PWHL Seattle Expansion Draft Tracker
By Silvia Leija-Rosas and Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - Seattle’s brand-new PWHL franchise is set to build out its roster during the league’s first-ever expansion draft, happening Monday evening. The draft kicks off at 5:30 p.m. PT and will be livestreamed on the PWHL’s official YouTube channel. Seattle and fellow expansion team Vancouver will each select seven players during the event, rounding out their rosters to a total of 12 players apiece.
The order of selection will be unveiled at the start of the draft. Eligible players include those who were left unprotected by their current teams and are either under contract for the 2025–26 season or whose playing rights are retained through that year.
Leading up to the expansion draft, every existing PWHL team was required to make four players available. Initially, teams could protect three players from selection. Once a team loses two players to Seattle or Vancouver, it is then allowed to protect a fourth.
First pick: D Aneta Tejralová from Ottawa
In the 2024-25 PWHL season with Ottawa, the Czech defender logged 30 regular-season games and recorded 1 goal and 9 assists (10 points), while maintaining a +4 rating, underscoring her two-way reliability. Over her two-year PWHL tenure, she totaled 3 goals and 15 assists in 53 games.Tejralová has shown composure under pressure and earned recognition as the Czech Republic’s captain and in 2022 was named the Best Defender at the Women’s World Championship D1. On the ice, Tejralová’s strengths are quick transitions out of the defensive zone and poise on the power play. Her presence on the blue line will strengthen Seattle’s veteran leadership.
Second pick: F Hannah Bilka from Boston
Hannah Bilka brings speed, creativity and a high hockey IQ to PWHL Seattle. A standout at both Boston College and Ohio State, Bilka led the Buckeyes in scoring with 48 points in the 2023–24 season and played a key role in their NCAA championship win. Known for her explosive skating and smooth puck handling, she thrives in transition and is capable of setting up teammates as she is finishing plays herself. Bilka has also proven herself on the international stage with Team USA, earning world championship gold in 2023 and silvers in 2022 and 2024. In 16 games with Boston Fleet, she recorded 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points around 0.69 points per game, solidifying her role as an emerging offensive catalyst. Her ability to adapt across all situations makes her a valuable versatile addition to a team building its identity from the ground up.
Third pick: F Jessie Eldridge from New York
Adding to Seattle’s offensive firepower and veteran savvy, Elridge played 47 regular-season games, tallying 16 goals and 24 assists for 39 points, an impressive 0.83 points per game with the New York Sirens, including nine goals and 15 assists in 30 games during the 2024-25 season. A consistent scorer, Elridge ranked among the league’s top 10 in all-time scoring. Before turning pro, she was a standout at Colgate University, where she graduated as the program’s all time leading scorer with 74 goals and 89 assists for 163 points in 140 games. Her solid two-way play makes her an ideal winger or center for Seattle’s top six.
Fourth pick: F Julia Gosling from Toronto
In her rookie PWHL season (2024-25) with the Toronto Scepters, Gosling notched 4 goals and 6 assists across 30 games, while maintaining a +3 rating. Drafted sixth overall after captaining St. Lawrence University to 51 points in 37 games as a senior, she brings physical presence and solid faceoff strength. With two goals during Canada’s 2024 World Championship gold run, Gosling arrives in Seattle as a seasoned forward ready to anchor middle-six lines.
Fifth pick: D Anna Wilgren from Montréal
In the 2024-25 season with the Montreal Victoire, the left-shot defender tallied 2 assists in her first 10 games and ranked near the top of the league in blocked shots, showcasing her commitment to defense. A seasoned collegiate leader, Wilgren starred at both Minnesota State where she co-captained and led the Mavericks defenders in scoring, points and shot blocks, and at Wisconsin where she notched 23 points (2G, 22A) in 40 games. A presence in USA Hockey Development, Wilgren participated in the 2023-24 Rivalry Series, Wilgren brings disciplined gap control physicality on the blue line and reliable puck clearing–all qualities that will inject Seattle’s growing blue line power with toughness and steady play.
Sixth pick: D Megan Carter from Toronto
In her 2024-25 PWHL season as a rookie with the Toronto Scepters, the defender appeared in 19 games, contributing 1 assists and maintaining a +2 rating while adding value through physicality. At Northeastern, she recorded 62 points in 165 games and earned back-to-back Hockey East Best Defender honors (2022-23, 2023-24), and was a multiple-time First Team All-Star. She served as a two-time captain leading her team to four tournament titles and three Frozen Four appearances.
Seventh pick: D Emily Brown from Boston
In her two PWHL seasons with the Boston Fleet, Brown notched 8 points (2G-6A) in 53 regular season games. During the 2023-24 season, she logged 24 games with 1 goal and 3 assists, finishing +3 during the regular season and added 2 assists in 8 playoff games. Brown was a multi-season captain with the University of Minnesota and helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship and competed in the 2022-23 Rivalry Series. Brown is an underrated, composed defender who rounds out PWHL Seattle’s Expansion Draft to a winning close.
What’s next?
Following tonight’s Expansion Draft, the next date to look to with PWHL Seattle is the Entry Draft on Tuesday, June 24th at 4:00PM/7:00PM ET at Hard Rock Live inside the brand-new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Ottawa, Ontario. This will be the first-ever event held at the brand new Hard Rock Live theatre venue, which is currently part of the $350 million construction and expansion project–– the new amenities are expected to open to the public very soon. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is the exclusive brick-and-mortar casino partner of the Ottawa Charge.
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Check out our previous PWHL Seattle articles here.
Check out our previous articles with writing by Charles Hamaker here.
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