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Sports
Matt Mikus

Minnesota picked to host PWHL draft in June

Hockey fans cheer at a game.
Fans cheer during Minnesota’s first home game against Montreal in the inaugural season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League Jan. 6, 2024 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Nicole Neri for MPR News | File

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Minnesota will host the Professional Women's Hockey League draft for 2024 on June 10.

The league announced Saturday that the six teams will make 42 selections in the "State of Hockey.”

Fans can sign up for notifications on PWHL Draft events as details emerge.

“PWHL Minnesota is thrilled to host the 2024 PWHL Draft in the State of Hockey,” said Natalie Darwitz, PWHL General Manager. “It will be an honor to welcome current players, future players, PWHL representatives, media and fans from around the world to Minnesota for this exciting event.”

The draft logo was also revealed, showing themes that reflect Minnesota, including an illustration of a lakefront that reflects the state’s slogan, “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”

A logo of PWHL Draft.
The PWHL 2024 Draft will be held in Minnesota.
PWHL

The women’s hockey league has a unique draft format, called the “Gold Plan,” that rewards the best team that has been eliminated from playoff contention. Once teams are eliminated from playoff contention, they have the chance to earn “draft order points” in the rest of their games using the same league point system to determine standings.

The team with the most points after being eliminated from playoff contention will have the first draft pick. The non-playoff team with the fewest draft order points will select second.

Picks three through six will be determined among the four playoff teams, based on the inverse order of the regular season standings. Meaning the team who wins the Walter Cup will pick last, while the first to be eliminated from playoffs will pick third.

The draft will utilize a traditional format, in which once a round is completed, the following round will be conducted in the same order as the previous round.

Minnesota is currently ranked third in the league, behind first place Toronto and Montreal in second, and is still in contention to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Both Toronto and Montreal have secured their spot in the postseason to compete for the Walter Cup.

Minnesota made history at the inaugural PWHL Draft on Sept. 18, 2023, in Toronto by selecting forward Taylor Heise with the first overall pick.

The PWHL season will expand its schedule for the next season, growing from 24 games to 30 games next year.