Fleet’s Danielle Marmer: GMs ‘still waiting to hear’ PWHL expansion draft plans
More questions have arisen based on the remarks of one PWHL team executive.
During an end-of-season media availability on Wednesday, Boston Fleet general manager Daniel Marmer revealed that the GMs across the league have yet to receive information on how the expansion draft will work.
“No, I don’t know,” Marmer said. “I’m still waiting to hear. I think these conversations are happening between the league and the players’ association, but we GMs have not heard how it’s going to affect our rosters yet.”
The PWHL recently announced the additions of teams in Vancouver and Seattle, expanding the league to eight teams in time for the 2025-2026 season. Executive vice president of hockey operations, Jayna Hefford, revealed that the league will hold an expansion draft and details are still being worked out. In Seattle, Hefford revealed that the plan is for the expansion draft to take place in mid-June, right before the PWHL Draft on June 24.
Marmer admitted that, despite the unknown, her team is preparing for any eventuality when it comes to the new teams taking players from their roster.
“I think it’s being totally prepared and totally flexible. We don’t know what is going to happen, and how it’s going to alter our roster. … We’ll see how things go.”
Marmer was also asked about how the team will combat next year’s international breaks with expected three-week breaks for the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina as well as the 2026 World Championships just two months later.
The league is far from announcing the schedule for next season, but Marmer said she’d like to start earlier to avoid conflicts and more extended breaks.
“These players who play with their national teams, they have [PWHL] contracts. The IIHF has sort of a plan that they see makes sense for what they’re trying to accomplish. I don’t know how much leverage, if any, the league has or the willingness for them to sort of change their schedule.”
Boston has fallen victim to losing players during the international breaks. Hannah Bilka was hurt during Game 4 of the Rivalry Series back in February, while both Alina Mueller and Aaron Frankel suffered injuries during the World Championships in Czechia last month.
“These international breaks, obviously, have affected us quite a bit. So if we can limit the amount of times that the team breaks for those, because it’s not your depth players who are necessarily who are going to those events, it’s your best players – the players that you need to be healthy and playing their best hockey by the end of the season. So, I think starting the season earlier, so that it can end before the worlds. Obviously, the Olympics, it would be a challenge to end before then.”
Marmer also admitted that she would like to see fewer international breaks.
“With this league, if we can get all the best players in this league, do we need as many international breaks throughout the season? I would say no, but again, those are decisions at the league and the IIHF have to sort of figure out together.”
The Boston Fleet missed the playoffs for the first time in team history, finishing fifth after losing to the Minnesota Frost on the final day of the regular season.