2024 PWHL Draft: Ranking the top 10 players
One week out from the second annual PWHL Draft, many are debating who the best prospects are heading into next Monday.
After an exciting inaugural season, teams now have to look to the future. However, despite a loaded draft class of 167 strong, it will not be easy for the six general managers to widdle down to just seven picks (barring any trading of picks).
New York has the first overall pick after acquiring the most “Draft Points” at the end of the regular season. Many suspect they will take Princeton star, and Canadian National Team regular Sarah Fillier, but Pascal Daoust will have the opportunity to select a few players that can help N.Y. be a contender next season.
Hunter Crowther and Tyler Kuehl break down their top-10 available to be selected next Monday in St. Paul.
Hunter’s picks
1. Sarah Fillier, F (Princeton, NCAA)
There has been plenty of digital ink spilled in the last few years over Sarah Fillier, the consensus No. 1 prospect in this year’s PWHL Draft. The Princeton captain scored 30 goals in her final college season, a dominant four-year run that saw the center rack up 194 total points during her collegiate career.
Internationally, Fillier has dominated for Canada at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and has been a top-line talent at multiple World Championships. It goes without saying that she’ll be taken No. 1 overall by PWHL New York next week, so fans might as well put the deposit down for what could end up being the highest-selling jersey in 2025.
2. Danielle Serdachny, F (Colgate, NCAA)
One thing that stood out while watching the inaugural PWHL season was how the style of play evolved with time. One might guess that speed and skill would dominate, and while they’re still important, size, forechecking, battles along the boards and cycling down-low was the key to success for a lot of teams, most notably PWHL Toronto.
Enter Danielle Serdachny, who at 5-foot-9 and with a well-rounded style of play might be a coach’s dream in the pro game. Another breakout star with team Canada, she scored the overtime winner against the U.S. in the World Championship final last spring, and provided a reliable two-way game against the best players in the world. She’s my early pick for Rookie of the year.
3. Cayla Barnes, D (Ohio State, NCAA)
Our first Buckeye on the list! I was debating on whether to put Cayla Barnes or teammate Hannah Bilka at No. 3, but figured we needed to give the defenders some love. While she’s only 5-foot-1 (or 5-foot-2, depending on what game program you read), Barnes has made a name for herself in hockey circles for the last seven seasons, making the U.S. national team at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, helping her country win gold.
In college, she was a point machine with Boston College, captaining the club in 2020-21 and 2022-23 and turning into one of the better power-play defenders in the sport. She transferred to Ohio State for her final college season, recording 36 points in 39 games, leading the Buckeyes to a National Championship. Expect her to be on PP1 for whichever team drafts her.
4. Hannah Bilka, F (Ohio State, NCAA)
Oh, look, Buckeye No. 2! Another member of the national championship roster, Bilka averaged over a point-per-game in five college seasons, four with Boston College and one with Ohio State (What can I say? If you want to win, be a Buckeye). The only reason I have Barnes ahead of her on the list is because I feel like teams realize they need a minute-crunching blueliner in their lineup.
Like Serdachny, Bilka’s ability to maximize her size and create space for herself is an asset that will do her well in the PWHL, and expect her to play in a top-six role right away, as well as be a mainstay on future U.S. World Championship and Olympic rosters.
5. Izzy Daniel, F (Cornell, NCAA)
Izzy Daniel was the 2024 Patty Kazmaier Award winner, almost single-handedly taking Cornell to the NCAA Regionals this past season. She finished with 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points in 34 games — 25 points ahead of her second-place teammate, Lily Delianedis.
The Athletic said Daniel may have the best hands in the draft, and it’s hard to argue otherwise when you watch highlights of her during her time with Cornell, looking as comfortable with the puck as Alina Muller or Jamie Lee Rattray.
6. Amanda Kessel, F (Team USA, DNP)
She didn’t play in 2023-24, and has only played in a handful of non-international games since 2020, Amanda Kessel remains one of the top players in the game. But her case is a curious one: after helping the U.S. win the World Championship in 2023, Kessel hasn’t played since, instead working in hockey operations with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.
The PWHL released its player eligibility list May 25, with Kessel’s name appearing on it. She’s won every individual and team accomplishment you can think of, and would provide a reliable veteran presence for a team next season. But the question becomes: do teams spend an early-round draft pick on her, or do they focus on youth and the future, hoping she remains available in the later rounds?
7. Claire Thompson, D (Canada, DNP)
A tournament all-star at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, Claire Thompson is one helluva two-way defender. Having graduated from Princeton University in 2020, Thompson has only played two dozen non-international games in the past five seasons, skating for Canada in two World Championships.
Taking the last few seasons off to go to medical school, Thompson was a reserve for PWHL New York, but could not play due to visa issues. Now that she’s declared for this year’s draft, it’s hard to imagine a team doesn’t select her with a pick in the first two rounds.
8. Julia Gosling, F (St. Lawrence, NCAA)
First off: shoutout to the former London Deveilette! After dominating Ontario’s junior league, she spent four seasons with St. Lawrence University, averaging a point per game in three of four years and finishing with 60 goals, 68 assists for 128 points.
She won a World Championship with Canada last spring, scoring twice and showcasing how she can use her 5-foot-10 frame against elite players. While I expect her to be a top player in a few years, she may start the 2024-25 campaign as a role player in a team’s bottom-six.
9. Jennifer Gardiner, D (Ohio State, NCAA)
Another Buckeye! Sorry folks, but greatness wears scarlet and red, and the final Buckeye on this list captained the team to its national championship last season. Jennifer Gardiner might be the fastest skater available in the draft, and her ability to generate something out of nothing will be a valuable asset as she enters a league with a seemingly endless list of elite goaltenders.
Buckeyes’ head coach Nadine Muzerall has constantly said the winger plays with plenty of confidence. That could be her greatest strength going into her first professional season.
10. Britta Curl, F (Wisconsin, NCAA)
I reached out to a friend who covers Big Ten sports on how they would describe Britta Curl’s game. He replied with a one-sentence text.
“Think Blayre Turnbull with more offensive upside.”
Comparing one Wisconsin Badger legend with another makes sense, and the two both served as captain while in college. But it’s their two-way games and ability to shut down the opposition that make PWHL scouts salivate. She’s 24 and has been part of three World Championship squads for the U.S., and that number will grow as her game develops.
However … her off-ice comments and social media likes and posts show support for anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, which might cause teams to avoid her altogether, especially when you consider how many players in the league are openly gay, and how much the league embraces Queer culture. Does her talent outweigh her personal views? We’ll find out.
Tyler’s picks
1. Sarah Fillier, F (Princeton, NCAA)
Are we boring for picking her? Yes, but wasn’t everyone else boring for picking McDavid, Bedard, Crosby and Celebrini for being the No. 1 prospect in their draft years?
When Fillier burst onto the scene at the Olympics in Beijing in 2022, you knew she was going to be a star. To think she had to play three more years of college before turning pro was crazy. She was the driving force behind Princeton’s success over the past couple of years. Dynamic, great with the puck, and is a game-changer. New York has an easy choice here.
2. Danielle Serdachny, F (Colgate, NCAA)
I know people are like, “What about Bilka?” Listen, I like Bilka, but the World Championship changed my outlook on Serdachny. For a team whose stars struggled to get going offensively in the group stage, Serdachny created opportunities at a fourth-line capacity. In five years of playing in the ECAC – in my eyes, the second-best conference in the NCAA – she was the star for the Raiders and probably could’ve won the Patty Kazmaier Award had she been on a better team.
3. Hannah Bilka, F (Ohio State, NCAA)
Here is the star everyone wanted to see. There is just something about her game that stands out from the rest. The former Buckeye is a smooth skater with the ability to create great scoring opportunities. Her game has transferred well from the college ranks to the international stage. There is no question the Texan will be a driving force for Team USA for years to come. If she can continue to progress and adjust to the physical game, she will immediately impact whoever takes her in the draft.
4. Cayla Barnes, D (Ohio State, NCAA)
Unquestionably the best defender heading into the draft, Barnes is a workhorse with a knack of being a key asset at both ends of the rink. She was the missing piece that helped the Buckeyes, along with former Boston College teammate Bilka, make it to the national championship game back in March, defeating a talented Wisconsin team. It is still mind-boggling how Barnes posted a plus-minus of +71, given the fact that she was playing well over 20 minutes a game.
5. Gwyneth Philips, G (Northeastern, NCAA)
This is a great draft class for goaltending this year, with some netminders who were in the league last year potentially looking for work. The top prospect that will certainly take someone’s job is Gwyneth Philips. Having had the chance to see her in person a few times, she is incredibly athletic in the net, but not so much so that she has to rely on it. The former Husky is positionally sound, and is more than capable of making the big save.
6. Maja Nylén Persson, D (Brynäs IF, SDHL)
Heading into a draft where top defenders are at a premium, Nylén Persson will be near the top of many lists. She has proven in her homeland that she is in a class by herself. Nylén Persson was named the SDHL’s for the last three seasons, and even won the Salming Trophy as the best Swedish blueliner, becoming the first woman to win the award. Nylén Persson has the experience at the club and international level, to help make a difference in North America.
7. Sara Hjalmarsson, F (Linköping HC, SDHL)
I know I have Hjalmarsson higher on the list than others, but the 26-year-old has extensive experience in North America and Sweden. After five years at Providence College, she was the captain of Linköping HC as a rookie. She was a big part of the team’s offense. At this year’s World Championship, Hjalmarsson was huge for a Swedish side that led the group stage in goals, potting four goals and 12 points in 15 games.
8. Claire Thompson, D (Canada, DNP)
Thompson was technically a reserve player for New York while she was pursuing her medical degree. However, even though she hasn’t played a full season since her senior year at Princeton in 2019-20, she is still a talented blueliner who is capable of being a difference-maker, which she proved at the Beijing Olympics for Team Canada.
9. Amanda Kessel, F (USA, DNP)
It felt like the PWHL was missing something when Kessel stepped away from playing to work with the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, despite having not played in well over a year, there is no doubting what the Olympic gold medalist is capable of doing. The 32-year-old has a great ability to finish, with opposing defense knowing that she is a game-changer.
10. Daniela Pejšová, D (Luleå HF, SDHL)
Pejšová is one of many players contributing to the recent rise of women’s hockey in Czechia. She has proven she can play exceptionally in her own zone, but is excellent on the offensive end. Pejšová has been one of the top blueliners in the SDHL, part of a juggernaut Luleå team that has won back-to-back championships. No question can immediately jump on the top pair of any team in the PWHL.
The PWHL Draft will be held on June 10 at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, Minnesota, at 7 p.m. ET.