Today marks a significant day for women’s hockey as all six Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) teams gear up for a pivotal 15-round draft, shaping their rosters for the upcoming season. The draft is set to kick off at 1 p.m. in Toronto, and fans can tune in to follow the action via the CBC website in English or the Radio Canada website en français. Excitingly, the draft will also be broadcast on TSN 4 and Sportsnet 1, ensuring a broad audience for this landmark event.
In anticipation of this momentous occasion, draft rankings have surfaced throughout the week. It’s recommended to check out orders from reputable sources such as The Victory Press, The Hockey News, and mock drafts provided by The Athletic, The Ice Garden, and The Hockey News to prepare for the unfolding drama this afternoon.
Here’s a quick rundown of the rules governing the draft and what fans can anticipate from the Ottawa team:
The Rules:
- The draft will consist of 15 rounds, with 90 players set to be selected.
- The selection order adheres to a snake draft format, which reverses after each round. This format offers teams like Ottawa, which has the second-to-last pick in the first round, the second pick in the second round, and so on.
- A total of 268 players have declared for the draft, and you can find the complete list online.
- In the inaugural draft, trades involving picks are not permitted. However, in the future, teams will have the option to trade picks.
- The draft has no age restrictions, allowing players of all ages to participate. This year, the youngest player to declare is just 16 years old.
- Current NCAA players are ineligible for the draft, but recent NCAA graduates, previously excluded from free agency, are eligible for selection. This could lead to some early-round picks.
- While there may not be explicit rules against it, it’s unlikely that teams will employ the “draft and hold rights until they sign” strategy prevalent in men’s hockey. It seems that all drafted players are expected to play next season, given the team’s need to build their rosters from scratch.
- Players must declare for the draft to be eligible for training camp invitations, making it impossible to skip the draft in favor of choosing their destination. After the draft, teams will have 18 players, leaving room for a few free-agent additions.
- Players can apply for compassionate circumstances waivers, ensuring they can only be drafted by one team. While the list of applicants remains undisclosed, some players, such as Madison Packer, have publicly expressed their intentions to use this waiver to stay with specific teams. Teams might strategically employ these cases if a top player unexpectedly drops in the draft.
What to Expect from Ottawa:
Insiders suggest that the PWHL draft may strike a middle ground between the traditional women’s hockey format, where players control their destination, and the men’s hockey system, where teams exercise complete control. Compassionate circumstances waivers are expected to be used sparingly. It appears that the athletes are eager for this league to offer a truly professional experience, including the excitement of being drafted. However, teams are likely to consider players’ preferences regarding location when making selections.
With this in mind, Ottawa will likely focus on players with connections to the city or those who have expressed interest in joining the team.
Several players are expected to be off the board before Ottawa makes its first selection. For instance, Taylor Heise, a Minnesota native who played at the University of Minnesota last year, is all but guaranteed to be the first overall pick, heading to her home state of Minnesota. Although Toronto may not pick Alina Müller at second overall, it’s doubtful she will fall past Boston at third. The selections of Toronto (2nd) and New York (4th) will remain mysteries and may influence Ottawa’s choices.
Possible Targets:
The absence of Jamie Lee Rattray among Ottawa’s initial signings has led many to speculate that she may be a prime draft choice for the team. Given the snake draft format, with only two picks between Ottawa’s first two selections, they might choose another player at 5th overall if they believe Montreal won’t select Rattray, waiting until the second round to secure her.
Sophie Jaques, a college graduate and winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award as the college player of the year, could be a perfect fit for Ottawa. She’s a talented young defender and Canadian, a position Ottawa has yet to fill. While she seems like an ideal choice at 5th overall, her talent might make her a long shot.
Mock drafts have suggested Erin Ambrose as a potential 5th overall pick for Ottawa. Ambrose, one of Team Canada’s top defenders, is a bit younger than another notable name, Jocelyn Larocque, making her an attractive option.
