Could Detroit Be the PWHL's Most Competitive Expansion Team?
Cayla Barnes of the Seattle Torrent during a matchup against the Boston Fleet on March 11, 2026, at Climate Pledge Arena. Photo credit: Jenn G.
Written by Ryan McAvoy
It has only taken three years, but the PWHL has finally arrived in the Motor City, one of the best hockey towns in the United States. Home to the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings, Detroit is no stranger to high-level hockey. Now, with PWHL Detroit set to drop its first puck in November, the new franchise could be one of the most competitive expansion teams in the league's history.
What separates Detroit from a typical expansion team is the amount of proven talent already on its roster. Throughout the expansion process, Detroit has acquired several established players, including defenders Cayla Barnes and Stephanie Markowski, along with forwards Hannah Bilka, Daryl Watts, and Jesse Compher. Several of those players previously played for the Seattle Torrent, giving Detroit players who already have experience competing at the PWHL level.
Bilka, for example, appeared in only 14 games last season before an injury during the Winter Olympics ended her season. Had she continued at her previous pace, she could have finished with 19 points over 30 games, which would have placed her just behind Seattle's Julia Gosling and Alex Carpenter, who both finished with 20 points. If Bilka can stay healthy, her offensive ability could give Detroit another dangerous option up front.
Now entering her third season in the PWHL, Barnes will look to recapture the level of play she showed during her rookie season. With the Montreal Victoire, she was named to the PWHL All-Rookie Team and, alongside Bilka, helped the United States secure a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Barnes' point total dropped from 13 to eight during her sophomore season with the Torrent, but Detroit's offensive talent could give her more opportunities to contribute from the blue line.
Detroit also has one of the most experienced players in women's hockey leading the way. Veteran forward Hilary Knight brings nearly two decades of professional and international hockey experience to a team that will need strong leadership in its first season. Knight has played in the CWHL and NWHL and joined the PWHL when the league was founded in 2023. Now, she will help guide a new franchise as it builds its identity from the ground up.
“I can’t wait to get to Detroit and start helping build the team’s foundation over the next three years,” said Knight.
That combination of experience and young talent could be what makes Detroit especially dangerous. Players like Bilka, Watts, and Compher give the team offensive firepower, while Barnes and Markowski provide important pieces on the blue line. Rather than relying solely on unproven players, Detroit has built a roster around players who already know what it takes to compete at the highest level.
The team will also have a coach who understands what hockey means to the city. Head coach Josh Sciba will be tasked with bringing the roster together and establishing Detroit's identity, but the front office believes his connection to the area makes him the right person for the job.
“Hockeytown is in his blood, and this is an opportunity I know he is eager to embrace with an understanding of what it means to represent this city and be part of its legacy,” said Manon Rhéaume, PWHL Detroit's general manager.
Detroit will still have plenty to prove when the puck drops in November. Expansion teams rarely have an easy path in their first season, but Detroit appears to have something many new franchises lack: a roster with established PWHL talent, veteran leadership and the depth to compete immediately.
If those pieces come together, Detroit may not spend its inaugural season simply trying to find its footing. It could be the PWHL's most competitive expansion team from the moment it hits the ice.
