LAS VEGAS, NV (June 10, 2026) – PWHL Las Vegas today announced that goaltender Nicole Hensley has been signed to a two-year Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Standard Player Agreement ahead of the team’s inaugural 2026-27 season. Hensley joins PWHL Las Vegas with a contract through the 2027-28 campaign and becomes the team’s seventh player and second, following defender Megan Carter, to be added during Phase 3 of the PWHL’s Expansion Player Distribution Process.
Hensley spent the first three seasons of her PWHL career with the Minnesota Frost after being the first goaltender selected (12th overall) in the inaugural PWHL Draft. The 31-year-old native of Lakewood, CO, has played in 38 career regular-season games (eighth-most in league history), registering a .910 save percentage, 2.46 goals-against average, and totaling 21 wins and three shutouts. Hensley has elevated her performance in the postseason, winning four of her eight starts while posting a 1.57 GAA and .928 SV% across the Frost’s back-to-back Walter Cup title-winning runs and is one of four goaltenders with multiple shutouts in a single postseason (2024). Hensley was the Frost’s 2024-25 Intact Impact Award winner, an honor bestowed upon one player from each team who consistently went the extra mile to help the team and be a great teammate by displaying exceptional leadership, integrity, and an unwavering commitment. On the international stage, Hensley has represented the United States twice at the Olympic Winter Games, winning gold in 2018 and silver in 2022, and has secured six IIHF Women’s World Championship medals (three gold, three silver). Hensley played collegiately at Lindenwood University.
During Phase 2 of the expansion process, PWHL Las Vegas signed defenders Erin Ambrose, Mae Batherson, and Kendall Cooper, each to two-year contracts, and forwards Hilary Knight (one-year contract) and Hayley Scamurra (three-year contract). Batherson, Cooper and Hensley are reunited with PWHL Las Vegas after they previously played together with the Frost, with Hensley (2024 and 2025) and Batherson (2025) earning Walter Cup titles during their time in Minnesota. Ambrose and Scamurra spent last season as teammates with the Walter Cup-winning Montréal Victoire and, along with Hensley, represent three of the PWHL’s 14 Triple Gold Club members who have won Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and a Walter Cup in their careers.
At the end of the Phase 3 signing period, each expansion team will have up to eight total players by signing a maximum of three players on expiring contracts during this phase. Existing PWHL teams may protect three players under contract for the 2026-27 season, and/or players on expiring contracts signed during this phase, to bring their total protected lists to six players. The Phase 3 signing period continues until Friday, June 12 at 3 p.m. ET, followed by a 5 p.m. ET deadline for existing teams to submit their protection lists prior to the Phase 4 signing period.
A complete list of player signings and transactions is available on the official PWHL Transactions Page. To see the full overview of the status of PWHL player contracts, visit the PWHL Contract Guide here.
ABOUT PWHL LAS VEGAS
PWHL Las Vegas is one of 12 teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which was founded in 2023. The PWHL began its inaugural season in January 2024 and features the best women’s hockey players in the world. PWHL Las Vegas was officially announced as one of the league’s four new expansion teams on May 13 and will debut at T-Mobile Arena in the fall. Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here, opens in a new tab to secure priority access to season tickets for PWHL Las Vegas’ historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. To learn more and stay up to date, visit LasVegasPWHL.com, subscribe to PWHL Las Vegas’ newsletter here, opens in a new tab, and follow the team on Facebook PWHL Las Vegas, opens in a new tab, Instagram @PWHL_LasVegas, opens in a new tab, X @PWHL_LasVegas, opens in a new tab, TikTok @PWHL_LasVegas, opens in a new tab, YouTube PWHL Las Vegas, opens in a new tab, Threads @PWHL_LasVegas, opens in a new tab, Bluesky @PWHL-LasVegas, opens in a new tab, and LinkedIn PWHL Las Vegas, opens in a new tab.
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