The Professional Women's Hockey League held its second amateur draft last month, and next year's selection series could include players from Rochester.
Clarkson University's Hailey Winn and Ohio State's Kiara Zanon, both from the Rochester area, were named among the top women's hockey prospects in a recent article by The Hockey News looking ahead to the 2025 PWHL Draft.
Wynn, who already has an impressive collegiate and international resume, was ranked third in THN's Top 15 prospects, while Zanon was included among dozens of college players to watch, though he did not receive a specific ranking.
If they maintain their draft eligibility, the pair could follow in the footsteps of Fairport native Natalie Buchbinder, who was selected in the seventh round, 37th overall, in the first PWHL Draft last September. No local players were selected in last month's 2024 draft.
Wynn recently completed his junior season at Clarkson University where he scored 39 points in 38 games as a defenseman and helped the Golden Knights reach the NCAA National Championship semifinals. He was also selected to the U.S. National Team for the second consecutive World Championships, winning a silver medal with the U.S. team. Prior to his time at Clarkson, Wynn competed for the select program at Bishop Kearney High School.
Zanon committed to Ohio State for the 2023-24 season after three seasons at Penn State. The Bishop Kearney native recorded 14 goals and 41 points to help the Buckeyes win their second national title in three seasons. She is a two-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the top female college player in the nation.
What is PWHL?
The Professional Women's Hockey League is the premier women's hockey league in North America. The league, which began competition in January of this year, is made up of six franchises and a 24-game schedule for each franchise. Three teams are based in the United States (Boston, Minnesota, and New York), while the remaining teams play in Canada (Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto).
Women's professional hockey has existed in North America for about 25 years, but many tournaments in the past have lacked the funding necessary to continue the sport.
The PWHL is owned and operated by the Mark Walter Group, which also co-owns the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Who is eligible for the PWHL Draft?
The upstart league held two amateur drafts last year, one each for the 2024 season. The first, held in Toronto in September, saw 90 players selected in 15 rounds. The second, held in St. Paul, Minnesota in June, saw 42 players selected in seven rounds.
The PWHL has not announced a date or location for the 2025 draft, but if the schedule resembles the 2024 event, players will have to declare for the draft by mid-May. Players who are not yet signed with a PWHL team will be eligible for the draft if they declare, including players who competed in previous women's professional leagues.
Undrafted players are free to sign with any team.
This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Two Rochester natives ranked as top 2025 PWHL draft prospects
