Grading each PWHL expansion team’s Phase 4 signings
The second half of the 2026 PWHL Expansion Player Distribution Process is complete, and the particular signing periods for the league’s four newest franchises have come to pass.
After the foundational signings from Phase 2, and the additional players heading to Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose in the third phase, we saw the remaining roster slots prior to the PWHL Draft be filled with capable players looking for a greater role in a new environment. Phase 4 saw teams build their rosters to 10, with a couple adding more athletes than others.
Let’s rate how each of the four expansion teams did over the past couple of days, with their inaugural core cemented.
Detroit (A-)
Detroit needed to add three players to make it to the required 10, and general manager Manon Rheaume made headlines again by signing another Michigan native, Shiann Darkangelo of Brighton. The former Montreal Victoire returned to her home state on a two-year contract, adding another layer to a team that has plenty of firepower up front. Darkangelo has proven time and again she can contribute offensively, but what she brings is the ability to be an exceptional two-way center, something that helped the Ottawa Charge reach the Walter Cup Final in 2025, and the Victoire win their first championship last month.
One area that Detroit has been lacking is defense, but the team signed Nina Jobst-Smith to a one-year deal. I don’t think she really had the chance to show her true ability on a bad Vancouver Goldeneyes team last season. It also didn’t help that she had a slow start after missing the first several games while on LTIR. I think Rheaume is going to add more experience on the back end in the coming days, but the German defender will have a chance to show what has made her one of the more underrated rearguards in the game.
Right at the bell, Detroit signed former Boston Fleet forward Ella Huber to a one-year contract. Like Jobst-Smith, she had to be convinced to leave her team after her rookie season, but she is the type of player who’s going to spark the offense when the big guns aren’t going. She wasn’t able to find a rhythm to show her potential with the Fleet in her first year in the league, but with the caliber of players already on Detroit’s roster, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher will get her chance.
However, all those good things I said are no more, as she was traded back to Boston on Tuesday.
Hamilton (B+)
GM Meghan Duggan had the most work to do over the past two days, as Hamilton needed to add four players. The U.S. Olympian decided to pursue youth over veteran depth. She pulled forward Abby Hustler away from the Minnesota Frost, signing her to a two-year contract. It’s a nice deal for another player with a scoring upside that we only saw flashes of in her first year in the league. The former St. Lawrence star will have some support around her, and can be a key piece anywhere in the lineup.
The other forward Hamilton added in the fourth phase came via the selection process initiated after the 3 p.m. ET deadline. Duggan selected Peyton Hemp from the Ottawa Charge. While she’s a restricted free agent, requiring a new contract, Hemp could be a useful depth piece, or even a secondary scoring option on her new team.
Hamilton brought in a couple of younger, growing defenders to help add to the core. Former Boston Fleet rearguard Riley Brengman and ex-New York Sirens blueliner Allyson Simpson signed two-year contracts with the team. Both still have aspects of the pro game to learn, but they have such a high ceiling that it only makes sense to make a solid investment in each.
Las Vegas (B+)
The team from Sin City needed to sign just two players in this phase, and Dominique DiDia made solid choices. I like to think Katy Knoll, who signed on for two years, has the ability to be an important, all-around forward. She certainly doesn’t have the ‘wow’ factor with the puck, but she’s reliable when she’s on the ice, and will certainly make Las Vegas a very tough team to play against. She did show flashes of being a timely goal scorer with the Minnesota Frost, especially in the team’s run to its second Walter Cup in 2025. If put with the right players, she could see some time on the second line, but her ability to be a shutdown winger might see her spend more time on the third line.
Like Hamilton, Las Vegas needed to go to “overtime” to fill out its roster spots, and I really like DiDia choosing Abby Boreen. There’s just so much promise in her game, but playing on a subpar Goldeneyes team made it hard for her to shine this past season. She’s proven she can play with a variety of characters, notably doing so with the Frost and Victoire earlier in her career, and if the former Golden Gopher can find that confidence early on in Las Vegas, people might forget that Hilary Knight was ever signed by the team.
San Jose (A)
I have been pretty critical of GM/Head Coach Troy Ryan’s work over the first few phases, and deservedly so. However, his two additions in Phase 4, given the talent pool and interest, are solid. He first went out and finally added some legitimate offensive talent, signing Natalie Mlynkova to a one-year contract. I’ve loved watching the Czech forward play, dating back to her first couple of years on the international stage, as well as at the University of Minnesota. Early on in her rookie season with the Montreal Victoire, she showed some of the flashy play that made her a touted prospect. She ultimately fell out of favor, with the team reportedly shopping her near the trade deadline. Yet, with a certified top-line role, Mlynkova can bring some life to an otherwise boring-looking San Jose team.
San Jose also added defender Daniela Pejsova, who is coming off a very productive season with the Boston Fleet, signing her to a two-year contract. She certainly had some moments of strife in her rookie campaign, sitting as the seventh defender some nights. However, we noticed growth in her game this past season, proving she can play significant minutes if need be. While Ryan’s approach is all about defense, Pejsova can be a versatile asset on the back end.
Phase 5 of the offseason, beginning on Tuesday, will allow the eight established teams to re-sign players over a three-day period. The expansion franchises won’t be able to sign any new players until free agency opens on Friday.