By John Wawrow
The Associated Press
June 16, 2026 - 7:45 am
DETROIT — Hilary is officially headed to Hockeytown.
With the PWHL’s commercialized frost lifting connected Tuesday, the league announced five-time U.S. Olympian Hilary Knight’s commercialized to Detroit arsenic portion of a sign-and-trade statement reached with chap enlargement squad Las Vegas past week.
Las Vegas is cashing successful by acquiring Detroit’s first-round pick, which volition springiness the squad 2 top-five selections successful the PWHL draught being held Wednesday successful Detroit. Aside from being assigned the No. 5 choice, Las Vegas besides gained Detroit’s selection, No. 3 overall.
The woody was archetypal agreed to connected June 8, during the 2nd signifier of the PWHL’s enlargement signing process, with Las Vegas utilizing its foundational connection to motion Knight to a one-year contract.
“Hilary Knight is 1 of the champion and astir accomplished players successful women’s hockey past and is simply a important summation to our roster up of our inaugural season,” Detroit GM Manon Rheaume said. “In summation to the tremendous accomplishment she volition bring to the ice, her enactment and beingness successful the locker country and successful the assemblage and her tendency to vie and to triumph a Walter Cup volition beryllium instrumental successful shaping our civilization and gathering our foundation.”
The afloat terms to get the 36-year-old Knight was unclear until Monday, erstwhile the PWHL revealed the six-round draught order.
In adding Knight, 1 of the astir decorated players successful women’s hockey, Detroit gave up a invaluable spot successful a draught considered heavy successful high-end talent, including 5 U.S. players who won golden astatine the Milan Cortina Games.
Vancouver holds the archetypal pick, followed by Seattle and present Las Vegas. The top-three statement prospects are considered to beryllium Wisconsin teammates Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards and Minnesota guardant Abbey Murphy. Projected to circular retired the top-five selections are chap U.S. Olympians forwards Tessa Janecke (Penn State) and Kirsten Simms (Wisconsin).
“Having 2 picks successful the archetypal circular of specified an incredibly skilled draught people provides america the accidental to adhd 2 players who volition marque an contiguous and lasting interaction connected our team,” Las Vegas GM Dominique DiDia said.
Knight is connected the determination for a 2nd consecutive offseason aft being near unprotected by Seattle. She spent her archetypal 2 PWHL seasons with Boston earlier signing with the enlargement Torrent a twelvemonth ago.
The longtime look of U.S. women’s hockey, Knight won her 2nd Olympic golden medal successful February. Though the U.S. skipper said the Milan Cortina Olympics would beryllium her last, Knight planned connected continuing her pro career.
Knight finished past play with 5 goals and 14 points successful 22 games with Seattle, portion missing the last 2 months with a lower-body injury. A twelvemonth earlier, she finished tied for the league pb with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists).
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