May 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of a hockey stick and pucks before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche in game seven of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Ottawa Charge defender Ashton Bell was selected by Vancouver with the first overall pick in the Professional Women’s Hockey League expansion draft on Monday.
Seattle then had the next two choices and selected Ottawa defender Aneta Tejralova and Boston Fleet forward Hannah Bilka.
Bell, 25, had three goals and three assists in 27 games for Ottawa last season, giving her five goals and eight assists through two seasons (51 games) with the Charge.
The University of Minnesota-Duluth product was part of Canada’s gold-medal-winning 2022 Olympic team and its 2021, 2022 and 2024 championship squads in the IIHF Women’s World Championships.
Tejralova, 29, produced one goal and nine assists in 30 games last season after posting two goals and six assists in 23 games the prior campaign. She won bronze medals with the Czech Republic team at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships.
Bilka, 24, is coming off a five-goal, six-assist rookie campaign in 16 games for the Fleet. The Ohio State alumna was on the United States’ winning 2023 World Championships squad.
A lottery win allowed Vancouver to either have the first pick or the second and third pick, and Vancouver general manager Cara Gardner Morey went for the former option. Following Seattle’s picks at Nos. 2 and 3, the teams alternated making two selections apiece.
Vancouver wound up choosing five forwards and two defenders, while Seattle picked four defenders and three forwards.
The expansion draft came after both teams had an opportunity to sign up to five players left unprotected by the existing six clubs, and each team reached the limit. Seattle made a big splash by signing former Boston forward Hilary Knight, a four-time U.S. Olympian.
Neither the Vancouver team nor the Seattle team has announced a nickname ahead joining the PWSL for the 2025-26 season.
Vancouver’s PWSL expansion draft picks
D Ashton Bell, from Ottawa Charge
F Brooke McQuigge, from Minnesota Frost
F Abby Boreen, from Montreal Victoire
F Izzy Daniel, from Toronto Sceptres
F Gabby Rosenthal, New York Sirens
F Denisa Krizova, from Minnesota Frost
D Sydney Bard, from Boston Fleet
Seattle’s PWSL expansion draft picks
D Aneta Tejralova, from Ottawa Charge
F Hannah Bilka, from Boston Fleet
F Jessie Eldridge, from New York Sirens
F Julia Gosling, from Toronto Sceptres
D Anna Wilgren, from Montreal Victoire
D Megan Carter, from Toronto Sceptres
D Emily Brown, from Boston Fleet
Players signed by Vancouver
D Claire Thompson, formerly with Minnesota Frost
D Sophie Jaques, formerly with Minnesota Frost
F Sarah Nurse, formerly with Toronto Sceptres
G Emerance Maschmeyer, formerly with Ottawa Charge
F Jennifer Gardiner, formerly with Montreal Victoire
Players signed by Seattle
F Hilary Knight, formerly with Boston Fleet
F Danielle Serdachny, formerly with Ottawa Charge
D Cayla Barnes, formerly with Montreal Victoire
F Alex Carpenter, formerly with New York Sirens
G Corinne Schroeder, formerly with New York Sirens
–Field Level Media
