Caroline “K.K.” Harvey was chosen first overall by the Vancouver Goldeneyes in the 2026 PWHL Draft, held on Wednesday in Detroit. The 23-year-old University of Wisconsin defender was the first American to go first overall since Taylor Heise in the very first draft in 2023. She was also the first of many players taken from the World and Olympic champion USA and the NCAA champion Wisconsin Badgers.

Being selected first overall was the culmination of a fantastic season for Harvey, who in addition to her previously mentioned team victories, was also the MVP of the Women’s Olympic tournament and the recipient of the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in collegiate women’s hockey. Just hours before the draft, she was named IIHF Female Player of the Year.

“It’s been a special year – all the experiences with the U.S. team and Wisconsin,” Harvey said minutes after being drafted. “I’m just so grateful for all my coaches, teammates and family. It really takes a village and I’m just feeling really blessed right now.”
 

IIHF Female Player of the Year + @thepwhlofficial first overall draft pick = Caroline Harvey 🤩#WomensWorlds #IIHF @usahockey pic.twitter.com/sNhXoVR5mq

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) June 17, 2026

Harvey, who attributed her K.K. nickname to her younger sister, who couldn’t pronounce her name, was the first of five straight Americans taken to start the draft. She was also the first of five players from the University of Wisconsin among the first 11 overall picks.

Immediately following Harvey were fellow U.S. Olympic gold medalists Abbey Murphy, Tessa Janecke, Laila Edwards and Lacey Eden. Murphy from the University of Minnesota and Janecke from the University of Ohio, who are both three-time Kezmaier Award finalists, went second and third overall to Seattle and Las Vegas, respectively.

Then came two more Wisconsin players, Edwards and Eden. Edwards, who was MVP at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship as a forward before switching to defence, was immediately congratulated on stage by Harvey.

get a bestie that waits side stage to see you get drafted 🥹 https://t.co/rQPWoKnXE0 pic.twitter.com/THb7u45iR0

— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) June 17, 2026

“It means the world to me,” Edwards said of Harvey’s gesture. “I don’t know if you guys saw it, but I cried when she got picked. That’s my best friend, that’s my ride or die, and I’m really proud of her.”

The first two picks in the draft went to last year’s expansion teams, Vancouver and Seattle, followed by the four teams that will enter the league in 2026-27: Detroit, San Jose, Las Vegas and Hamilton. Las Vegas ended up with picks 3 and 5 (Janecke and Eden) after swinging a deal on the day before the draft that sent the legendary Hilary Knight to Detroit.

After the five Americans, the Hamilton expansion franchise chose Finnish defender Nelli Laitinen with the sixth overall pick. A three-time World Championship bronze medalist, 24-year-old Laitinen was a Minnesota teammate of Murphy.

The only Canadian chosen in the first round was Ohio State defender Sara Swidorski at No. 9 to the Minnesota Frost. The 21-year-old, who has yet to represent Canada at a major senior-level event, was an IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship gold medalist in 2022.

After the Ottawa Charge chose the 11^th NCAA player, ninth American and fourth Wisconsin Badger of the draft in the form of Vivian Jungels with the 11^th pick, the Walter Cup champion Montreal Victoire closed out the first round with the first European-based player at No. 12: Finnish centre Petra Nieminen from Lulea HF of Sweden’s SDHL.

“I’m pretty speechless right now,” Nieminen said about being teammates with Marie-Philip Poulin, Abby Roque and some of Montreal’s other stars. “But still, I’m happy to be going there, I want to play with them and help them win again.”

In all, the 12 first-round picks included seven defenders and five forwards:

1. Caroline Harvey, D, Vancouver Goldeneyes (USA)

2. Abbey Murphy, F, Seattle Torrent (USA)

3. Tessa Janecke, F, Las Vegas – via Detroit (USA)

4. Laila Edwards, D, San Jose (USA)

5. Lacey Eden, F, Las Vegas (USA)

6. Nelli Laitinen, D, Hamilton (FIN)

7. Emma Peschel, D, New York Sirens (USA)

8. Kristen Simms, F, Toronto Sceptres (USA)

9. Sara Swiderski, D, Minnesota Frost (CAN)

10. Grace Dwyer D, Boston Fleet (USA)

11. Vivian Jungels, D, Ottawa Charge (USA)

12. Petra Nieminen, F, Montreal Victoire (FIN)

YOUR 2026 PWHL ROUND ONE DRAFTEES 👏 pic.twitter.com/CykUcrRnJU

— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) June 17, 2026

After trading away its first pick, draft host Detroit made its first selection at 15 and chose Andrea Brandli – the first goaltender and first Swiss player of this draft – from the SDHL’s Frolunda HC. The veteran Brandli was named Best Goalkeeper at this year’s Olympics, backstopping Switzerland to the bronze medal.

After two SDHL players were already chosen, finally, the first Swede went 17^th overall when Vancouver selected Thea Johansson from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and HV71.

Of the 72 players drafted, 32 are from the USA, 27 are from Canada, four come from Finland, two each are from Switzerland and Sweden, and one each from China, Czechia, Denmark, Russia and Italy.

The Chinese player is Canadian-born goaltender Chen Tiya, from the University of Connecticut, who was chosen 28^th overall by San Jose. The Czech player chosen was Tereza Pisteckova from the SDHL’s SDE by Ottawa with the 35^th pick. Danish goalie Emma-Sofie Norstrom was chosen 54^th overall by Hamilton, Russian goalie Daria Gredzen was chosen 57^th by Minnesota, and Gabriella Durante, who was Italy’s goalie at this year’s Olympics, went 62^nd to Seattle.