Five Olympic Gold Winners Enter PWHL Draft Class

Five members of Team USA's gold medal winning Olympic squad are trading their international jerseys for professional hockey careers, leading the most talented draft class in PWHL history.

The league announced 235 players declaring for the June 17 draft, nearly matching its inaugural 2023 total and packed with 23 athletes who competed at February's Milan Cortina Games. Caroline Harvey tops the list after leading Wisconsin to back-to-back NCAA championships and earning both Olympic and college MVP honors.

At just 23, Harvey already has two Olympic appearances and a Patty Kazmaier Award to her name. She'll be joined by fellow gold medalists Laila Edwards, Kirsten Simms, Abbey Murphy, and Tessa Janecke, all finishing standout college careers.

The talent surge comes at the perfect time. The PWHL is expanding from six to as many as eight teams next season, with Detroit already confirmed as the newest franchise and more announcements coming soon.

This draft brings true international flavor too. Sweden's Thea Johansson, Finland's Nelli Laitinen, and Switzerland's goalkeeper duo Andrea Braendli and Saskia Maurer represent 13 countries beyond North America. Even four-time Canadian Olympian Meghan Agosta is hoping to return to professional play at 39.

Why This Inspires

Women's hockey is having its moment. Just three years after the PWHL launched, the league is doubling in size because the talent pool keeps growing deeper and the fan interest keeps climbing higher.

These Olympic champions could have rested on their international glory, but they're choosing to build something bigger at home. Their decision to go pro sends a clear message to every young player watching: there's now a real career path in women's hockey.

The June draft in Detroit will write the next chapter in a sport that's finally getting the professional platform it deserves.