Finland defender Ronja Savolainen (88) and forward Noora Tulus (40) celebrate after Savolainen (88) scored on Sweden goaltender Sara Grahn, not shown, during third period IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship hockey action in Brampton, Ont., on Sunday, April 9, 2023..
Players from 19 different countries have declared for Monday's PWHL draft in Minnesota. It's the PWHL's second draft since the league launched last year.Finland defender Ronja Savolainen and forward Noora Tulus celebrate after a goal at the 2023 women's world championship in Brampton, Ont., last year. Both have declared for the 2024 PWHL draft. Daniela Pejšová has spent years watching the NHL draft and feeling excited for the men who get to have their draft moment.
It's a key step in the PWHL's goal to attract the best talent from across the world. Women from 10 countries played in the league last season."Players are getting better and players are coming from everywhere nowadays," said American national team defender and top draft prospect Cayla Barnes, who grew up in California. "You see it at women's worlds. Teams are getting better. Games are close. It's amazing to see.
It was encouragement from her best friend, PWHL Montreal defender Dominika Lásková, who convinced her to take the next step and declare for the draft.The draft isn't just the way into the PWHL for young and emerging players. Veteran players who'd like to enter the league have to go through the draft, too.
Players coming from the SDHL and other European leagues will be playing on a smaller ice surface. With less room to manoeuvre, Savolainen is expecting to have less time to make decisions in games where physicality can have more impact. Other top international prospects who've declared for the draft include Austrian forward Anna Meixner, Swedish defender Maja Nylén Persson and Czech forward Klára Hymlárová, among others.Having more talent from across the world is good for the PWHL, but also for those players' home countries.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2024 PWHL Draft: Ranking the top 10 playersNational team standouts Fillier and Bilka highlight a draft full of talent later this month.
Read more »
PWHL releases player eligibility list for 2024 draftThe second annual PWHL Draft will be held on June 10 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Read more »
2024 PWHL Draft, Awards to be held June 10-11 in MinnesotaThe draft will take place on June 10, while the award show will be on June 11.
Read more »
2024 PWHL Walter Cup playoff predictions, storylines and picksOur experts give their thoughts on what to expect in the league’s first playoffs.
Read more »
Minnesota tops Boston, grabs 2-1 series lead in PWHL championshipMichela Cava and Taylor Heise both had a goal and an assist to lead Minnesota to a 4-1 victory over Boston on Friday night, giving their team a 2-1 lead in the inaugural championship series of the Professional Women's Hockey League.
Read more »
Minnesota tops Boston 4-1, grabs 2-1 lead in inaugural PWHL championship seriesST. PAUL, Minn.
Read more »