While The 2026 PWHL Draft Will Be Important To Roster Building, Many Of These Outside Free Agents Will Also Factor In
· Yahoo Sports
At the end of the 2025-26 PWHL season, the biggest roster moves teams made were from the large free agent pool outside the league.
Sam Cogan signed with Minnesota and played key minutes in the postseason; Gabrielle David joined a scoring line role with Seattle; Nadia Mattivi signed with Montreal and played through the playoffs helping Montreal win the Walter Cup; while Noemi Neubauerova saw playoff action after signing with Boston.
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Others including Sarah Bujold (New York), Kira Juodikis (New York), Anneke Rankila (Toronto), and Sini Karjalainen (Vancouver) all signed with teams as well, with all but Bujold appearing in regular season action.
These players now enter the pool of current PWHL players who will get tapped for bigger roles next season post-expansion. But it's likely many teams in the league will continue to mine the more experienced group of veterans to fill roster spots again next season from outside the league. Some potential players have re-signed in Europe and won't be eligible until after their season ends, while others will target a PWHL contract immediately.
Among the remaining players are several with PWHL experience including Akane Shiga, Chloe Aurard-Bushee, Kelly Babstock, Dominika Laskova, Maude Poulin-Labelle, Charlotte Akervik, Johanna Fallman, and Jessica Adolfsson, as well as draft picks, Olympians, and former signees.
Among those Olympians are players like Emma Nuutinen, who played for Finland. She intends to join the PWHL next season, and the 5-foot-10 scoring forward should find a happy team waiting.
Some have re-entered the draft, but could sign before.
Here's a look at the remaining PWHL free agents from outside the league who could help fill in rosters:
Forwards- Akane Shiga, Lulea, SDHL
- Chloe Aurard-Bushee, ZSC Lions, SWHL
- Kelly Babstock, Farjestad, SDHL
- Ilona Markova, British Columbia, U Sports
- Audrey-Anne Veillette, Montreal, U Sports
- Chanreet Bassi, Linkoping, SDHL
- Justine Reyes, MoDo, SDHL
- Ida Kuoppala, Skelleftea AIK, SDHL
- Theresa Knutson, ECDC Memmingen, DFEL
- Emma Nuutinen, Kiekko-Espoo, Auroraliiga
- Sarah Marchand, MoDo, SDHL
- Franziska Feldmeier, Eisbaren Berlin, DFEL
- Madie Leidt, Linkoping, SDHL
- Millie Rose Sirum, Skelleftea AIK, SDHL
- Kennedy Bobyck, HV71, SDHL
- Lucia Halušková, HC Davos, SWHL
- Alexandra Huszák, HK Budapest, DFEL
- Alyssa MacLeod, MoDo, SDHL
- Julie Gough, Farjestad, SDHL
- Ellie Kaiser, Linkoping, SDHL
- Mathea Fischer, SDE, SDHL
- Julia Nearis, HV71, SDHL
- Maddie Posick, Djurgardens, SDHL
- Laura Fuoco, EV Zug, SWHL
- Kylie Aquaro, EV Bozen, SDHL
- Jenna Goodwin, Frolunda, SDHL
- Evelyne Blais-Savoie, HV71, SDHL
- Sara Boucher, Rogle, NDHL
- Jenna Donohue, Lulea, SDHL
- Nara Elia, ECDC Memmingen, DFEL
- Gabby Jones, SDE, SDHL
- Alexis Paddington, MoDo, SDHL
- Naomi Rogge, Linkoping, SDHL
- Madison Mashuga, Farjestad, SDHL
- Sophie Lalor, IF Troja-Ljungby, NDHL
- Hunter Barnett, Shenzhen, WCIHL
- Emily Baxter, MAC Budapest, EWHL
- Madison Desmarais, Ottawa, U Sports
- Kayla Tutino, Real Torino, Italy
- Scout Watkins-Southward, Södertälje SK, NDHL
- Julia Wysocki, Budapest JA, EWHL
- Riley Grimley, MAC Budapest, EWHL
- Maggie Peterson, Lakers Kranten, EWHL
- Rachel Weiss, HV71, SDHL
- Daria Tsymyrenko, IF Troja-Ljungby, NDHL
- Matilde Nilsson, Ilves, Auroraliiga
- Cassidy Maplethorpe, Rogle, NDHL
- Mikayla Lantto, Shenzhen, WCIHL
- Chavonne Truter, MAC Budapest, EWHL
- Jessika Boulanger, SC Langenthal, SWHL
- Emme Nelson, IF Sundsvall Hockey
- Brooke Henderson, UPEI, U Sports
- Kaiya Maracle, UPEI, U Sports
- Katherine Birkby, Aisulu Almaty, EWHL
- Kaleigh Quennec, SC Bern, SWHL
- Janka Hlinka, PSRZ Bratislava, EWHL
- Danielle Fox, Shenzhen, WCIHL
- Tatum White, Neuchâtel Hockey Academy, SWHL
- Lauren Stenslie, HK Budapest, EWHL
- Alyssa Wruble, Mad Dogs Mannheim, DFEL
- Dominika Laskova, SDE, SDHL
- Charlotte Akervik, Djurgardens, SDHL
- Johanna Fällman, Lulea, SDHL
- Maude Poulin-Labelle, Brynas, SDHL
- Jessica Adolfsson, SDE, SDHL
- Alexie Guay, Farjestad, SDHL
- Emma Keenan, Shenzhen, WCIHL
- Emma Bergesen, Brynas, SDHL
- Michelle Löwenhielm, Farjestad, SDHL
- Cameron Sikich, Lulea, SDHL
- Julia Shaunessy, HV71, SDHL
- Courtney Vorster, MoDo, SDHL
- Karley Garcia, Farjestad, SDHL
- Emily Rickwood, Shenzhen, WCIHL
- Maggie MacEachern, HC Fribourg-Gottéron, SWHL
- Teghan Inglis, HV71, SDHL
- Lily Yovetich, Leksand, NDHL
- Madison Clough, HK Budapest, DFEL
- Mia Tsilemos, Hammarby, NDHL
- Andie Proulx, Shenzhen, WCIHL
- Charli Kettyle, Lulea, SDHL
- Camryn Wong, Lulea, SDHL
- Kara Den Hoed, Wilfrid Laurier, U Sports
- Rae Breton, Farjestad, SDHL
- Sydney Pederson, MoDo, SDHL
- Kristen Guerriero, EV Bolzen, EWEHL
- Josephine Asperup, Malmo, NDHL
- Lauren Dabrowski, HC Fribourg-Gottéron, SWHL
- Madison Laberge, Sabres St.Pölten, EWHL
- Kennesha Miswaggon, Rogle, NDHL
- Léonie Philbert, EV Bolzen, EWHL
- Jacquie Pierri, EV Bolzen, EWHL
- Léa Villiot, ERC Ingolstadt, DFEL
- Aoi Shiga, MoDo, SDHL
- Jamie Grinder, DEC Salzburg Eagles, EWHL
- Lotti Odnoga, Skelleftea AIK, SDHL
- Mariah Hinds, Aisulu Almaty, EWHL
- Amie Varano, Malmo, NDHL
- Alexandria Weiss, Neuchâtel Hockey Academy, SWHL
- Sally Hoerr , Hammarby, NDHL
- Kassidy Sauve, SDE, SDHL
- Lauren Bench, Djurgardens, SDHL
- Alice Philbert, EV Bozen, EWHL
- Jane Gervais, VSV Lady Hawks, EWHL
- Alexandra Lehmann, Nipissing, U Sports
- Camryn Drever, Skelleftea AIK, SDHL
- Emma Soderberg, SDE, SDHL
- Rachel Seeley, Aisulu Almaty, EWHL
- Erica Fryer, Roki, Auroraliiga
- Blanka Skodova, Leksands, NDHL