DETROIT — The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is holding its fourth draft on Wednesday in Detroit. Five members of the U.S. women's hockey team, which won gold at the Milan Cortina Games in February, are eligible for selection, and head coach John Wroblewski stated that Caroline Harvey is the likely first overall selection.

Harvey, 23, played defense for the University of Wisconsin. She received women's college hockey MVP honors and was named Olympic tournament MVP at the Milan Cortina Games. The draft class contains 236 players.

U.S. women's hockey team head coach John Wroblewski said, "I think it's going to be unprecedented to see this many Olympians taken, and pivotal PWHL players. It's certainly not going to be the norm going forward."

Vancouver is scheduled to hold the first overall pick, while Seattle will have the second overall pick. These teams were the first two eliminated from playoff contention. Las Vegas holds the third and fifth overall picks due to a transaction that sent Hilary Knight to Detroit. San Jose is scheduled to pick fourth, and Hamilton will pick sixth. The Toronto Sceptres hold the eighth overall pick.

Las Vegas general manager Dominique DiDia said, "The talent is there in the first round, but I don't think people have really been looking into rounds 3 through 6, and that talent is deep in this draft. It's not stopping at Round 1."

Switzerland national team goaltender Andrea Braendli is also eligible for the draft. She is 29 years old, played professionally in Sweden for three seasons, and received top goaltender honors at the Milan Cortina Games, allowing eight goals in seven games. Braendli stated that winning a bronze medal at the Milan Cortina Games motivated her to join the PWHL. "It really was a little emotional for me then. And that's when I showed I can do everything, so why not come here and play amongst the best of the best, because I deserve to be here," Braendli said.

Elisa Holopainen and Petra Nieminen, forwards for the Finland national team, are also in the draft class. The PWHL expanded to 12 teams for the current season.