Caroline Harvey, an Olympic gold medalist and Wisconsin standout, is widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft on June 17 at Detroit’s Fox Theatre. The order gives Vancouver’s Goldeneyes the top selection after winning the league’s “Gold Plan
By the time Detroit’s Fox Theatre lights up on Wednesday, June 17, one name is already vibrating through women’s hockey: Caroline Harvey.
At 23, Harvey is widely expected to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 PWHL Draft. a milestone that follows a sprint of accomplishments that has reshaped her path almost faster than anyone can count. She won Olympic gold with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics. then claimed an NCAA national championship with Wisconsin “in a matter of months. ” and now she’s closing in on another first—being the player the league believes can change a franchise’s future from the moment she’s drafted.
The stakes are clear before the first selection is made. The Vancouver Goldeneyes hold the No. 1 pick after winning the league’s “Gold Plan. ” and the top talent on the board could come from the U.S. women’s national hockey team that clinched gold in Milan, Italy, with a thrilling overtime win over Canada in February.
Harvey’s case is straightforward—on paper and in the headlines already orbiting the draft.
She was named MVP of the Winter Olympics after recording nine points on two goals and seven assists in Team USA’s run to its first gold medal since 2018. In her senior season at Wisconsin. she produced a career-high 64 points—18 goals and 46 assists—on the way to her third NCAA Championship title. Harvey also became the first Wisconsin defender in program history to post 201 career points. and she capped her collegiate career with the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. the highest individual honor in women’s college hockey.
The broader feeling around the top of the draft is that the U.S. pipeline could be putting the league on notice again. Up to five players who could hear their name early at the 2026 PWHL Draft may come from that gold-winning national team. which already carried the momentum of an overtime finale against Canada in February.
Abbey Murphy, a forward from Minnesota, is one of the candidates who makes that scenario feel plausible. She led the nation in points per game (2.13) and goals per game (1.29) this season. finishing with 66 points in 31 games—40 goals and 26 assists. Her scoring pedigree is attached to real highlight moments too, including a viral assist against Minnesota State in January. Murphy was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. and her collegiate numbers include a tie with Hilary Knight for the sixth-highest goal scorer in NCAA history with 143 career goals. She also finished with 261 points, ranking No. 12 all time. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Murphy recorded seven points—five assists and two goals—for Team USA.
Other top-prospect names include Laila Edwards from Wisconsin, Kirsten Simms from Wisconsin, and Tessa Janecke from Penn State—each carrying a different kind of momentum into the draft.
Edwards’ story has both production and disruption. Limited to 28 games during her senior season because of an MCL injury to her left knee. she still delivered with 45 points—33 assists and 12 goals—after leading the nation as a junior with 35 goals and 36 assists. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, she became the first Black woman to compete for the U.S. women’s senior national team. then went on to become the first Black woman to score a goal for Team USA. Her first Olympic Games produced eight points—six assists and two goals.
Simms adds steady, year-by-year scoring to the picture. Over four seasons at Wisconsin, she reached the 100 career goal milestone, finishing with 138 assists for 238 total points. This season, she recorded 59 points—33 assists and 26 goals—and ranked third in the nation with 1.90 points per game. Like Harvey and others on this list. Simms was part of the Team USA squad that won gold at the 2026 Games.
Janecke’s profile ties team legacy to individual output. She helped Penn State post the most wins in program history with a 33-6-0 record and reach its first Frozen Four appearance during her senior season. Her scoring numbers made her a fixture in the record book: she is Penn State’s all-time leading scorer with 201 career points—89 goals and 112 assists. She finished as a Top 3 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award after recording a career-high 26 goals and 22 assists this season. Janecke also became the first Penn State athlete to win an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in February.
The 2026 PWHL Draft will be held in six rounds, and it will follow the same order listed for the league’s first selections.
Vancouver Goldeneyes
Seattle Torrent
PWHL Detroit
PWHL San Jose
PWHL Las Vegas
PWHL Hamilton
New York Sirens
Toronto Sceptres
Minnesota Frost
Boston Fleet
Ottawa Charge
Montréal Victoire
For fans. executives. and the players waiting in the spotlight. the draft order is more than a list—it’s a map of opportunity. Harvey’s expected move to No. 1 has the feel of a culmination. but the crowded talent at the top suggests the next names could arrive quickly. with the U.S. national team’s recent gold over Canada still echoing through the momentum of the league’s newest class.
PWHL Caroline Harvey 2026 PWHL Draft Fox Theatre Detroit Vancouver Goldeneyes Gold Plan Team USA Milan Olympics Abbey Murphy Laila Edwards Kirsten Simms Tessa Janecke