By Canadian Press

PWHL’s third draft to be held in Ottawa, prominent players opt in

Apr 15, 2025 | 5:56 AM

TORONTO — The Professional Women’s Hockey League draft will be held in Ottawa in June.

The league says players have until May 8 to declare their eligibility for the draft June 24 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

The New York Sirens chose Canadian forward Sarah Fillier first overall in the 2024 draft in Saint Paul, Minn.

She was among 42 players taken over seven rounds after 167 players declared for the draft.

The six-team league’s inaugural draft was held in September 2023 in Toronto just over three months out from its first game Jan. 1, 2024.

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U.S. forward Taylor Heise was taken first overall by the Minnesota Frost in a draft of 90 players over 15 rounds.

The PWHL announced on Tuesday some players who have declared for the 2025 draft.

Boston College captain Abby Newhook of St. John’s, N.L., Clarkson University forward Anne Cherkowski of Coldstream, B.C., Clarkson defender Nicole Gosling of London, Ont., and Colgate goaltender Hannah Murphy of Kingston, Ont., were among them.

Murphy set a Colgate record for career shutouts with 15.

Gosling won a women’s world hockey championship with Canada last year in Utica, N.Y. Her cousin Julia Gosling, a Toronto Sceptres forward, is currently with the Canadian women’s team at the world championship in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.

Cherkowski averaged more than a point-per-game in three seasons at Clarkson.

Newhook, whose brother Alex Newhook plays for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, was Boston’s captain the last two years and a conference all-star this season.

Other players opting into the 2025 draft include American forwards Rory Guilday, Haley Winn and Casey O’Brien and Czech forwards Kristyna Kaltounkova and Natalie Mlynkova.

Wisconsin’s O’Brien earned this year’s Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in NCAA Division 1 women’s hockey.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press