SAN JOSE, CA\u00a0\u2013 PWHL\u00a0San Jose\u00a0today announced that\u00a0defender Laila Edwards has been signed to a three-year Professional Women\u2019s Hockey League (PWHL) Standard Player Agreement through the 2028-29 season. Selected fourth overall in the 2026 PWHL Draft, Edwards was the first of six players chosen by PWHL San Jose in the six-round process on June 17 and is the first member of the team\u2019s inaugural draft class to sign ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled to officially welcome Laila to San Jose and are excited about what her commitment means for the future we are building here,\u201d said Troy Ryan, PWHL San Jose General Manager and Head Coach. \u201cLaila is an exceptional talent who embodies the character we value in our organization. She has tremendous potential, and we are committed to supporting her growth and development as she establishes herself as a professional.\u201d<\/p>\n
Edwards won three National Championships in four seasons at the University of Wisconsin, amassing 199 points (81G, 118A) in 151 games across her collegiate career. Her most productive season was in 2024-25 when she led the nation with 35 goals and finished the campaign with 71 points in 41 games as a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Most recently, the 22-year-old from Cleveland Heights, OH, recorded 45 points (12G, 33A) in 28 games for the Badgers in 2025-26. Internationally, Edwards won gold in her U.S. Olympic debut in Milan this past February and has one gold and one silver medal in IIHF Women\u2019s World Championship competition. She was named the tournament\u2019s MVP in 2024, becoming the youngest player (age 20) to win the award.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t have landed in a better place and organization than San Jose,\u201d said Edwards. \u201cI\u2019m so excited to get to work and get going with this group.\u201d<\/p>\n
On PWHL San Jose, Edwards is the 14th player under contract and the only one signed through 2028-29. The team has nine players signed to two-year deals including forwards Anne Cherkowski, Maggie Connors, Kristin O’Neill and Maddi Wheeler, defenders Rory Guilday, Hadley Hartmetz, Mariah Keopple and Daniela Pej\u0161ov\u00e1, plus goaltender Corinne Schroeder. Forwards Brooke Bryant, Kristin Della Rovere, Nat\u00e1lie Ml\u00fdnkov\u00e1 and goaltender Abbey Levy are signed for one season.<\/p>\n
A complete list of player signings and transactions is available on the official\u202fPWHL Transactions Page<\/a>. To see the full overview of the status of PWHL player contracts, visit the PWHL Contract Guide\u202fhere<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n ABOUT PWHL\u00a0SAN JOSE\u00a0 PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. \u00a9 PWHL 2026. All Rights Reserved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
PWHL\u00a0San Jose\u00a0is one of 12 teams in the Professional Women\u2019s Hockey League (PWHL), which was founded in 2023. The PWHL began its inaugural season in January 2024 and features the best women\u2019s hockey players in the world. PWHL\u00a0San Jose\u00a0was\u202fofficially announced<\/a>\u00a0as one of the league\u2019s four new expansion teams on May 19\u00a0and will debut at\u00a0SAP Center\u00a0in the fall. Fans can place a time-stamped deposit\u202fhere
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