Professional Women’s Hockey League to hold first-ever draft Monday

Professional Women’s Hockey League to hold first-ever draft Monday

The newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League will hold its first-ever draft on Monday. Although the teams haven’t been named yet, one of the six franchises will be in Minnesota.

The newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League will hold its first-ever draft on Monday. Although the teams haven’t been named yet, one of the six franchises will be in Minnesota.

The Minnesota team has the first pick in the draft, and is expected to take Taylor Heise, a 23-year-old from Lake City. Heise played for the Minnesota Gophers, where she was named a top college player last year, the second such award in as many years.

RELATED: Gophers forward Heise named WCHA Forward of the Year

As previously reported, Minnesota’s team will be managed by Natalie Darwitz. She has already filled three, pre-draft free-agent spots – Lee Stecklein and Kelly Pannek, both of Minnesota, as well as Kendall Coyne Scholfield, who is from Chicago but previously played in Minnesota.

The event gets underway at 12 p.m. and includes 15 rounds. Teams will select in the reverse order in each round.

RELATED: Unable to play professionally, Darwitz realizes women’s hockey dream as one of PWHLs 6 GMs