Seattle-based PWHL secures Aneta Tejralová as the first pick in their expansion draft selection.
In a night filled with exciting moves, PWHL Seattle made a splash during the expansion draft. The newcomers, led by general manager Meghan Turner, snagged seven players, flexing their roster with a balanced mix of four defenders and three forwards [1].
Vancouver, the league's other expansion team, wasted no time in using the exclusive signing window to lock in two defenders. Despite this, they opted for a blueliner, Ashton Bell, from the Ottawa Charge, during the draft [1].
The snake draft format had Seattle selecting second and third. Turner first picked Aneta Tejralová, a 29-year-old Czech defender, then scooped up Hannah Bilka, a 24-year-old Texan forward, who wrapped up her first pro season [1]. Seattle continued with the sixth and seventh picks, adding forwards Jessie Eldridge and Julia Gosling [1].
Eldridge, aged 27, tied for fifth in the league this season with nine goals and 24 points in 30 games [1]. Gosling, also a first-year forward, joins the team from the Toronto Sceptres.
The youth movement continued with the addition of defenders Anna Wilgren (Montreal), Megan Carter (Toronto), and Emily Brown (Boston) [1].
Embarking on this new journey, Turner expressed her satisfaction with the draft. "We got the first two lines pretty solid... We got some good, young talent... to round out the D core there," she said [1].
Enhancing her core acquisitions during the signing window, Turner wowed with her first move - inking Team USA captain and star Hilary Knight, followed by forwards Alex Carpenter and Danielle Serdachny, defenseman Cayla Barnes, and goaltender Corinne Schroeder [3].
Four of the six first-round picks in 2024 - Serdachny, Barnes, Gosling, and Bilka - are now part of the PWHL Seattle squad [3]. As the team eagerly awaits the hiring of its first coach, players such as Alex Carpenter and Hilary Knight will offer valuable lessons to the younger members of the team [2].
Seattle's roster stands at 12 players, with notable absences from the initial roster revealed during the draft being the two-time defending champion Minnesota Frost [1].
Stay tuned as PWHL Seattle sets out to claim its place in the league, equipped with a formidable squad of experienced talent and bright young prospects.
[1] http://enrichmentdata.com/source1
[2] http://enrichmentdata.com/source2
[3] http://enrichmentdata.com/source3
- Seattle, with its new sports teams, is expanding its horizons, as the Mariners and the upcoming Kraken are not limited to baseball and hockey respectively, with Meghan Turner securing some promising talent in football as well.
- As the excitement surrounding the PWHL Seattle continues, fans are eagerly anticipating the arrival of established stars like Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, and Danielle Serdachny, who have signed with the team.
- In the thrilling mix of sports in Seattle, football could soon become just as captivating, given the potential shown by the young football talents drafted by PWHL Seattle.
