Vancouver landed its franchise player, as the Goldeneyes selected Wisconsin and USA Hockey defender Caroline “KK” Harvey No. 1 overall at Wednesday’s 2026 PWHL Draft.
23-year-old Harvey enters the league with a stacked résumé, including winning Olympic gold and tournament MVP in Milan, three NCAA titles, and IIHF Player of the Year — with the final honor announced just hours before the draft.
Abbey Murphy went second to Seattle, followed by Tessa Janecke to Las Vegas, and Laila Edwards to San Jose at No. 4, making the Wisconsin product the league’s highest-drafted Black player on record.
Boston Fleet Sweeps 2026 PWHL Awards
Boston cleaned up at this week’s PWHL awards, as goalie Aerin Frankel took home both the Billie Jean King MVP trophy and Goalie of the Year — becoming the first PWHL goalie to win MVP honors.
Laila Edwards is preparing for the next step in her women’s ice hockey career, confirming that she’ll enter the PWHL draft after graduating from Wisconsin this year.
Edwards, a three-time NCAA champion with the Badgers, will graduate on May 9th with a 4.0 GPA and a degree in social welfare. As she recently told Good Morning America, going pro is now the plan, with the PWHL draft set for late June.
“Pro? That’s the plan,” Edwards said. “Entering the draft at the end of June.”
The forward has played a key role in the Badgers’ recent success, while also helping Team USA win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 22-year-old made history in Milan, when she became Team USA’s first Black woman goal-scorer in February’s 5-0 group-stage win over Canada. Opening up about her experience, Edwards pointed to the impact she hopes to have — both on and off the ice.
“I think representation matters, so to be that representation means the world,” she said. “That is the greatest reward, by far… the inspiration. It’s everything.”
Edwards also emphasized how she wants to be remembered as her career continues to develop.
“I’m super competitive. I love winning,” she said. “But I want to leave a legacy about who I was as a role model, a leader, and a person.”
Edwards is expected to be one of the top players to watch in the 2026 PWHL Draft — alongside fellow USA Hockey and Wisconsin teammate Caroline Harvey.
She also added that her long-term plans extend beyond hockey, pointing to a future focused on helping others.
“Whatever I’m going to do with that, I don’t know yet,” Edwards said of her Bachelor’s degree. “Just the idea of helping people who need help.”
Team USA put the hockey world on notice on Tuesday, defeating rival Canada 5-0 to remain unbeaten atop Group A in Milan — securing the Olympic tournament's No. 1 seed heading into Friday's quarterfinals.
While PWHL pro Hannah Bilka led the scoresheet with two goals, the University of Wisconsin provided the other three USA tallies, as current Badger stars Caroline Harvey, Kirsten Simms, and Laila Edwards all found the back of the net.
Edwards made more US hockey history in the process, as the 22-year-old became the first-ever Black woman to score an Olympic goal for Team USA.
With two assists from Harvey and a trio from University of Minnesota captain Abbey Murphy, young NCAA stars proved crucial to handing Canada their worst loss — and only shutout — in Olympic history.
Meanwhile, goalie Aerin Frankel stopped 20 shots in the clash to post her second shutout of the 2026 Winter Olympics, as an assist from captain Hilary Knight saw her tie hockey legend Jenny Potter's all-time US points record.
"Our team's making my life pretty easy," Frankel said postgame. "It's been so much fun to play behind them."
The defending gold medalists notably missed injured captain Marie-Philip Poulin in the loss, with the 34-year-old ruled out five hours before Tuesday’s puck-drop and still considered questionable ahead of Canada's rescheduled group-stage finale against Finland on Thursday.
Team USA, on the other hand, has now outscored opponents 20-1 through four Olympic hockey games, while also counting seven straight victories over Canada across all competitions.
"What's the hardest part of climbing the mountain? Getting home," USA head coach John Wroblewski said this week. "You think you've done something, that's when the mountain eats you up."
How to watch Team USA in the 2026 Olympic hockey quarterfinals
After Canada caps the group stage against Finland at 8:30 AM ET on Thursday, streaming live on Peacock, the top-seeded US will take on host nation and No. 8-seed Italy in the quarterfinal round on Friday.
The puck drops on the knockout clash at 3:10 PM ET, airing live on USA Network.
Laila Edwards made Olympic hockey history on Tuesday, becoming the first Black woman to score a goal for Team USA as the US secured a shutout 5-0 victory over rival Canada.
The Ohio native's tally sealed the group-stage win for Team USA. The historic moment also cemented the 2022 Beijing silver medalists as the tournament's top goalscorers, outscoring Olympic opponents 20-1 en route to clinching first place in Group A.
Edwards called the milestone "an incredible honor" in an interview with CBS Mornings.
"I get to be the first of something and a role model for others," she said.
The University of Wisconsin defender joined USA Women's Hockey in 2023, becoming the squad's first-ever Black player. Now competing in her first Olympic hockey tournament, Edwards continues breaking barriers at the highest level of international competition.
"It's cliché, but it's my safe space," Edwards said of the sport. "I just feel like I can be myself and do what I love."
The 22-year-old credits her family for helping her make the Olympic hockey team. Her father started her in figure skating at age three, subsequently transitioning her to hockey two years later.
"I definitely felt like I belonged, but there were times when there was a bit of intimidation, just being the only girl on my team," Edwards recalled. "I was such a tomboy... basically one of them."
"There's no rule book that says hockey is for boys," she continued. "There's no reason you shouldn't do it if you love it."
What's next for Team USA at the 2026 Olympic hockey tournament
Team USA now leads the Olympic hockey standings heading into the quarterfinals, delivering a perfect 4-0 group-stage record. They enter the knockout rounds as the gold medal favorite.
The US now takes the ice against host nation Italy on Friday at 3:10 PM ET, live on Peacock.
USA Hockey is sending a refreshed lineup to Italy this winter, with Friday's 23-player Olympic roster tapping both newcomers and seasoned veterans looking to avenge 2022's silver-medal finish.
US hockey legend Hilary Knight will play in her fifth — and final — Winter Games next month, with the 36-year-old forward joining fellow veteran mainstays Kendall Coyne Schofield and Lee Stecklein as just 11 players return from the team's Beijing campaign.
After falling just short of gold in Beijing, this year's USA hockey roster balances youth with experience, heading to Milan with a full dozen Olympic debutants, including seven college players — a full four from reigning NCAA champion Wisconsin.
All other 16 athletes currently compete in the PWHL with the pro league sending players from five of its eight teams to join the US squad in February.
The rest of the team focuses on young talent, including University of Wisconsin defender Laila Edwards, who will make history as USA Hockey's first-ever Black woman Olympian when she steps on the ice in Italy.
"It still hasn't really kicked in yet. Getting that call is like a dream come true," said Edwards.
How to watch Team USA hockey in the 2026 Winter Olympics
The USA will open their 2026 Olympic campaign against Czechia at 10:40 AM ET on February 5th before subsequent Group A games against Finland, Switzerland, and defending champions Canada.
The clash will air live on USA Network as part of the full 2026 Olympic Games coverage across NBC platforms.
USA Hockey's 2026 Olympic roster
Goaltenders: Aerin Frankel (Boston Fleet), Ava McNaughton (University of Wisconsin), Gwyneth Philips (Ottawa Charge)
Defenders: Cayla Barnes (Seattle Torrent), Laila Edwards (University of Wisconsin), Rory Guilday (Ottawa Charge), Caroline Harvey (University of Wisconsin), Megan Keller (Boston Fleet), Lee Stecklein (Minnesota Frost), Haley Winn (Boston Fleet)
Forwards: Hannah Bilka (Seattle Torrent), Alex Carpenter (Seattle Torrent), Kendall Coyne Schofield (Minnesota Frost), Britta Curl-Salemme (Minnesota Frost), Joy Dunne (Ohio State University), Taylor Heise (Minnesota Frost), Tessa Janecke (Penn State University), Hilary Knight (Seattle Torrent), Abbey Murphy (University of Minnesota), Kelly Pannek (Minnesota Frost), Hayley Scamurra (Montréal Victoire), Kirsten Simms (University of Wisconsin), Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota Frost)