Torrent’s Bilka out for remainder of 2025-26 season with upper-body injury

Another tough blow in what has already been a rough inaugural season in the Emerald City.

On Tuesday, the Seattle Torrent announced that forward Hannah Bilka will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season with an upper-body injury. With Bilka going on long-term injured reserve, the Torrent signed foward Jada Habsich to a standard player agreement.

Bilka suffered the injury during the 2026 Winter Olympics, as she played a key part in the United States’ winning the country’s third gold medal in women’s hockey, and first since 2018. The Texan was one of the top scorers in the tournament, finishing tied for first with four goals in the tournament, with her seven points placing her tied for fifth in scoring.

However, it was clear something was amiss when Bilka wasn’t in the Seattle lineup when the team returned from the break. This isn’t the first time that she’s suffered a crucial ailment due to international duty. Last season, as a member of the Boston Fleet, Bilka suffered a lower-body injury during Game 4 of the Rivalry Series against Canada, which effectively ended her rookie season.

This season, Bilka has scored four goals and five assists for nine points in 14 games, good for fifth on the team in scoring.

Bilka isn’t the only Torrent member to have missed time after getting hurt in Milan. Captain Hilary Knight was placed on LTIR due to an MCL tear, with no timetable for her return.

Habisch was taken by the Torrent in the fourth round, 31st overall, of the 2025 PWHL Draft, and was placed on the expansion team’s reserve list. Across five seasons at the University of Connecticut, she appeared in 158 games, scoring 61 goals and 33 assists for 94 points. The Buffalo, Minn. helped the Huskies win back-to-back Hockey East Regular Season championships, earning conference first-team all-star honors in 2023-24, they year UConn advanced to the NCAA Women’s Tournament for the first time.

Seattle (4-1-2-9) is last in the PWHL, 11 points back of the New York Sirens for the last playoff spot.