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Sirens draft Ohio State defender Emma Peschel, pass on goalies: Takeaways

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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co

The New York Sirens selected six players in the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft on Wednesday night in Detroit. General manager Pascal Daoust notably did not draft a goaltender, despite a glaring need at the position.

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Instead, the Sirens added four forwards and two defenders in a draft class headlined by Ohio State co-captain Emma Peschel at No 7 overall. A two-time All-WCHA defender with a strong 5-foot-10 frame, Peschel is a pro-ready prospect who should make an immediate impact on the left side of New York’s blue line — and seems eager to adapt to the PWHL’s more physical style of play.

“Can’t wait,” Peschel told reporter Rob Pizzo in front of a packed Fox Theatre. “I love playing physical. I love throwing hits when I can.”

The Minnesota native can contribute offensively, recording a career-high 10 goals and 39 points as a senior with the Buckeyes.

The Sirens landed Finnish forward Elisa Holopainen in the second round (No. 19 overall), just four picks after PWHL Detroit selected Swiss Olympian Andrea Brändli, widely regarded as the top goalie in the draft. An exciting international prospect, Holopainen led the SDHL in scoring in 2024-25. She amassed 51 goals and 87 points in 72 games across two seasons. The transition to a tighter, more physical North American game can be a challenge, but the 24-year-old’s speed and skill make it a worthwhile investment for New York.

“I think it will be different,” Holopainen said of the transition to the PWHL. “But I think I can do a lot with my skating, so I think it will help me.”

The Sirens further bolstered their forward ranks with Carina DiAntonio (No. 31 overall), Katelyn Roberts (No. 43 overall), and Naomi Boucher (No. 67 overall). They added another defender, Grace Wolfe, in the fifth round (No. 55 overall).

DiAntonio captained Yale in 2025-26, following in the footsteps of Anna Bargman (2024-25) and Elle Hartje (2023-24). The three former captains are now reunited in New York, alongside another Yale alum in Boucher. The Sirens have drafted Yale’s captain in three straight seasons — a notable streak given the program’s tradition of naming only one captain each season.

DiAntonio finished sixth in the nation with 26 goals in her senior campaign. She projects as a potential middle-six forward who could help replace some of the scoring New York lost this offseason.

Her Bulldogs teammate, Boucher, follows her as New York’s final pick. The 23-year-old won 487 faceoffs in 2025-26, fifth-most in the nation, at a stellar 61.4 percent clip. She could compete for a fourth-line role in 2026-27.

Roberts became the first black woman drafted by the Sirens. A linemate of No. 3 overall pick Tessa Janecke at Penn State, the 22-year-old is an excellent passer with a physical edge who eclipsed 30 points in each of her final two NCAA seasons. Concerns remain about her skating ability, but her ability to play a heavy game is certainly an asset.

Wolfe profiles as a PWHL depth defender after five seasons with St. Cloud State. She is the second Huskies blue-liner drafted by the Sirens, following Dayle Ross in 2025. The 23-year-old plays a defense-first game and could factor in as an extra skater.

This marks New York’s first draft class without a Colgate University alum since Greg Fargo was named head coach in June 2024.

Sirens weren’t hunting goalies in 2026 PWHL Draft

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Eight goalies came off the board Wednesday — a PWHL draft record. But New York wasn’t one of the eight teams that selected a netminder. Evidently, that was by design.

The Sirens were not actively targeting a goalie, Daoust told Rachel Donner following the draft. New York’s GM expressed confidence in backups Callie Shanahan and Kaley Doyle, both drafted in 2025, and pointed to free agency as a potential avenue to fill the team’s third goalie spot.

That comes as something of a surprise, given the departure of Kayle Osborne this offseason. The second-year goalie absorbed a heavy workload in 2025-26, starting 27 of New York’s 30 games. The Sirens left her unprotected in Phase 1, prioritizing star forwards Sarah Fillier, Kristyna Kaltounkova, and Casey O’Brien. Osborne promptly signed a three-year deal with PWHL Hamilton when Phase 2 opened.

There is merit to the thought process, though.

The Sirens had major holes at all three position groups after expansion — forward most notably — and a less-than-ideal draft spot to fill them with. In a shallow goalie draft class, at least in terms of pro-ready talent, Daoust might have been wise to stack up on skater talent once Brändli and UConn’s Tia Chan came off the board.

New York had a brief window to select Brändli, but it would have required doing so ahead of Detroit’s inaugural pick at No. 15 overall. Ultimately, the organization couldn’t afford to pass on the talent available at No. 7, especially after losing five key skaters in expansion.

The 29-year-old Brändli is by far the most PWHL-ready goalie in the 2026 draft class. She has dominated international play, most recently at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, and looks capable of stepping into a starting role immediately. Still, drafting a goalie in the top 10 carries inherent risk, particularly one already deep into her prime. For a young, developing Sirens team, 22-year-old Peschel or 21-year-old forward Kirsten Simms offered a better long-term return than a goalie with a shorter runway.

New York prioritized Holopainen in the second round over Chan, and once again, it’s difficult to fault the decision. Chan brings athleticism and upside, but there’s no guarantee she’ll be ready for full-time starting duties as a rookie. Holopainen carries risk as well, as some Finnish forwards — including former Siren Noora Tulus — have struggled to translate their offensive game to the PWHL. Still, New York will have a hard time courting a player with her offensive skill set on the open market, given the club’s well-documented struggles to attract top free agents.

Landing a goalie in free agency will be far easier. Few goalies turn down a starting gig, with only 12 such jobs available. The Sirens can start negotiating with free agents Friday at noon EST, when Phase 6’s “open signing period” begins. Toronto Sceptres backup Elaine Chuli and Montreal Victoire backup Sandra Abstreiter are widely viewed as the top two targets available. Neither has extensive PWHL game experience, but both present safer bets than rolling the dice on a rookie goalie in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft.

It’s also worth considering if Daoust would inquire about Kristen Campbell. The 2024 Goaltender of the Year is currently backing up Emerance Maschemeyer on the Vancouver Goldeneyes, but spent two seasons as a full-time starter in Toronto. She has a 2.13 goals-against average (GAA) and .918 save percentage in 55 career games, and would represent an upgrade over any goalie in the UFA market. Campbell is under contract with Vancouver through 2026-27, so the Sirens would need to acquire her via trade. That’s something Vancouver might entertain after selecting Penn State goalie Katelyn DeSa at the start of the fourth round (No. 37 overall).

Sirens could regret passing on Simms

Kirsten Simms and Casey O’Brien — Photo by: Miles Felix / courtesy of Wisconsin Athletics

One of the biggest surprises of the draft was Simms slipping to No. 8 overall, where the Sceptres happily scooped her up. The Sirens were among the teams that passed on the exciting Olympian.

Daoust opted for Peschel, explaining afterward that shoring up the top four was a priority on draft night. Once again, there is merit to the decision.

New York had a clear hole in its top four after second-year defender Allyson Simpson signed a two-year contract with Hamilton in Phase 4. Peschel brings strong two-way ability and all the physical tools necessary to step into that role immediately. As one of two left-shot defenders currently under contract, she fills a need. Don’t be surprised if Fargo places her on the second pair with alternate captain Jaime Bourbonnais.

Taking Peschel would have been a home run pick had Simms already been off the board. But her availability at No. 7 overall makes it a bolder choice.

The Wisconsin alum is one of the top playmakers in her draft class, boasting elite hands and strong hockey sense. She led the nation in scoring as a sophomore in 2023-24 with 75 points in 39 games. In 2025-26, she fell just short of a two-point-per-game pace, totaling 59 points in just 31 games while missing eight contests to represent the United States in Milan-Cortina.

Most 2026 draft rankings had Simms in the top five overall. The Score’s Kyle Cushman had Simms ranked No. 4 overall as the second-best forward in her class.

Her pre-existing chemistry with former Badgers teammate O’Brien should only have added to her appeal. Simms and O’Brien were linemates in Madison — and incredibly successful ones at that. The prospect of adding a superstar in Fillier to their other wing is the stuff of dreams.

Granted, the Sirens already have three elite forwards. But in a low-scoring league like the PWHL, you can never have too many. New York’s secondary scoring was thoroughly depleted in expansion, with Anne Cherkowski, Maddi Wheeler, and Girard all signing elsewhere. Scoring depth was an issue in 2025-26, even before their departures. Simms is the type of talent who could single-handedly elevate an offense.

Peschel has the potential to be a very good top-pair defender for a long time. Still, the Sirens might kick themselves if Simms develops into one of the game’s top scorers. That would ring especially true if New York can’t keep this core of Fillier, O’Brien, and Kaltounkova together over the long-term.

All draft picks gel with Greg Fargo’s scheme

Katelyn Roberts — courtesy of Penn State Athletics

With a largely revamped group in 2025-26, the Sirens developed a distinct identity — one built around speed, toughness, and an aggressive offensive attack. It became readily apparent that all six of New York’s selections Wednesday fit that mold, at least on paper.

Peschel’s eagerness to assimilate to the League’s physicality mirrored similar sentiments expressed by last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Kaltounkova, ahead of her rookie campaign. Sirens coach Greg Fargo welcomed that mindset, insisting that Kaltounkova’s physicality was a key part of her unique skill set. It’s fair to assume he’ll embrace that side of Peschel’s game as well.

Holopainen’s physicality is not as pronounced as New York’s five other selections. In fact, it remains to be seen how the more finesse-style winger will adjust to a more bruising game. She’ll fit right in on the offensive attack, though, boasting great speed and an ability to attack opponents on the rush.

DiAntonio labeled herself as a “very tough player,” and has the scoring touch to thrive within a Sirens system that finished second League-wide in shots on goal in 2025-26. Boucher profiles as a fourth-line disruptor with a responsible defensive game. It’s not hard to picture her on one of Fargo’s bottom-six checking lines.

Roberts is a particularly exciting fit, given her experience in a similar system under Jeff Kampersal at Penn State.

“Something that our offensive coach, Makenna [Newkirk], would say a lot is, like, just consistent pressure is so important,” she said Wednesday. “That’s the style that we love to play, and that’s the system that I’ve played behind for the last four years. I found a lot of success in it, my team has found a lot of success in it, and I understand that there’s definitely a lot of success that can be found in the PWHL.”

The 5-foot-7 Roberts envisions herself as a power forward. Her foot speed could limit her impact in transition, but she’ll add a necessary presence to this roster.

Wolfe will add some mobility to the Sirens’ blue line and could develop into a solid two-way player after serving a wide range of roles at St. Cloud State.

Every organization looks to land players that fit its system. New York appears to have done so, though the verdict will come on the ice.

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