Overview
- Phase 1 concluded with all eight incumbent clubs filing three-player protection lists after hurriedly re-signing key expiring players, a step that used protection slots for those contracts.
- Phase 2 opened on Friday, allowing the four expansion teams in Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose to submit 20-player exclusive negotiation lists and to make up to five binding Expansion Foundational Offers each.
- Expansion Foundational Offers carry a reported minimum first-year salary of $100,000 and are binding on players who accept them unless multiple expansion teams name the same player, in which case the player may choose.
- Several high-profile veterans were left unprotected — including Hilary Knight, Alina Müller, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Brianne Jenner — making them eligible for immediate offers and raising the likelihood of significant player movement.
- The process continues on a tight calendar with second protection windows and roster deadlines in mid-June, the PWHL Draft on June 17, and an open signing period on June 19, decisions that will determine how expansion and incumbent rosters are finalized.