Abbey Murphy’s First PWHL Season Starts with a 5:30 A.M. Alarm
Written by Luke Ballard
For Abbey Murphy, preparing for her first PWHL season does not begin with a stat sheet or a list of her previous accomplishments at the University of Minnesota. Rather, it begins at 5:30 in the morning.
The 24-year-old forward, selected second overall by the Seattle Torrent in the 2026 PWHL Draft, described an off-season routine to Matthew and Brady Tkachuk on the Wingmen Podcast that seems like anything but what you would expect in the off-season.
“I usually get up bright and early at like 5:30, workout at six, and then I go and skate at 8:10… So I have more time to do stuff with family because I’m not home for a long time”
The act of getting up at 5:30, despite the lack of a formal season, speaks more to Murphy’s transition to professional hockey than any list of goals or awards. For most of the year, hockey takes her away from home. Her off-season is a balancing act between maintaining family life and performing at the highest level, an aspect that is often overlooked by fans and supporters when thinking about the day-to-day lives and struggles of professional athletes.
Murphy enters Seattle with expectations already attached to her, as most high draft picks do, adding to her need to establish a rigorous off-season routine to ease her transition into the PWHL. Leaving the Golden Gophers as their all-time leading scorer, it is abundantly clear what her speed, skill, and scoring ability can add to Seattle, which finished last in the 2025–2026 regular-season standings.
There is no question that Murphy’s skillset is PWHL-ready. The next question is how Murphy handles the responsibility that comes with being expected to make an instant impact as a rookie.
Her summer routine provides part of the answer. Early morning lifts followed by early morning skates suggest that Murphy is already establishing the habits she will need once her inaugural season begins. With the work being finished early, Murphy has created a routine that leaves time for both preparation to compete with the best and the family aspect she values. That discipline will become increasingly important as demands around the second overall pick grow.
Although seemingly a small detail, this transition matters. Talent will only take you so far at the highest level, but consistency is what will elevate Murphy to reach her full potential.
This regimented approach to the off-season, a time that most athletes use to relax, reflects Murphy’s upbringing. Being the first in her family to lace up the skates, Murphy’s father, Ed, was a U.S. Marine.
“He's definitely a tough love guy… [he] taught us a lot of things kind of on your own and how to grow up and be a big girl.”
Being taught independence from a young age, Murphy is no stranger to the responsibilities that the Torrent will place on her. Although Abbey Murphy cannot control how quickly her collegiate success will translate to the PWHL, she can control how prepared she is when Seattle asks her to prove it.
For now, that process starts before sunrise.
