New York Sirens choose Czech ahead Kristýna Kaltounková 1st general in PWHL draft

[ad_1] The New York Sirens have chosen Colgate College ahead Kristýna Kaltounková with the primary choose within the 2025 PWHL draft on Tuesday, including an influence ahead with a penchant for scoring targets.

Kaltounková is the primary European participant drafted first general into the PWHL, and the very best drafted participant from the Czech Republic.

"What a fantastic honour representing not simply myself, however my nation and my teammates," Kaltounková advised reporters after the historic choose.

Earlier this 12 months, Kaltounková turned the primary participant from the Czech Republic to develop into a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the highest participant in faculty hockey this season at Colgate, the place she produced 48 factors in 37 video games.

She is Colgate's all-time main purpose scorer, potting 111 targets over 5 seasons.

In her world championship debut this previous spring, Kaltounková tied fellow draft-eligible ahead, Natálie Mlýnková, for the staff lead in factors (six in seven video games).

WATCH | Sirens tab Kaltounková with high choose:

New York Sirens choose Kristýna Kaltounková as 1st general choose in PHWL draft

Czech Republic born ahead Kristýna Kaltounková chosen first general within the PWHL draft in Ottawa by the New York Sirens. The Sirens may slot Kaltounková on its first line alongside Sarah Fillier, giving the staff two bonafide capturing threats, and filling a gap left by the departure of Alex Carpenter in the course of the enlargement course of.

The five-foot-nine ahead must also be capable to assist make area for Fillier's ability on the ice.

Kaltounková is New York's second first-overall choose in three PWHL seasons, after GM Pascal Daoust picked Fillier in 2024.

New York made one other massive splash within the first spherical, shifting high defender Ella Shelton to Toronto in trade for the Sceptres' first and fourth-round picks.

The Sirens added College of Wisconsin ahead Casey O'Brien with the acquired first-round choose.

A centre with high-end imaginative and prescient, O'Brien will add extra ability to New York's ahead group.

O'Brien gained the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award as the most effective participant in faculty hockey, after posting 88 factors in simply 41 video games. Alongside the best way, the American handed Hilary Knight because the all-time chief in profession factors at Wisconsin (274).

"She's the sort of participant you'll be able to construct a staff round," stated Gordie Stafford, who coached O'Brien in prep faculty at Shattuck-St. Mary's.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A hockey player wearing a white and red Wisconsin Badgers jersey handles the puck during a game." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7565421.1750712764!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/minnesota-wisconsin-women-s-frozen-four-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7565421.1750712764!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/minnesota-wisconsin-women-s-frozen-four-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7565421.1750712764!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/minnesota-wisconsin-women-s-frozen-four-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7565421.1750712764!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/minnesota-wisconsin-women-s-frozen-four-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7565421.1750712764!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/minnesota-wisconsin-women-s-frozen-four-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7565421.1750712764!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/minnesota-wisconsin-women-s-frozen-four-hockey.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.6713881019830028" data-cy="image-img"/> Wisconsin Badgers ahead Casey O’Brien can be heading to New York, after the Sirens traded as much as choose her with the third-overall choose. (David Stluka/College of Wisconsin) To place her time in faculty in perspective, solely seven gamers in NCAA girls's hockey historical past have amassed extra profession factors, and nobody has had a extra prolific offensive season since Carpenter put up 88 factors with Boston School in 2016.

O'Brien captained the Wisconsin Badgers to a nationwide championship this previous season, her third title in 5 seasons.

"Her imaginative and prescient whereas skating is de facto, actually good," O'Brien's longtime abilities coach, Paul Vincent, advised CBC Sports activities. "She has nice lateral mobility, the flexibility to chop and activate a dime. And she or he's quick."

First spherical draft picks:

New York Sirens: Kristýna Kaltounková, ahead, Colgate College Boston Fleet: Haley Winn, defender, Clarkson College New York Sirens (acquired from Toronto through commerce): Casey O'Brien, ahead, College of Wisconsin Montreal Victoire: Nicole Gosling, defender, Clarkson College Ottawa Cost: Rory Guilday, defender, Cornell College Minnesota Frost: Kendall Cooper, defender, Quinnipiac College PWHL Vancouver: Michelle Karvin, ahead, Swedish Girls's Hockey League (SDHL) PWHL Seattle: Jenna Buglioni, ahead, Ohio State College Defenders go off the board early 4 defenders have been chosen within the first spherical. Nearly each staff, apart from the Sirens, wanted so as to add a top-four defender, and there was a transparent divide between the highest handful of defence prospects and the remainder of the sector on the place.

Clarkson College defender Haley Winn went second to the Boston Fleet, giving the staff a two-way defender who may staff up with Megan Keller and log time on the facility play. Winn was the second-highest scoring defender within the NCAA final 12 months. Solely Wisconsin's Caroline Harvey bettered Winn's 46 factors.

She is a two-time world champion with Group USA, and ought to be an enormous piece of the American blue line on the Olympics subsequent 12 months.

Clarkson head coach Matt Desrosiers described Winn as "the complete bundle."

"[She's] a fairly dynamic defenseman that is actually good on the offensive facet however equally as robust on the defensive facet," Desrosiers advised CBC Sports activities earlier than the draft.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A hockey player wearing a Clarkson University jersey competes in a game." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7569741.1750793743!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/haley-winn-clarkson-university-women-s-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7569741.1750793743!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/haley-winn-clarkson-university-women-s-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7569741.1750793743!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/haley-winn-clarkson-university-women-s-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7569741.1750793743!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/haley-winn-clarkson-university-women-s-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7569741.1750793743!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/haley-winn-clarkson-university-women-s-hockey.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7569741.1750793743!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/haley-winn-clarkson-university-women-s-hockey.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.4993646759847523" data-cy="image-img"/> Clarkson College defender Haley Winn provides the Boston Fleet one other robust, two-way defender. (Jim Meagher/Clarkson College) Winn's defensive accomplice at Clarkson, Nicole Gosling, turned the primary Canadian taken within the draft when the Montreal Victoire chosen her with the fourth choose.

The 23-year-old from London, Ont. is an clever two-way defender, much like Erin Ambrose. She'll assist make up for the lack of Cayla Barnes on the Victoire's blue line.

Gosling turned a world champion with the Canadian staff in 2024, and can now get to play alongside a number of nationwide staff gamers in Montreal as she works to make the Olympic staff.

The Ottawa Cost picked Cornell College defender Rory Guilday with the fifth choose. The Cost love defenders who've a little bit of snarl to their recreation, and Guilday will match proper in with defenders like Jocelyne Larocque and Ronja Savolainen.

Quinnipiac College defender Kendall Cooper turned the fourth and ultimate defender taken within the first spherical, going sixth to the reigning champions, the Minnesota Frost.

Finnish veteran turns into first Vancouver draft choose With the staff's first draft choose in historical past, PWHL Vancouver opted for expertise in Finnish ahead Michelle Karvinen.

The 35-year-old has finished nearly every little thing in a prolonged profession, taking part in in a number of leagues throughout Europe and incomes her first Olympic medal, a bronze, with Finland in 2010.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Four women stand together, smiling." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7570103.1750814160!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/pwhl-vancouver.jpg?im=Resize%3D300 300w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7570103.1750814160!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/pwhl-vancouver.jpg?im=Resize%3D460 460w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7570103.1750814160!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/pwhl-vancouver.jpg?im=Resize%3D620 620w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7570103.1750814160!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/pwhl-vancouver.jpg?im=Resize%3D780 780w,https://i.cbc.ca/1.7570103.1750814160!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/pwhl-vancouver.jpg?im=Resize%3D1180 1180w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.7570103.1750814160!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_1180/pwhl-vancouver.jpg?im=" style="aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333" data-cy="image-img"/> Finnish ahead Michelle Karvinen, second from left, was drafted by PWHL Vancouver within the first spherical of the league's draft. She was rapidly greeted by Vancouver gamers Claire Thompson (first from left), Sophie Jaques (third from left) and Jennifer Gardiner. (Karissa Donkin/CBC) She'll now be heading again to Vancouver, the place she'll be reunited with a coach who scouted her to come back to varsity in North America, Brian Idalski. Seattle rounded out the primary spherical by selecting ahead Jenna Buglioni out of Ohio State College.

Commerce market energetic on draft evening As GMs made picks over six rounds, PWHL particular advisor and ladies's hockey legend Cassie Campbell-Pascall sometimes appeared on the stage to announce a commerce.

Along with including Shelton, probably the greatest younger defenders on the planet, the Toronto Sceptres despatched goaltender Kristen Campbell to Vancouver.

Campbell struggled in the course of the playoffs, and may have a contemporary begin in Vancouver, the place Emerance Maschmeyer would be the starter. It is a clear signal that the Sceptres plan to run with a tandem of Elaine Chuli and Raygan Kirk subsequent season.

The Montreal Victoire additionally added ahead Abby Roque from New York in trade for defensive centre Kristin O'Neill.

Mixed with gamers like Shiann Darkangelo and Hayley Scamurra, who joined the staff in free company final week, the Victoire now look deeper on ahead, significantly down the center.