Inaugural PWHL draft to be live-streamed on Sept. 18
The first-ever Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) draft is set to take place on September 18 at CBC Headquarters in Toronto.
15 rounds. 6 teams. 90 of the top players in the game.
We are proud to announce the inaugural PWHL Draft presented by @CanadianTire.
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The event will be live streamed and will begin at 1 p.m. ET on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem. Coverage will also be available on radio-canada.ca/sports and the Radio-Canada info app, while international audiences can watch the draft on CBC Sports’ and Radio-Canada’s YouTube pages.
A total of 90 players will be introduced as they are selected in the inaugural PWHL draft presented by Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC). The six teams – Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Minnesota, New York and Boston – will draft their lineups throughout the 15 rounds. Minnesota won the first overall pick in the snake draft through a lottery process.
“The inaugural PWHL Draft is a monumental event in our league’s history and a day the players have been waiting for with great anticipation and excitement,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. Hefford also stated, “Our appreciation is extended to our Founding Partner Canadian Tire Corporation for their support, and to CBC/Radio-Canada for helping make this a special experience in the iconic Barbara Frum Atrium, and for our fans tuning in live.”
The majority of the teams will now be filled out through the draft, which was entered by roughly 300 players, including former PWHPA and PHF members, along with Europeans who belonged to neither organization.
The draft’s first four rounds will be hosted by CBC Sports’ Andi Petrillo, with analysis from Hailey Salvian and two-time Canadian Olympic gold medallist Shannon Szabados. CBC Sports’ Anastasia Bucsis will interview players during CBC’s coverage.
Defenders Erin Ambrose, Claire Thompson and forward Natalie Spooner are some Canadians who could potentially be available in the draft, while American stars Amanda Kessel and Taylor Heise and Switzerland’s Alina Muller will also be available to be drafted.
Players who are not drafted on Monday can still sign with teams and compete for spots on the 23-person rosters in training camp, which starts in November.