How the five Canadian PWHL teams look one month into the offseason

One month into the PWHL offseason, the five Canadian teams are beginning to take shape after a busy period of expansion, drafts, and roster movement. PWHL Hamilton appears to be in the strongest position so far, with GM Meghan Duggan building around a balanced mix of defense, speed, leadership, and goaltending. Montreal Victoire, last season’s champions, have had to replace several key departures but added Finnish forward Petra Nieminen and resigned Abby Roque as they try to stay competitive. Toronto Sceptres still have major work to do after losing several top scorers, though firstround pick Kirsten Simms adds some needed offensive upside. Ottawa Charge face a difficult task after choosing to protect Rebecca Leslie instead of Brianne Jenner and Emily Clark, leaving a clear need at center. On defense, firstround pick Vivian Jungels gives them another promising piece. Vancouver Goldeneyes, meanwhile, kept most of their expansion core intact and added top defender Caroline Harvey, strengthening an already deep roster. Free agency could still change each team’s outlook before the season begins.