Petra Nieminen 2026 Draft Profile

Selected by the Montréal Victoire with the 12th pick and the final selection of the first round, Petra Nieminen comes to the PWHL by way of Luleå of the SDHL. The international star is the first non-NCAA athlete to be selected in the 2026 PWHL Draft, having risen through the hockey ranks of her native Finland.

Nieminen has been a staple of the national team ever since she made her debut at the 2015-16 World Championships. Take a look below at the moment she was selected:

The 27-year-old comes into the PWHL with one World Championship silver and four World Championship bronze medals, to go along with her two Olympic bronze medals. After registering 45 points in three straight SDHL seasons, Nieminen will look to continue her strong professional play for the Victoire.

The Finnish forward appeared on Jocks Next Gen at the end of 2025 — take a listen to what she had to say.