The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is getting ready for expansion teams Vancouver and Seattle to hit the ice, but first, each side had to get a lineup together. Cue the 2025 Expansion Draft, which allowed both new franchises to pick seven players to help fill their 12-player rosters.

Players eligible to be selected in the Expansion Draft consisted of unprotected players under contract for the 2025–26 season or those whose playing rights are held through the 2025–26 season.

Vancouver, who won the lottery and first overall pick, walked away with a combination of players from six of the PWHL's eight teams, including the reigning champion Minnesota Frost, Ottawa Charge, Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, and Boston Fleet. Ashton Bell (D), Brooke McQuigge (F), Abby Boreen (F), Izzy Daniel (F), Gabby Rosenthal (F), Denisa Krizova (F), and Sydney Bard (D) will all now head to the Pacific Northwest.

The seven chosen join the five players each team signed during the Exclusive Signing Window. Vancouver's haul included two-time Olympic medalist Sarah Nurse (F), Claire Thompson (D), Sophie Jaques (D), Emerance Maschmeyer (G), and Jenn Gardiner (F).

Meanwhile, Seattle set its foundation with expansion picks Aneta Tejralova (D), Hannah Bilka (F), Jessie Eldridge (F), Julia Gosling (F), Anna Wilgren (D), Megan Carter (D), and Emily Brown (D).

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The Seattle expansion club set the league ablaze recently when it landed the PWHL's top scorer in Hilary Knight (F) during the signing window. The Boston Fleet unexpectedly left the star unprotected, which Seattle took advantage of to nab a top-tier player to build a franchise around.

Seattle General Manager Meghan Turner, who was alongside Knight in Boston as the team's assistant GM, described the signing as an easy decision.

“Signing Hilary Knight was an absolute no-brainer,” Turner said simply about Knight. “She’s the heartbeat of any team she joins. Her proven leadership and drive, the way she elevates everyone around her — those are qualities you can’t teach.”

The next steps for Vancouver and Seattle will see another signing window period open on June 16, but this time for players on expiring contracts. Then, the last official chance all teams will have to solidify their lineups will be during the 2025 PWHL Draft on June 24 at 7 pm.m ET.