnesota are available at this point. That realistically left me with a choice between two fairly comparable defenders in Simpson and Jaime Bourbonnais. They're both on the bubble of their respective national teams, with solid offensive instincts. Simpson is a touch younger than Bourbonnais (26) and might have a slightly higher ceiling, at least on the defensive side of the puck. Simpson is also likely cheaper, which helps the bottom line. Seattle: Dominique Petrie, 24, forward (Minnesota Frost) Goldman: Between Shirley, Tejralová and Pejšová, I found enough physicality to help complement all the skill at the top of the lineup. Seattle should be able to play an up-tempo game while being tough to match up against. But one thing is missing: extra support down the middle. That's what Petrie brings with her two-way game. The power forward was clearly missed by Minnesota when she missed time this year, but she returned just in time to become a champion. Vancouver: Kayle Osborne, 23, goalie (New York Sirens) Salvian: This is the first time I was truly stumped. I wanted Petrie in this slot and was hoping Shayna might grab Bourbonnais or Abby Roque from New York. Taking a second goalie wasn't part of my plan, but Osborne is young, played well in her rookie season (2.22 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage) and definitely makes less money than Roque and Bourbonnais. With big-ticket players such as Nurse and Carpenter on the books, I just can't afford to go there. Osborne feels like the best player at the best price available, and now I can focus my free agency energy on shoring up my team's depth at forward and defense. Vancouver (Salvian): This is a team that could win the Walter Cup next season, which is exactly what I set out to do. I have superstars at the top of the lineup, role players and strong goaltending. I'll try to grab some more offense in free agency (Michela Cava tops the list) and the entry draft, but this roster is well on its way to competing in 2025-26. Seattle (Goldman): There is still work to do in free agency. I need to find more help up front and bolster this blue line (with Maggie Flaherty high up on my list). Plus, Schroeder needs a partner in net. But between the signing period and the expansion draft, this team has the makings of a playoff team in 2026. But more importantly, this is a group of players who can all grow with Seattle to make this team a perennial contender. (Top photo of Hilary Knight and Sarah Nurse: Troy Parla and Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
