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PWHL Draft in Detroit: Everything you need to know
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.
More: NHL pioneer goalie Manon Rheaume inspires female hockey players in Metro Detroit
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
▶ 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.
More: Farmington Hills' Megan Keller reflects on iconic golden goal, Olympic heroism
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?
Macomb's Taylor Girard signed a two-year contract on Thursday, becoming the team’s seventh player and the first Michigan-area player on the roster.
A forward with 17 points in 63 career PWHL games, she reunites with former New York Sirens assistant coach Josh Sciba, a Westland native and Detroit's head coach. 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
Defensemen
▶ Cayla Barnes, U.S. Olympian, Seattle Torrent
▶ Sydney Bard, 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.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: PWHL Draft in Detroit to showcase next generation of stars
The next batch of players protected from the PWHL’s multi-phase expansion roster-building process has been announced.