Hockeytown is about to get a close-up look at the future of women’s hockey.
Detroit will showcase the next generation of stars at the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Draft on Wednesday at the Fox Theatre.
Top prospects like Plymouth’s Kirsten Simms will hear their names called inside the historic theater in downtown Detroit as they begin their professional hockey careers.
The draft also marks another milestone for PWHL Detroit, which was granted an expansion franchise on May 6. The other new teams are in Las Vegas, Hamilton and San Jose.
Led by general manager Manon Rheaume, who will make the selections in the six-round draft, Detroit’s roster will become a little clearer before the team hits the ice for the start of the 2026-27 season.
Here’s a complete guide to what to expect at the draft, the top prospects, local events, tickets and what’s in store for sports fans in Detroit when the newest pro team begins the 30-game regular season in November with home games at Little Caesars Arena.
How to watch the PWHL Draft
What: 2026 Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft
When: 5 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Fox Theatre, Detroit
Draft format: Event will consist of six rounds with all 12 PWHL teams selecting from a pool of 235 eligible players
First pick: Vancouver Goldeneyes hold the first overall pick. Detroit has the third pick.
Tickets: Limited number of tickets remain, starting at $22
TV/radio: WMYD (TV 20). Livestreamed on PWHL website
Live blog: Follow along for live updates on draft night at detroitnews.com
Who is the top prospect for the draft?
Defenseman Caroline Harvey is the consensus No. 1 overall prospect. Named MVP with the women’s gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games, she tied for the tournament lead in scoring with nine goals and seven assists and a tournament-best, plus-14 rating.
Other projected top picks include Harvey’s U.S. teammates, forward Abbey Murphy and defenseman Laila Edwards, who was paired on defense with Farmington Hills native Megan Keller.
In all, the 235-player pool of players represents eight countries and consists of 127 forwards, 68 defensemen, and 40 goaltenders, with more than 50% hailing from NCAA programs.
Is Kirsten Simms the only local prospect?
Kirsten Simms, a two-time NCAA champion with the University of Wisconsin and an Olympian who helped Team USA capture gold in Milan, is one of 12 players with Michigan connections. The local players are:
Forwards
Courtney Ben, Adrian College
Elyssa Biederman, Franklin, Colgate University
Haley Coolsaet, Grosse Ile, DNP
Allie Hubenschmidt, South Lyon, Adrian College
Riley Johnson, Farmington, Adrian College
Asher Printzen, Michigan State
Kirsten Simms, Plymouth, University of Wisconsin
Clara Yuhn, Bloomfield Hills, Boston University
Defensemen
Casey Borgiel, Port Huron, Colgate University
Maya Roy, Clarkston, ERC Ingolstadt
Goalie
Jullia Gross-Turkey, Michigan State
Vanessa Ruban, Adrian College
Are there other PWHL Draft events?
The Draft Fan Zone is part of some ticket packages and starts about two hours before the draft on Wednesday, including red carpet access, draft collectibles and photo opportunities on the draft stage with the Walter Cup, the league’s championship trophy.
Tuesday’s PWHL Awards is an invitation-only event at Elevate at One Campus Martius. Megan Keller, who scored the game-winning goal in overtime to beat Canada at the Winter Games, is one of three nominees for defender of the year.
PWHL VP of business operations Amy Scheer and VP of hockey operations Jayna Hefford will meet the media at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, along with top prospects for the draft.
How many players are on Detroit’s roster?
Detroit reached the 10-player roster limit on Monday after Phase 4 of the PWHL’s Expansion Player Distribution Process.
Detroit signed forward Ella Huber, who had eight points in her rookie season with the Boston Fleet.
On Sunday, Brighton’s Shiann Darkangelo signed a two-year contract to become the second Michigan-area player on the roster, following Macomb’s Taylor Girard.
Here’s the team’s current lineup:
Forwards
Daryl Watts, Detroit’s first signing, Canadian Olympian, Toronto Sceptres
Hannah Bilka, U.S. Olympian, Seattle Torrent
Britta Curl-Salemme, U.S. Olympian, Minnesota Frost
Jesse Compher, Sister of Red Wings forward J.T. Compher, Toronto Sceptres
Taylor Girard, Macomb native, New York Sirens
Shiann Darkangelo, Brighton, Montreal Victoire
Ella Huber, Boston Fleet
Defensemen
Cayla Barnes, U.S. Olympian, Seattle Torrent
Sydney Bard, Vancouver Goldeneyes
Nina Jobst-Smith, German Olympian, Vancouver Goldeneyes
Is Hilary Knight joining Detroit’s team?
Manon Rheaume took a diplomatic approach when asked about a reported deal for five-time Olympian Hilary Knight for a first-round draft pick.
“I can say that Hilary Knight is one of the most accomplished players in hockey, and I have so much respect for what she did for the game of hockey,” she said. “But at this point, she’s under contract with another team. So, I’m not gonna speak more than this.”
A sign-and-trade deal for Knight, officially a member of Las Vegas, can’t officially be announced until Tuesday, the day the PWHL trade freeze lifts.
When will Detroit draft in the first round?
PWHL Detroit will have the third pick in rounds 1-6 at the Fox Theatre.
Detroit’s draft picks will be No. 3 (first round), No. 15 (second round), No. 27 (third round), No. 39 (fourth round), No. 51 (fifth round) and No. 63 (sixth round).
After Vancouver and Seattle select 1-2 on Wednesday, the league’s four expansion teams occupy the next four selections, as determined by a randomized draw in the presence of all general managers
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: PWHL Draft in Detroit: Everything you need to know
Reporting by The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
