FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2024 PWHL Draft declaration window for prospective players is open March 1 to May 8
TORONTO, ON (February 27, 2024) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has announced that the declaration process for the 2024 PWHL Draft will commence March 1, with online registration open through May 8, 2024. All prospective players interested in competing in the 2024-25 PWHL season must declare for the draft to be eligible for selection and subsequent free agency. The second annual PWHL Draft will be held in June and will consist of seven rounds and 42 picks.
“The draft is the primary gateway to the PWHL and number one source of new talent,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. “The majority of the league’s founding players were selected in the inaugural PWHL Draft, and we anticipate the level of play will continue to be raised across the league as teams make their picks in June.”
This year’s draft will utilize a traditional format, in which once the round is completed, the following round will be conducted in the same order as the previous round. There will be a window following the completion of the season that will allow teams the ability to trade draft picks.
Undrafted players who were declared eligible for selection will become free agents. PWHL teams will be able to sign free agents to Standard Player Agreements beginning on June 21, 2024. Selected players may go unsigned for two years before becoming eligible to enter the draft again. No player can declare for more than two drafts.
A total of 268 players were declared eligible for the inaugural PWHL Draft with 90 selected in the 15-round process. The inaugural PWHL Draft, presented by Canadian Tire, was hosted at CBC’s headquarters in downtown Toronto on Sept. 18, 2023. Taylor Heise was selected first overall by Minnesota, with legendary sports icon Billie Jean King announcing the historic pick.
Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial plus all six team accounts @pwhl_boston, @pwhl_minnesota, @pwhl_montreal, @pwhl_newyork, @pwhl_ottawa, and @pwhl_toronto.
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