The draft will be on the PWHL YouTube at 7 pm.
Toronto has the following players under contract still:
Forwards
- Blayre Turnbull
- Natalie Spooner
- Emma Maltais
- Jesse Compher
- Sarah Nurse
- Maggie Connors
Defenders
- Locelyne Larocque
- Renata Fast
- Kali Flanagan
Goalies
- Kristen Campbell
If the first draft was a good indicator, most teams will be looking for defence, except Ottawa who has re-signed two of theirs. There are a lot of very good forwards and goalies in the draft. Toronto can re-sign Erica Howe as a backup, or they can look to draft someone who can take more starts. In the PWHL, with a season of only 36 games max next year and five-game playoff series, it's a lot more possible to ride one starter. But that means injuries can destroy a team's season. Howe appeared in three games for Toronto this year.
There is also a strong possibility that Natalie Spooner won't start the season on time, so Toronto needs at least one top-line capable forward. Two would be even better.
Free agency opens on June 21, and until then the teams can re-sign their own players if they choose.
Toronto starts with pick number six and they also pick last, which given the available pool vs the 42 players to be taken makes that an interesting choice.
The menu for tonight 🗒 pic.twitter.com/jN5M0ggp5P
— PWHL Toronto (@PWHL_Toronto) June 10, 2024
There might be trades too, so could Toronto move up in the draft? Would anyone give up a contracted player to do that?
In other news:
5 players from the initial list of eligible players have withdrawn before tonight's PWHL draft:
— Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush) June 10, 2024
F Sara Hjalmarsson (Linkoping)
F Brooke Henderson (UPEI)
F Kaiya Maracle (UPEI)
G Ena Nystrom (Mercyhurst/Brynas)
G Amanda Rampado (RPI/Farjestad)
Sara Hjalmarsson is the only name here that I had on my draft watch list.
See you at 7 pm!
