San Jose has a PWHL team, but it still needs players to take to the ice. Some of those players will be selected in the PWHL Draft on June 17. But there will also be players selected before the draft. These are the players who are currently in the PWHL and might be willing to switch to another team. That\u2019s what\u2019s happening starting on June 1, when the Preliminary Player Negotiation Period opens at 9 a.m. PT\/12 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n
The expansion process is set to happen in six phases, and it happens mostly in the first few weeks of June, so buckle up, it\u2019s going to happen fast. Newly named General Manager and Head Coach Troy Ryan will be tasked with picking these players. The good news for PWHL San Jose fans is that Ryan moved over from the Toronto Sceptres, so he knows a lot about the women he\u2019ll be asked to evaluate and select.<\/p>\n
But how will it all go down? Here\u2019s what you need to know as a budding PWHL San Jose fan. <\/p>\n
How will San Jose build the foundation of its PWHL roster?<\/p>\n
Each PWHL team can protect three players. These are the untouchables, meaning expansion teams can\u2019t talk to the players or try to sign them. For the Montreal Victoire, the newly crowned Walter Cup Champions, it sounds like the team will protect forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey and goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s no word yet on who the Ottawa Charge, Toronto Sceptres, Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, New York Sirens, Seattle Torrent or Vancouver Goldeneyes will protect, but it will come out in the next day or two. Lists were due on May 28, and Phase 1 \u2013 Existing Team Signings and Protections, is supposed to take place from June 2-3.<\/p>\n
After that, it\u2019s Phase 2, where expansion teams get a shot. Between June 5 and 8, it\u2019s a frenzy. Hamilton, Detroit, San Jose and Las Vegas will submit a 20-player Exclusive Negotiation Target List identifying the players the team wants to pursue. Anyone who\u2019s not protected by the existing teams is fair game, but you don\u2019t know whether you\u2019re targeting the same player as another expansion team. In other words, you could be fighting it out with another team. You cannot sign a player not on your list.<\/p>\n
The goal is to sign five players through this process. Within those contracts, there can be one binding Expansion Foundational Offer (EFO), which will be handed to a \u201ccornerstone player.\u201d It\u2019s a multi-year contract opportunity that can last anywhere from one to four years. It\u2019s up to the player to decide how long they want the contract to last.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a non-binding Foundational Player Offers (FPOs) available to eligible players on expiring contracts. These are larger contracts that are for at least two years and pay more than $80,000 per season, but unlike the EFO, a player has the option to decline the offer and explore free agency instead. <\/p>\n
A couple of other wrinkles in the expansion process. First, each existing team can lose up to three players under contract for the 2026-27 season. And, if an expansion team doesn\u2019t have five players signed when the music stops, the rules say a \u201cselection process\u201d will be used, but there\u2019s not much detail on what that selection process is.<\/p>\n
Confused yet?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the bottom line. When it\u2019s all said and done, PWHL San Jose will have five roster players. <\/p>\n
The next building block of PWHL San Jose: free agency<\/p>\n
On June 10-12, that\u2019s when Phase 3, the Preliminary Open Signing Period, starts. This is where all the teams get a shot at the free agents. Just like free agency day in the NHL, players get to choose who makes them the best offer based on quality of life (remember we have sunshine, awesome facilities and really great women\u2019s hockey fans) and money. <\/p>\n
The PWHL has added some ground rules to this process to try to keep from gutting existing teams:<\/p>\n
Existing teams can add three additional protections to their list; it doesn\u2019t matter if the players are signed for next season or on expiring contracts.<\/p>\n
Expansion teams can sign up to three additional players.<\/p>\n
Players who received an FPO and remain unsigned after Phase 2 must sign in Phase 3.<\/p>\n
After everyone\u2019s had a fair shot at the free agents, the expansion teams get another shot in Phase 4, the Expansion Signing Period from June 14-15. Any player not signed or protected can sign with the expansion teams, and this includes players under contract from 2026-27. <\/p>\n
The goal is to get each expansion team\u2019s roster up to 10 players. If a team hasn\u2019t reached 10 players by the end of Phase 4, an additional player selection process will take place to finish things up.<\/p>\n
During Phases 1-4, the teams are under a roster freeze. They can\u2019t make trades, sign players or execute contract extensions, except under very limited circumstances. <\/p>\n