As the PWHL prepares to expand to Seattle and Vancouver, the intrigue grows over what the rosters of both the new and existing teams will look like.Â
°Õ³ó±ðÌýº£½ÇÉçÇø¹ÙÍøSceptres, are almost certain to lose one of their stars in the expansion draft and find themselves with a noticeably different roster next season.
With a limited number of players available to protect, here’s how  could impact the Sceptres.Â
How does the expansion draft work?
The original six PWHL teams must decide which three players they will protect by noon on June 3.Â
The two new franchises then have a five-day window (June 4-8) during which they can sign up to five players left unprotected. The expansion teams can also sign “any player on an expiring contract.”
Fast was the league’s top-scoring blueliner this season and also led the PWHL in power-play assists, hits and minutes.
Fast was the league’s top-scoring blueliner this season and also led the PWHL in power-play assists, hits and minutes.
If a team ends up losing two players in either the signing window or the draft itself, they will be able to protect an additional player.
Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury told the Star that the team won’t pre-determine the potential fourth protected player, deciding it instead based on positional needs, should it get to that point.Â
“In the event that the first two players on your roster come from a certain position, you can protect yourself a little by protecting someone in that position,” Kingsbury said.
The draft itself takes place June 9, and will proceed until each team has a 12-player roster.Â
Who could the Sceptres lose in the expansion draft?
With the initial ability to protect three players, the Sceptres look likely to lose at least one of defender Renata Fast and forwards Sarah Nurse, Darryl Watts and Emma Maltais, all of whom were key to their second-place finish this season.
Given their production and experience, the Sceptres may opt to protect Fast, captain Blayre Turnbull and Watts, while leaving Nurse and Emma Woods, along with Maltais and defenders Savannah Harmon and Allie Munroe, to be scooped by the expansion teams.
Kingsbury said that the first question the team will be asking themselves is whether a player they’re considering protecting is irreplaceable.
“I do think there’s players on our roster that may not be as easy to replace,” Kingsbury said. “And by no means is that a knock on the ones that we’re not going to protect, but there’s some athletes that are pretty unique in what they bring both on and off the ice, and I think that’s probably the first place we’ll look at.”
Natalie Spooner, who signed a two-year contract prior to the inaugural season, is a free agent and isn’t factored into the protection conversation. The same goes for forwards Jesse Compher, Hannah Miller and Hayley Scamurra and defenders Kali Flanagan and Rylind MacKinnon.
The Sceptres’ goaltending situation could also change significantly. Fan favourite Carly Jackson is a free agent, while the tandem of Raygan Kirk and Kristen Campbell could be among those left unprotected.
PWHL draft comes next
Teams will have the chance to replenish their depth charts with the PWHL draft on June 24, just 15 days after the expansion draft.
The league has not yet announced the draft order, but the Sceptres, with the second-best record during the regular season, could end up picking near the bottom.
University of Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy and Clarkson University blueliner Haley Winn headline the pool of 199 players who are eligible to be drafted.Â
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