The 2026 PWHL Draft took place on June 17 in Detroit, marking the first draft for the four expansion teams the league announced in May.
The new teams are located in Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose. Going into the league’s fourth season, it will now have 12 teams. Its size has doubled since debuting with the inaugural six teams in 2023.
This rapid expansion is a remarkable reflection of the PWHL’s success in growing both hockey and women’s sports. However, it also highlights several major internal issues that the league should resolve before considering additional expansion in the coming years.
Teams Gutted in Expansion
With two back-to-back expansions, some teams have lost many players for two consecutive seasons. These losses hinder teams from forming a cohesive on-ice identity and chemistry. They also deliver disappointment to fans of the existing teams yet again in the league’s short history. How can new fans connect to teams that have never been consistent from their inception?
Teams cannot grow into being strong and unified if they must rebuild every season. The league should invest more in the teams it already has rather than focusing on forming new ones.
Shocking Draft Order
The draft order only worsened matters this year, with the four expansion teams selecting third overall to sixth overall. This decision to have the expansion teams so early in the selection order was inconsistent with the 2025 draft. In 2025, the then-unnamed expansion teams, the Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes, selected at the end of the draft. Furthermore, it negated the purpose of the Gold Plan, an anti-tanking initiative meant to reward teams that succeed after being eliminated from playoff contention by giving them high draft picks.
By granting the expansion teams better draft selections, the New York Sirens and Toronto Sceptres did not receive the selections they were meant to via the Gold Plan. The Sirens are seemingly doomed not to make the playoffs for several years due to never having a consistent roster, losing seven players throughout this expansion process and having their top-3 draft pick taken in this expansion draft.
Players such as Laila Edwards could have dramatically helped the team with their struggling defense. Even Tessa Janecke or Lacey Eden may have been the extra push the Sceptres needed offensively, especially after losing Daryl Watts.
When Should the PWHL Expand?
While the PWHL as an organization is eager to expand and reach new markets, its established teams are suffering as a result. Allowing these teams to flourish and reach new heights will engage current fans more than non-critical expansion. Growing the game and opportunities for women is a positive, but going from six to 12 teams in three years is a large leap for any league.
The PWHL should wait several years before considering expanding again. The league may look completely different by that point. But teams need a proper adjustment period to develop players, staff and team identities. The markets in Chicago, D.C., Denver and other cities will still be there when the right time comes to expand again.
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