PWHL Hamilton signs Hustler, Simpson, Brengman to two-year contracts
One of the league’s newest teams has added some young talent for its inaugural season.
On Sunday, PWHL Hamilton announced that the team has signed forward Abby Hustler and defenders Allyson Simpson and Riley Brengman to two-year contracts that will carry through the 2027-28 season.
They are the first signings made by general manager Meghan Duggan in Phase 4 of the PWHL Expansion Player Distribution Process. It comes after Hamilton only added defender Zoe Boyd in the third phase, meaning Duggan had to sign four players during the final phase before the PWHL Draft to reach the required 10. The trio of youngsters joins an exceptional core in Steeltown, featuring foundational signings Emily Clark, Alina Muller, Nicole Gosling, Kayle Osborne and Brianne Jenner.
Hustler, the first PWHLer from the province of Prince Edward Island, was taken by the Minnesota Frost in the second round, 14th overall, of the 2025 PWHL Draft. She was a solid secondary scorer on a team that set a new league record for goals in a single season (91). The former St. Lawrence star posted four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 30 games, finishing tied for sixth in points among rookies, but didn’t score in the team’s first-round series against the Montreal Victoire.
Brengman was another first-year player who has a bright future. The Ohio State product posted just three points in 28 regular-season games with the Boston Fleet, but one of her two goals was a jailbreak goal, making her the first-ever rookie blueliner to score a shorthanded goal. She appeared in all four of the Fleet’s semifinal games against the Ottawa Charge. The China Township, Mich. native was taken in the fourth round, 26th overall, of the 2025 draft.
Simpson just completed her second season with the New York Sirens. She led the team’s D-corps with three goals, posting five points in 30 regular-season games. The Frisco, Texas, native has posted 4 goals and 10 points in 60 career games with the Sirens, who selected her in the third round (16th overall) of the 2024 draft.
With the signings, Hamilton can add one more player during the fourth phase of the expansion process. Phase 4 ends on Monday, June 15, at 3 p.m. ET.