WHO IS GOING TO PLAY FOR SEATTLE AND VANCOUVER

It’s been six weeks since the PWHL announced Vancouver as its first expansion franchise city, and now it's time for the league’s Expansion Draft.

Adding Vancouver and Seattle is a significant step for a league that has been around for two years. Not only does it expand the number of teams from six to eight, but it also

brings the women’s game out west and to markets that will truly embrace every aspect of having their own team.

Seattle and Vancouver began adding players to their rosters a few days ago, and tonight marks the next step in their preparations for their inaugural PWHL season.

Each team already has five players on their roster following a pre-draft signing window, and that number will increase to 12 after tonight. Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, New York, and Minnesota—the league’s original six teams — were able to protect three players from being taken by Seattle and Vancouver in the pre-signing window. 

Only players under contract or team control through 2026 were eligible for protection, leaving some big names up for grabs. Vancouver snatched up forward Sarah Nurse from the Toronto Sceptres while Seattle got their hands on Hilary Knight from the Boston Fleet. 

The league’s first six teams can protect a fourth player after losing two players in either the signing window or the draft. Toronto and Boston are the only teams that have currently only lost one player, as opposed to the other four teams, which have already said goodbye to two. Each team will have lost four players by the end of the day.

It is unclear who will pick first between Seattle and Vancouver, as the draft order will be announced at the beginning of the league’s draft broadcast. Watch it live at 8:30 p.m. ET on the league’s website and YouTube channel.