PWHL Draft: Seattle Torrent take Olympian with No. 2 pick

DETROIT (AP) — Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey was selected by the Vancouver Goldeneyes with the first pick in the PWHL draft on Wednesday, while the Seattle Torrent took Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy at No. 2 overall.

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Murphy is a two-time Olympian who left Minnesota as the program’s all-time leader in goals scored with 143 and ranking second all-time in points with 261.

Here’s an excerpt from the Torrent press release about the selection of Murphy:

Murphy completed a five-year collegiate career as one of the most accomplished players in University of Minnesota program history. … A two-time captain, the 24-year-old native of Evergreen Park, Ill., put together her finest season as a graduate student in 2025-26, finishing the campaign with career highs in goals (40) and points (66) while leading the nation in points per game (2.13) and goals per game (1.29). She was named a top three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award and garnered All-WCHA First Team and WCHA Forward of the Year honors. Prior to her graduate student season, Murphy was a three-time All-WCHA selection, earning second team honors twice and third team honors once. On the international stage, Murphy has represented the United States at each of the last two Olympic Winter Games, earning a gold medal in 2026 at Milan Cortina and a silver medal in 2022 in Beijing. She has also taken home four medals (two gold, two silver) in IIHF Women’s World Championship competition.

In the second round, the Torrent took defender Sydney Morrow, who was Murphy’s teammate at Minnesota.

The first four picks of the PWHL Draft were members of the U.S. gold medal-winning team. Following Harvey and Murphy, Las Vegas picked Penn State forward Tessa Janecke at No. 3, and expansion team San Jose selected Harvey’s Badgers teammate Laila Edwards with the fourth pick.

Las Vegas landed the No. 3 pick from fellow expansion team Detroit in a trade that sent former Torrent forward Hilary Knight to the Motor City.

Harvey’s selection came on the same day Harvey was named the International Ice Hockey Federation’s female player of the year, and further cements the 23-year-old’s case as being her generation’s most accomplished player.

The two-time Olympian and tournament MVP at the Milan Cortina Games, Harvey stands out from a deeply talented draft class that features four U.S. teammates. In Milan, Harvey finished tied for the tournament lead with nine points (two goals, seven assists).

Harvey joins a Vancouver blue line that already features Sophie Jaques, a defender of the year finalist, and forward Sarah Nurse. The Goldeneyes are in transition with GM Cara Gardner Morey having yet to select a coach after Brian Idalski was fired.

From Pelham, New Hampshire, Harvey is the second American player to go No. 1 after Minnesota chose Taylor Heise with the first pick in the league’s inaugural draft in 2023.

The draft was held in one of the PWHL’s four new markets of Detroit, and at the downtown Fox Theater. All 12 teams made their selections from tables on the stage.

This post includes contributions from Seattle Sports staff and The Associated Press.

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