2025 PWHL Expansion Draft, signings: Winners, losers, surprises
Over the past week, the two newest teams in the PWHL – Seattle and Vancouver – were given the opportunity to create a foundation for their rosters with the league’s roster expansion process.
The two teams were allowed to sign up to five players during the exclusive signing window last week, along with each team picking seven players during the first-ever PWHL Expansion Draft.
Hunter Crowther, Dylan Nazareth and Tyler Kuehl gave their thoughts on some of the biggest stories coming out of the expansion process.
What was the biggest surprise signing?
Hunter: My Toronto bias may be showing, but it’s hard to overstate just how surprising it was to see Sarah Nurse sign with PWHL Vancouver. Beyond her on-ice impact – a point-per-game player in 2024, and a reliable two-way forward that saw a slight dip in production last season – she was one of the most beloved Toronto athletes I can remember in the years I’ve lived here. Nurse wrote in an open letter that she “never thought I’d leave Toronto.” Neither did we.
Tyler: I might be cheating, but Vancouver taking a swing and getting both Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques was a huge move that I didn’t see coming. Literally ripping away the two best defenders from the Walter Cup champions was a shrewd move by Cara Gardner Morey, establishing that the signing period was going to be wild.
Dylan: I may be in the minority here, but I was surprised to see Emerance Maschmeyer go so early in the signing period. There’s no doubt that she’s a world-class netminder, but with such high goaltending parity in the PWHL, I would have thought teams would target other positions more prominently, knowing some talented goalies were bound to slip down in the expansion draft either way.
What signing left you scratching your head?
Hunter: I was surprised that Cayla Barnes signed with PWHL Seattle, not because I don’t think she’s a good player, because she absolutely will be, but because the Victoire were willing to let her go. It feels like Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques were a package deal, and once Vancouver pulled the trigger, Seattle had to make a move. Still, it feels like the Victoire will regret this one in the future.
Tyler: Danielle Serdachny was a choice by Meghan Turner. I think we all can agree that we had high hopes for Serdachny. However, the former Patty Kazmaier finalist wasn’t quite up to snuff. I understand the salary cap forces teams to make tough decisions, but given the talent that was signed during the window, Serdachny certainly seemed like an outlier.
Dylan: Hard not to say Serdachny, especially with all the offensive power on the Charge that was left on the board. While her international play has shown there’s more to her game than she’s displayed in the PWHL so far, her stats just haven’t been good enough, especially in the playoffs where she had only two points through eight games. That being said, at just 24, there may still be time for her to find her game in a new market.
Which player were you surprised was picked in the expansion draft?
Hunter: It’s rare that a Patty Kazmaier Award winner struggles in the professional game, but Izzy Daniel’s rookie campaign was a disappointment. With just two goals in 30 games, Daniel had long stretches where she wasn’t able to generate more than a shot or two on net. It’s not a surprise she needed a fresh start, but it is a surprise she was taken in round four of the expansion draft. Maybe she’ll tap into that skill on the West Coast.
Tyler: I’m not necessarily surprised her name was called, Cara Gardner Morey using the first pick to take Ashton Bell was a choice. With players like Hannah Bilka, Abby Boreen and Emma Maltais on the board, and Morey later saying she’s still looking for more top-six forwards, taking arguably the Charge’s second-best defender available didn’t seem to make sense. I’m not saying Bell won’t pan out in Vancouver, but I think the team jumped the gun in taking her first.
Dylan: I didn’t expect to see Aneta Tejralová taken so early, if at all, but I think it was a smart pick from Seattle. It prevented Vancouver from grabbing any more talent from the Charge while simultaneously shoring up their D core with a strong, smart, and skilled defender.
Which expansion draft pick puzzled you?
Tyler: Piggy-backing off Hunter’s thoughts, I doubt many people had Izzy Daniel high up on their draft boards. At that point, the Sceptres were able to protect Emma Maltais, leaving a few players left on the Toronto roster to choose from with offensive upside. Unfortunately, Daniel showed last year she wasn’t ready for the pro game. She didn’t seem to welcome the physicality and had trouble adjusting to the speed. Maybe a new home could give her some new life.
Dylan: I would love to know the thinking behind Vancouver taking New York Sirens forward Gabby Rosenthal. With one goal and a measly four points last season, she hasn’t shown major offensive upside yet. Rosenthal is currently an RFA, so this may just be a pick for cap reasons, though it’s hard to say without the salary information being public.
Hunter: Echoing Dylan’s thoughts, I was surprised to see Rosenthal taken at all, let alone in the fifth round. She was a faceoff wizard in college with Ohio State and was a point-per-game player in her final year, but she struggled to produce offense or get much ice time in her rookie PWHL season. Maybe Vancouver and co. see something we don’t.
Which player was left off the board?
Hunter: Maybe it was for salary cap reasons, or maybe teams were scared of her age, but why wouldn’t someone grab Jocelyne Larocque? After the Charge acquired her from the Sceptres, Larocque continued to be one of the most reliable blueliners in the game, and was a major reason for Ottawa making it to the PWHL Final. Veteran experience can be the difference for expansion teams, and it feels like an opportunity missed.
Tyler: I really thought we were going to hear a goaltender’s name, especially with someone like Kristen Campbell available. With Seattle taking someone as inconsistent as Corinne Schroeder, maybe adding the 2024 Goaltender of the Year would add some stability between the pipes for Turner’s team. Even if Campbell were to back up Emerance Maschmeyer in Vancouver, that would seem like a solid fit.
Dylan: Emma Maltais! Look, Julia Gosling is a solid pickup for Seattle, but the intangibles that Maltais brings are too important to pass up on. She’s fast, scrappy, wins battles, and is an altogether glue gal on and off the ice. Shoutout to the Sceptres for somehow holding on to her.
Did Vancouver or Seattle “win” the expansion roster-building process?
Hunter: I don’t want to overthink it: signing two of the best defenders in the game gives Vancouver the “win” in this expansion period. I did like Seattle drafting both Jessie Eldridge and Anna Wilgren, players I believe will thrive in a new situation, but Vancouver’s free agent success combined with drafting quality players like Brooke McQuigge and Abby Boreen puts them ahead in my book.
Tyler: It’s really close for me. I think Vancouver got the better of Seattle during the signing window, but Turner picked her game up on draft night. Getting Tejralová and Bilka set the tone, and she only continued to build up the offense with names like Eldridge and Gosling. That said, Vancouver has so much top-end star power and only bolstered the roster with players like Abby Boreen and Sydney Bard.
Give this one to the north.
Dylan: Here’s the thing, at first glance, it looks like Seattle comes out on top here, if only by a slim margin. Their top six is downright scary, they have some absolute defensive steals, and arguably the better goaltender. At the same time, based on how Vancouver picked, it does look like they are saving some space to play around with in free agency. I mean, there’s almost no doubt that goalscorer extraordinaire and North Vancouver native Hannah Miller is headed West this summer, if only because Gardner Morey knew she would slip through the signing window. With that in mind, who knows what else Vancouver’s GM is cooking up?
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