Overview

• Vancouver selected Ottawa defender Ashton Bell first overall and fortified its blueline further with Sydney Bard after signing national team veterans Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques.
• Seattle used the second and third picks to take defender Aneta Tejralová and forward Hannah Bilka before reinforcing a potent forward group alongside signees Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter and Danielle Serdachny.
• Both expansion teams maximized a five-day exclusive signing window to add five unprotected players each, securing goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer for Vancouver and veteran leadership for Seattle.
• Each of the six founding PWHL teams lost four players under contract as part of the protective-limit rules designed to ensure the newcomers are competitive in their inaugural season.
• Original franchises will rebuild their rosters beginning with the June 16 free-agency window and the entry draft on June 24 in Ottawa.