Generational American defender Caroline Harvey is a member of the Vancouver Goldeneyes.
The 23-year-old was selected first overall by Vancouver at the PWHL draft in Detroit on Wednesday night.
The first-overall selection caps off a stellar season for Harvey. Earlier on Wednesday, she won the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Female Player of the Year Award by a landslide, receiving more than 77 per cent of the votes.
She was the MVP of the 2026 Olympic tournament as a member of the dominant American team that defeated Canada for gold in February.
She was also named the Patty Kazmaier Award winner as the top player in U.S. women’s college hockey, as she led the University of Wisconsin to an NCAA championship — the third of Harvey’s career.
Now Harvey enters the PWHL, where she will be a face of the league for years to come.
“What excites me most is just it’s going to be a totally different experience and I’m super excited for that change,” Harvey said in an interview before the draft. “I embrace change and I take it as a challenge.”
Inside the historic Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit, Harvey was seated beside her University of Wisconsin teammate and best friend, Laila Edwards, who was drafted fourth overall to San Jose.
The two shared a big hug when Harvey’s name was called first. Harvey told her not to cry and wreck her makeup, but Edwards couldn’t help it.
The friends will be on the same coast, but playing for different teams and separated by a border.
“It was really special,” Edwards said on Wednesday night. “We’ve been talking about this moment for a long time, but nothing can really prepare you for it. It caught me off guard, but after I gave her a hug, I started crying and I couldn’t stop.”
Harvey is an intelligent defender whose strong skating gives her the ability to lead the rush and get back quickly to defend. She’s one of the most deceptive defenders in the game, largely thanks to her solid edgework.
At the Olympics, she tied teammate Megan Keller for the tournament scoring lead with nine points in seven games.
“I’ve worked in the NHL and technically, she’s the best skater I’ve worked with,” Harvey’s long-time skating coach, Dave Breen, told CBC Sports last week. “It’s forced me to come up with different things and better ways to coach and teach her.”
Harvey joins Canadian Sophie Jaques on Vancouver’s blue line, giving the Goldeneyes two of the most talented offensive defenders in women’s hockey.
“It seems like they have great structure [in Vancouver],” Harvey said. “They do well at shutting the play down and then to go on to the offensive attack. You could see within their games leading up to the end of their season, I feel like they were finding their groove.”
Vancouver secured the first-overall pick by earning the most Gold Plan points. Teams earned Gold Plan points by winning games after being eliminated from playoff contention.
Caroline Harvey, Abbey Murphy, Laila Edwards lead the pack of players who should get drafted at the top of the PWHL draft.
Edwards brings intelligence, a great shot and versatility to the new team in San Jose, led by former Toronto Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan.
She won an NCAA title with Wisconsin as a forward, but switched to defence for the American team at the Olympics.
“She can slow the game down or also turn on the jets kind of like no other,” Harvey said before the draft. “She’s so good at slowing the pace down but then finding the perfect path. Her IQ is off the charts. Her shot is unbelievable. I see her pick corners and you don’t think it’s going to get through, but then it’s in the back of the net.”
With the selection at fourth overall, Edwards became the highest-drafted Black player in PWHL history.
“My goal is to give back a fraction of what the game has given me,” Edwards said.
Swiderski the first Canadian off the board
Harvey and Edwards were part of a run of American players at the top of the draft.
University of Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy went to the Seattle Torrent at number two, followed by Penn State University forward Tessa Janecke at third overall. Both became Olympic gold medallists this past February.
Murphy is a skilled forward who blends toughness and scoring, while Janecke was the best centre available in the draft.
Ohio State defender Sara Swiderski was the first Canadian off the board, going to the Minnesota Frost with the ninth pick.
“I’m very honoured to be the first draft pick from Canada,” Swiderski said. “It’s been such a talented draft class that we have here between internationals, Canadians, Americans.”
PWHL Hamilton selected the first non-North American player play in the draft in Nelli Laitinen, a defender with the University of Minnesota and the Finnish national team.
Former University of Minnesota head coach Brad Frost previously told CBC Sports that Laitinen is one of the best defenders in the world. Frost was at Hamilton’s draft table on Wednesday as a consultant.
The Toronto Sceptres got exactly what the team needed at number eight, selecting Olympic gold medallist, Kirsten Simms, who fell further down the first round than expected.
She’ll be the most talented forward on a Toronto Sceptres team that lost two of its top-three scorers to PWHL Detroit.
“I’m excited overall to bring my style of game to the league in general and whatever Toronto needs me for and whatever they want me for, I will give them,” Simms said. “But at the same time, obviously I love to be offensive and have that skill and creative side to my game.”
The Ottawa Charge added University of Wisconsin defender Vivian Jungels after losing defender Rory Guilday to PWHL San Jose.
She was the fifth Wisconsin Badger to hear her name called in the first round.
The 2026 PWHL draft takes place Wednesday in Detroit. While the Victoire took home the Walter Cup this year, the team will look a lot different next season.
The Walter Cup-champion Montreal Victoire picked Finnish forward Petra Nieminen with the final pick of the first round.
Nieminen is one of the best players Finland has produced. She’s spent her entire professional hockey career so far in Europe.
The 27-year-old put up 369 career points with Luleå of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League. She also owns two Olympic bronze medals with the Finnish team (2018, 2022).
University of British Columbia forward Grace Elliott was the first player selected from U Sports, going to the Seattle Torrent in the fourth round (38th overall).
Elliott, who was named the Canada West player of the year, had 37 points in 28 games, ranking top three in the country. Standing six-foot-two, she would be the tallest player in the PWHL.
“She just has it all,” UBC head coach Graham Thomas told CBC Sports earlier this year. “She brings the total package.”
First-round PWHL Draft picks
1. Vancouver Goldeneyes: Caroline Harvey, D (University of Wisconsin)
2. Seattle Torrent: Abbey Murphy, F (University of Minnesota)
3. PWHL Las Vegas (via PWHL Detroit): Tessa Janecke, F (Penn State)
4. PWHL San Jose: Laila Edwards, F/D (University of Wisconsin)
5. PWHL Las Vegas: Lacey Eden, F (University of Wisconsin)
6. PWHL Hamilton: Nelli Laitinen, D (University of Minnesota)
7. New York Sirens: Emma Peschel, D (Ohio State University)
8. Toronto Sceptres: Kirsten Simms, F (University of Wisconsin)
9. Minnesota Frost: Sara Swiderski, D (Ohio State University)
10. Boston Fleet: Grace Dwyer, D (Cornell University)
11. Ottawa Charge: Vivian Jungels, D (University of Wisconsin)
12. Montreal Victoire: Petra Nieminen, F (Luleå, SDHL)
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