Four Contracts, Four Pressures: What the PWHL’s Latest Signings Really Mean
Vivian Jungels skates during a matchup against Minnesota on November 1, 2025. Photo by Maybemintz
Written by Luke Ballard
In the PWHL, a signature does more than secure a roster spot; it creates a clock. For some rookies at the highest level, that clock ticks for one season, and one season only; for others, two or three. With puck drop for the 2026–2027 season set for December fifth, four recent deals stand out because each asks a different question of the player who signed it.
Seattle gave Abbey Murphy two years, but patience around a second overall pick is rarely measured that way. Murphy leaves Minnesota as the program’s all-time leader with 143 goals and enters a Torrent team that finished last in the 2025–2026 season. Her resume says she can score; her contract now asks her to prove how quickly that scoring can translate.
“Abbey will make an immediate impact in this league with her grit, creativity, and attack mentality,” Torrent General Manager Meghan Turner said.
The key word is “immediate.” Murphy is not arriving as a long-term project. Seattle drafted her to raise its offensive ceiling, and a two-year deal gives her room to grow without removing the expectation that she changes games instantly.
Laila Edwards carries a different kind of weight in San Jose. The fourth overall pick signed for three years, the longest deal of these four, and became the only San Jose player under contract through the 2028–2029 season at the time of her signing. Edwards produced 199 points in 151 games at Wisconsin and won Olympic gold on the world stage with the United States before even stepping on the ice for San Jose.
“Laila is an exceptional talent who embodies the character we value in our organization,” San Jose General Manager and Head Coach Troy Ryan said.
That language matters for an expansion franchise. San Jose is not only asking Edwards to become a productive player, but also to be part of the team’s larger identity as it embarks on its inaugural season.
Vivian Jungels, however, has the shortest runway of our four highlighted prospects. Ottawa signed the 11th overall pick to a one-year deal after a Wisconsin career that included three national championships, a program-record plus-218 differential and 118 blocked shots over her final two seasons.
“We think that she will have an impact right away in this league,” Charge General Manager Mike Hirshfeld stated in a press conference last week.
For Jungels, the pressure stems from the calendar. A one-year contract gives her less time to establish herself as a formidable presence than Edwards or Murphy. The Charge already possess a talented and experienced veteran defensive group, so Jungels' transition from NCAA star to professional must happen quickly.
Lily Shannon may face the least pressure of the four, which potentially sets her up to be the most interesting signing. San Jose selected the former Northeastern Huskies captain with the 40th overall pick while giving her a two-year deal. Shannon finished her season with career highs in goals, assists, and points, while becoming the only NCAA player to record at least 40 points and 40 blocked shots.
Unlike Murphy and Edwards, Shannon does not enter with a top-five draft label on her back; rather, her challenge lies in turning her fourth-round opportunity into one that lasts. For an expansion franchise looking to climb the PWHL hierarchy, her two-way play style gives her an excellent path to do so.
These four deals vary in length, draft position, and expectation. Murphy is being asked to lift an offense, while Edwards is asked to help define a franchise. Jungels is fighting a one-year clock that is already ticking, while Shannon is trying to turn value into cemented capital.
The contracts are signed; now the pressure becomes visible, and very real.
