Meet the players selected by PWHL Detroit in 2026 draft
PWHL Detroit was in full swing on Wednesday for the 2026 draft, selecting six players, including a Michigan native.
A total of 236 eligible players (128 forwards, 68 defenders, and 40 goaltenders) declared for the draft, which was held at Detroit's Fox Theatre. Twenty-three of those players are Olympians.
It is the organization's first time participating in the draft since its establishment earlier this year. While the official team name and mascot have not yet been named, PWHL Detroit is already building its roster.
Andrea Brändli
Swiss goaltender Andrea Brändli was the first player selected by Detroit (second round, 15th overall) on Wednesday. Brändli currently plays for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Women's Hockey League.
She previously played for Ohio State from 2018 to 2022 and for Boston University in 2023. She also played for Team Switzerland at the 2018, 2022 and 2026 Olympic Winter Games. While her team placed fifth and fourth in 2018 and 2022, respectively, they won bronze in the 2026 Olympics.
Brändli's brother, Patrick Brändli, plays professional hockey in Switzerland.
Casey Borgiel
Michigan native defender Casey Borgiel was selected 22nd overall in the second round of the PWHL draft. From Port Huron, Borgiel played for Colgate University for two seasons after playing her first two seasons at Holy Cross College.
At Holy Cross, she was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team in 2023. Over four seasons at both schools, she recorded 68 points with 11 goals and 57 assists. Fifth of those points were at Colgate.
Mary Kate O'Brien
Forward Mary Kate O'Brien was selected 34th overall in the third round of the draft on Wednesday. The Massachusetts native comes from the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she served as team captain in the 2025 season.
In the 2024 season, she played for all 39 games, scoring seven goals and adding 18 assists for 25 points. Before Minnesota, O'Brien was selected to the USA Hockey National Development Camp three years in a row and the USA Hockey Select Camp in 2019.
In 2025, she was named to the U.S. Collegiate Select Team for a three-game series.
Kyla Josifovic
Ontario native Kyla Josifovic was selected in the fourth round, 39th overall, on Wednesday. The 22-year-old forward served as team captain during her senior year at the University of Connecticut. She became the first player to record a 40-point season since 2007.
She helped her team win the Hockey East Tournament Championship in the 2025 season, scoring a game-winning goal in double overtime. O'Brien was named to the Hocket East All-Tournament Team.
In the 2024 season, she was named Hockey East Player of the Week.
Sena Catterall
Forward Sena Catterall was selected in the fifth round as the 51st pick overall. The Montreal native played for Clarkson University. Catterall previously played a season at John Abbott College.
She also played on the Canadian National Team for Baseball.
Georgia Schiff
PWHL Detroit selected forward Georgia Schiff as the 63rd pick overall in the sixth round of the 2026 draft. Schiff played for Cornell University, where she appeared in all 33 games in her senior year.
The Vermont native earned Second Team All-Ivy honors in the 2025 season and finished second on the team with 28 points on 12 goals and 16 assists.
