PWHL Seattle’s 2025 training camp: what the roster tells us and what to expect

Seattle’s first real team moment is official.

On Oct. 16, the club announced a 28-player training camp roster that will skate together for the first time on Nov. 11 at the Kraken Community Iceplex and then play two closed preseason scrimmages at Pacific Coliseum against Vancouver on Nov. 15 and 16. The camp list is a compact, deliberate mix. It consists of high-end veteran signings, players acquired through the expansion process, and nine camp invitees and unsigned draft picks competing for the final spots. Roster decisions must be finalized by Nov. 19 with a maximum of 23 active players.

“As a new team, we’ll hit the ice looking to quickly establish our identity and gel as a cohesive unit," said PWHL Seattle General Manager Meghan Turner in a league press release. "It will certainly be a competitive camp as we look to solidify our final roster — and we expect high energy from the players as we get our inaugural season preparation underway.”

PWHL Seattle entered the expansion window and signing period with a clear plan: assemble top-end talent, lock in a reliable starter, and use camp to calibrate chemistry, roles, and special-teams units. The training camp roster begins to reveal how that blueprint is taking shape.

Shaping the top line

It would not be surprising to see former Boston Fleet captain, Hilary Knight centering Seattle’s first line. A two-way power forward who posted 15 goals and 14 assists in 30 games last season with the Fleet (0.97 points per game) while tying for the PWHL points lead. Alex Carpenter, formerly with the New York Sirens, similarly brings high-tempo center play and a proven power-play touch, with 43 points over the last two seasons. Mikyla Grant-Mentis could supply the physical, puck-hunting presence who can finish chances and create space. That trio, or some combination of them, will most likely anchor the top six. 

The question Seattle will want to work on in camp: how to assign wings and centers so Knight can play free, Carpenter can handle heavy minutes at center (including draws and special teams), and Grant-Mentis can provide finish and transition tempo.

Defense and special teams: structure first

On the back end, Seattle has length and mobility.

Cayla Barnes is a puck-moving defender who can quarterback the power play, while Aneta Tejralová and Emily Brown offer balance and reliability. Corinne Schroeder gives Seattle a goaltender who can stabilize new pairings; she led the PWHL in shutouts in 2024-25 and can steal wins in tight games. Seattle will most likely be patient in net while they build pairings around Schroeder. One major focus of camp will be finding the right partner for Barnes, putting together a second pair that can move the puck, and determining the composition of a shutdown pair, both at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Where minutes will be won and lost

Seattle’s depth chart features mid-range workhorses like Jessie Eldridge, Julia Gosling, and Natalie Snodgrass who will compete for second and third-line spots and special-teams minutes. Their accomplishments and roles with their teams last season are proof that they bring offensive upside and reliability. Their camp performances, especially in scrimmages, will decide ice time and opportunity. The coaching challenge is blending veteran signings and new acquisitions while maintaining a clear identity: aggressive in transition, disciplined defensively, and opportunistic on special teams.

In the crease

Schroeder stands as the clear starter, bringing the kind of statistical reliability and game-stealing capacity that allow the coaching staff to build the rest of the roster around her. The camp roster also lists goaltenders CJ Jackson and Hannah Murphy (a signed 2025 draft pick). While Jackson’s PWHL workload is limited, it includes a .962 save percentage in one regular-season appearance with the Toronto Sceptres and a 22-save overtime playoff outing, plus a .924 career save percentage at the University of Maine, illustrating a backup with proven efficiency in pressure moments. Murphy’s readiness will also be a key storyline during camp. 

Jackson’s role will be gauged in camp by their response to a higher workload, how they handle rebound control under extended minutes, and how quickly they adapt to Seattle’s defensive structure. If everything comes together according to plan, Seattle will have a solid starter and backup with a promising young goaltender in Murphy, challenging Schroeder and Jackson for ice time and opportunities to dress and start.

The camp invites and unsigned draft picks

Of the 28 players in camp, 19 are signed. Among the nine unsigned are four draft picks and five camp invites. The unsigned draft group — Lily Delianedis, Jada Habisch, Olivia Wallin, and Lyndie Lobdell — represents Seattle’s effort to blend youth and potential while staying flexible. The five camp invites — Brooke Bryant, Sydney Langseth, Marah Wagner, Lily Yovetich, and Emily Zumwinkle — are veterans or emerging players with a real chance to earn contracts through performance. Their ability to handle puck pressure and execute under forecheck will determine who makes the final 23.