NEW YORK AND TORONTO (June 16, 2026) – PWHL Detroit and PWHL Las Vegas have completed a trade, with Detroit acquiring forward Hilary Knight from Las Vegas in exchange for Detroit’s first round pick (third overall) in the 2026 PWHL Draft. The PWHL roster freeze, which was implemented as part of the league’s Expansion Player Distribution Process, lifted this morning at 9 a.m. ET.
“Hilary Knight is one of the best and most accomplished players in women’s hockey history and is a significant addition to our roster ahead of our inaugural season, which makes this a very exciting day for PWHL Detroit,” said Manon Rhéaume, PWHL Detroit General Manager. “In addition to the tremendous skill she will bring to the ice, her leadership and presence in the locker room and in the community and her desire to compete and to win a Walter Cup will be instrumental in shaping our culture and building our foundation.”
“Having two picks in the first round of such an incredibly skilled draft class provides us the opportunity to add two players who will make an immediate and lasting impact on our team,” said Dominique DiDia, PWHL Las Vegas General Manager. “We are very excited about the players who have already committed to PWHL Las Vegas and the foundation we will continue to build through this generational draft.”
Knight signed a one-year contract with PWHL Las Vegas after receiving an Expansion Foundational Offer (EFO) during Phase 2 of the PWHL’s Expansion Player Distribution Process. She most recently served as the inaugural captain of the Seattle Torrent during the 2025-26 season and has registered 54 career points (26G, 28A) in 76 games. On the international stage, the 36-year-old native of Sun Valley, ID, is a U.S. Women’s National Team legend with five Olympic medals (two gold, three silver), is the all-time leader in U.S. Olympic goals (15) and points (33), and has won 15 medals (10 gold, five silver) at the IIHF Women’s World Championship. Knight played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin where she won two NCAA National Championships and remains the Badgers’ all-time leader in goals scored.
The 2026 PWHL Draft presented by Upper Deck will take place on Wednesday at Fox Theatre in Detroit, beginning at 5 p.m. ET. PWHL Las Vegas is the only team with multiple first round picks, selecting third and fifth overall. A total of 72 players will be selected in the six-round process.
The first two rounds of the 2026 PWHL Draft presented by Upper Deck will be available in the U.S. on Scripps Sports platforms, including over-the-air television in select markets, nationally on Scripps FAST channel, Scripps Sports Network, and in Canada, on TSN2. Complete coverage of all rounds will also be available on TSN+ in Canada, in addition to the PWHL YouTube Channel, worldwide (with no blackouts). Visit thepwhl.com for full broadcast details.
Click here for the full draft order of selection.