PWHL Announces Expansion Player Distribution Process

The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced the rules for the player distribution process of their four-team 2026 expansion on Wednesday.

The next era of the PWHL starts here 🤝

Here’s your guide to the six-phase Expansion Player Distribution Process for Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose.

Read the release and full rules below!
📰 bit.ly/4nRERHZ
➡️ Full rules: bit.ly/4dPaT2M

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— PWHL (@thepwhl.com) 2:31 PM · May 27, 2026

As had previously been announced, there will be no familiar expansion draft. Instead, player distribution will take place in five phases over three weeks, beginning on May 28. The sixth phase is open free agency for the entire league.

Expansion teams will first be eligible to sign players beginning on June 5, as part of the second phase. During that window each expansion team will acquire five players. Five more players will be signed during Phase Four, June 14-15.