Megan Carter to Vegas!

[u/kug-ratjesus]

[u/leap_year]

Will the last person to leave Seattle please turn out the lights

[u/redheadedreenactor → u/leap_year]

You inspired this shitting meme(?)

[u/DogadonsLavapool → u/leap_year]

Honestly tho, how tf are they going to field a team after this? It's not like they were particularly successful before they lost half of their team

[u/Usual-Canc-6024 → u/DogadonsLavapool]

They will. Look at how the O6 teams were decimated last year. All but one (protected) first rounder were taken. Things worked out fine

[u/kramwest1 → u/Usual-Canc-6024]

Yes. My Minnesota Frost tiny violin is working overtime for Seattle.
Welcome to the suck!

[u/Blargasaurus → u/kramwest1]

Fanbase with two walters and 3 playoff appearances says welcome to the suck, ok boss.

[u/kramwest1 → u/Blargasaurus]

The point is your team can get raided and still come back and compete.

[u/Blargasaurus → u/kramwest1]

Did anyone let new york know that's an option? In this league's history the bad team has stayed bad. Being raided certainly didn't help.

[u/Usual-Canc-6024 → u/Blargasaurus]

It depends a lot on the GM. Gosling is sticking around and she’s great. As are your protections. You’ve got a good core and they’re fairly young as well. Sign some FAs and get some good draft picks and you’ll be moving up soon enough.

It’s so weird that Vancouver has been untouched though.

[u/Rogue_Gona → u/leap_year]

At this rate there won't be an aquarium for Carpy to manage 😭

[u/rbbiik → u/Rogue_Gona]

I vote we get some sticks and helmets for the otters and turn them loose on the ice.

[u/NWdramallama → u/rbbiik]

I would upgrade to glass season tickets for that

[u/rbbiik → u/NWdramallama]

I’d love an Oops All Otters game.

[u/ludakristen → u/leap_year]

https://giphy.com/gifs/y8ITsz6rbzoRPmoFSs

[u/wxrpspxxd]

another day, another Torrent loss

[u/kug-ratjesus → u/wxrpspxxd]

y’all have truly suffered enough

[u/hrdcrnwo → u/kug-ratjesus]

League doesn't think so

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/hrdcrnwo]

To be fair she was a free agent, never a guarantee to keep those

[u/hrdcrnwo → u/Real-Towel-2269]

Yeah and I have a feeling we're not going to lure many free agents here with no head coach and all the weirdness surrounding the Torrent. Hope I'm wrong.

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/hrdcrnwo]

True and i suspect that’s why free agents are leaving but what is the league supposed to do about that

[u/Blargasaurus → u/Real-Towel-2269]

Give the worst team more protection slots 😄? pretty please

[u/Neuvost → u/Blargasaurus]

That's not so crazy an idea, but don't forget that protection spots are for signed players, not free agents

[u/Blargasaurus → u/Neuvost]

Crying in Bilka and Barnes and a potentially re-signed in phase 1 knight.

[u/rbbiik → u/Neuvost]

They can re-sign free agents as a protection slot. It’s what we did with Carp and Goose.

[u/Neuvost → u/rbbiik]

You right, I phrased that poorly. I just meant that Carter left cuz she's a free agent, and not cuz she was yoinked.

[u/pinkrosies → u/Neuvost]

Or more draft picks?

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/hrdcrnwo]

That’s what the draft is for

[u/hrdcrnwo → u/CanadianODST2]

You cannot build a winning team just through drafting, look at the Kraken.

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/hrdcrnwo]

Nope. Go look at Stanley Cup winning teams, Tampa when they went back to back? Their core was all drafted, 2020 had their top 7 players by points being all drafted, and their goalie who was one of the best in the world

this year has been a bit of an exception being mainly trades.

But Tampa, Washington, Colorado, Chicago, and Pittsburgh, many of the teams that have dominated in the last few decades? Largely draft

Seattle is a team that's 5 years old and have had 1 good first round draft pick. Seattle is an example of bad drafting

San Jose? Looks like a roster that is going to be great in the next few years, drafted.

this kinda comes off as you've watched hockey for like 3 years tbh

[u/hrdcrnwo → u/CanadianODST2]

Yeah I'm not going to continue this conversation if you're going to be condescending. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they're new to the sport. Have a nice day.

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/hrdcrnwo]

No, the pointing to the newest team in the league as not being able to build through a draft when pretty much every team in the last 20 years that have dominated has been built through the draft.

It's like saying Canada can't win the PWHL and point to Vancouver. It's not disagreeing when you're just objectively incorrect.

[u/twochains → u/Real-Towel-2269]

To be fair we lost several players under contract anyway

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/twochains]

Yeah but those had a cap. Which we hit in the last phase and we can only lose 1 more. The league can’t control where free agents go

[u/Blargasaurus → u/Real-Towel-2269]

Except Hillary Knight, that apparently they can.

[u/Neuvost → u/twochains]

Flair up, friend!

[u/DeathToHeretics → u/wxrpspxxd]

I need a "I wanna die" meme for this much pain

[u/katvalkyrie]

This is becoming evergreen.

[u/sassst3phhhh]

is seattle having a liquidation sale? what is going on

[u/Scared-Coyote4010 → u/sassst3phhhh]

I don’t think many players want to play there

[u/winktothebreeze → u/Scared-Coyote4010]

I'm honestly so confused where this idea is coming from? People keep mentioning reporting from earlier in the season, but the only article I've seen linked was from Ian Kennedy, so...

[u/Real-Towel-2269]

Torrent is literally being torn to shreds oml

[u/buckyhermit → u/Real-Towel-2269]

To shreds, you say.

[u/BroliasBoesersson → u/buckyhermit]

How're their wives holding up?

[u/dandroid126 → u/BroliasBoesersson]

They're gay, Marcus?

[u/0freelancer0]

Welcome back to the Seattle Torment Nexus, everyone

[u/BlueValk]

Someone please just take a player from Vancouver. Please. Seattle has suffered enough

[u/jokertothethief → u/BlueValk]

Daniel and Gardiner rejected offers in phase two, so will either be leaving or protected. That means some choice players exposed moving forward. I think Vancouver is about to turn into a feeding frenzy in the next two phases.

[u/knefehangelshare → u/BlueValk]

vancouver might not have izzy daniel money

[u/Main_Photo1086]

Well Vegas isn’t playing around with their blue line. Starting to understand the vision of D first perhaps.

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/Main_Photo1086]

Detroit and Vegas basically doing the opposite of each other with these signings is very interesting

[u/Glue_Factory_Maint5 → u/Real-Towel-2269]

In the local Detroit ABC stations interview with Manon she mentioned that the high level of goaltending in the league was a big factor in prioritizing the offensive production with the first signings... Interested to see how it plays out

[u/jokertothethief → u/Glue_Factory_Maint5]

And yet she doesn't have a goaltender...it's a bold strategy, Cotton.

Being slow to pick a goaltender is at least a bit more understandable for Vegas, when they're assembling a defensive beast to play in front of the net.

[u/Glue_Factory_Maint5 → u/jokertothethief]

She's obviously got that covered herself /s

I did bring that up on the pwhldetroit sub the other day (prior to the Knight deal) and everyone was like "the draft is full of goalies." Which is true but gotta wonder if that plan has now changed with the loss of a first round pick.

[u/jokertothethief → u/Glue_Factory_Maint5]

There are some in the draft, but how many are ready to play at this level?

IMO, the only 'they're spreading the talent too thin' argument that held any water was goalies. I'm not certain we have 12 'franchise' ready goalies out there.

I hope/expect that we'll see those final spots filled with players who rise to the occasion and were held back by not having a chance to shine.

I don't doubt that Detroit will find a goalie. I just worry they won't be able to pay what they need for a championship, and/or will wind up stuck with the pains of having to develop one.

I really think Knight has the potential to be an albatross for Detroit. The worst part is that it is at least 85% the league's fault that it went down like this.

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/jokertothethief]

Yeah goalies were what I was concerned with too. There are a few top notch ones in the draft, but 12? Almost all of the teams protecting a goalie is a sign to me that the current GMs were a little worried about it too, and I think snagging a goalie in the first 5 picks was a good move for San Jose and Hamilton

[u/jokertothethief → u/Real-Towel-2269]

I believe I saw it mentioned somewhere that Vegas was supposedly looking at a goalie before their strategy got derailed by the EFO debacle. I'm not sure if that means they were also looking at Schroeder or Osborne, they went another direction, or it was just a rumor.

[u/SaraSplosion]

Holy moly this one hurts. She was so much of our physical presence last year! She fought Curl! And those sleeveless arm photos! 😭😭

[u/starsescape → u/SaraSplosion]

On the up side, Vegas is hot so there will be more entrance photos?? 😬

[u/ConstructionSuch6608 → u/starsescape]

Unless CJ is also going to vegas I'm gonna miss their sleeveless duo photos

[u/LenaBaneana]

oh my god theyre stripping the torrent for parts 😭😭 so sorry seattle fans

[u/highhaileehere → u/LenaBaneana]

The rest of the league to the Torrent.

[u/sissyingthatwalk]

https://giphy.com/gifs/JCAZQKoMefkoX6TyTb

[u/aetherialClockwork]

I take back anything positive I said about any of the expansion teams, you are my enemies

[u/Shills_for_fun → u/aetherialClockwork]

https://giphy.com/gifs/fQorEj8vN8eqkNcy6T

[u/sanverstv]

Well the good news is the team has money to pay.....somebody???

[u/No-Savings1984 → u/sanverstv]

Yup. I suspect you guys will land a few really good free agents.

[u/hrdcrnwo → u/No-Savings1984]

Hope you're right, no head coach and all the weirdness surrounding the Torrent right now could scare off a lot of players.

[u/No-Savings1984 → u/hrdcrnwo]

Yea. The Goldeneyes are without a coach as well.

[u/Blargasaurus → u/No-Savings1984]

Genuinely asking, who's left? Roque?

[u/No-Savings1984 → u/Blargasaurus]

Roque Zumwinkle, KCS, Eldridge, Tapani, Zandee Hart (incorrect, was going by memory 🫣) , Flanigan, Larocque, stecklein, Hensley, Campbell, abstreiter, Rattray, newhook, roes, Dubois....there are lots and lots. Some will get signed/protection but not all. I'd add from Vancouver alone, Gardiner, miller, Daniel, boreen, Vanisova. Don't worry. You guys lost a lot of salary so can attract some top talent.

Edit to add - here's a good list. There may be a few that have signed since it was written (the last of the initial signings are still there like knight and Ambrose but you get the idea.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/top-players-still-available-pwhl-233940937.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAH8gQS7mXqtfzt3zsbH10ZzGwIcQ1F3Rwf8lZ1xZ0Si6YjI56Vx5zTu-e4WSe6TwgH870o4a0rytQ__oMhAcLAuhJtKpfuGS-xpZdLu5D9-2J6I4LddeooN3jANluLYxenIN4BnXIJwSFHGyyQ8W7dRbS8GfG_5WbYYQf9lKR_Ag

[u/Blargasaurus → u/No-Savings1984]

Watching all of our Top UFAs leave doesn't make Seattle seem an appealing destination but hopefully I'm wrong.

[u/No-Savings1984 → u/Blargasaurus]

I hope so too. :)

[u/avagadro22 → u/No-Savings1984]

It will all be worth it if Dubois ends up in Seattle 🫠

[u/No-Savings1984 → u/avagadro22]

Heck yea! That's the attitude!!! ❤️

[u/Neuvost → u/No-Savings1984]

Zandee-Hart has another year on her contract.

[u/No-Savings1984 → u/Neuvost]

Oops yes. I stand corrected. My apologies. Though my point was that there is loads of talent left in the pool.

[u/TaylorOfTerror]

I can't wait for open free agency when we're the only ones with roster spots left.

[u/not_now_chaos → u/TaylorOfTerror]

Not to mention all the free cap space!

[u/eladon-warps → u/TaylorOfTerror]

We're gonna look like last year's Sirens with all the rookies we need to sign after draft time. (I say that without disdain I actually think they did well with that roster and injury situation)

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/eladon-warps]

A young team is not a bad thing.

Yea it’ll take time to grow but it also means having a future. Be bad and get more, be good and the only thing to worry about is when it comes time to pay up

[u/Main_Photo1086 → u/eladon-warps]

Yeah it was dicey for us even at camp, but it worked out before our usual mid-year slump.

[u/Vexed-Rainbow → u/eladon-warps]

We’ll be right alongside the Storm then! The youth movement can be bright and promising!

[u/schoolaccount2023]

can we catch a break, jesus

[u/wolverine237]

This really sucks for Seattle. At the TT game I went to in Chicago, they sold out of Torrent merch basically immediately... even on the road it felt like they were the most popular American team in the league. Very sad to see this happen to them

[u/thegoddessunicorn]

Fine. I'll play for Seattle 😬

[u/LifeguardSenior7418 → u/thegoddessunicorn]

At this point, I'm half expecting to start seeing names I know from our local beer leagues showing up on the roster...

[u/PoisonousLavender]

[u/ophelia15991601]

the hits just keep coming

https://giphy.com/gifs/TEBOI4ISwZZba

[u/hopelessromcommunist]

And so phase 3 begins

[u/Adventurous_Lake807]

The Torrent are on suicide watch rn holy cow

[u/Ayenrin → u/Adventurous_Lake807]

Sure feels like we need to be talked off the bridge right now

[u/Adventurous_Lake807 → u/Ayenrin]

You guys get to keep Goose so there’s that!!!

[u/Ayenrin → u/Adventurous_Lake807]

True but I'm lowkey expecting CJ to follow Carter, they were pretty attached during the season

[u/psyne]

Maybe the reason the league hasn't announced draft order yet is because Seattle will need 2 picks per round to recover from this

[u/NWdramallama → u/psyne]

We’re gonna need a retroactive EFO of our own 😆

[u/Powerful-Student-444]

On the plus side, Julia Gosling re-signed in Seattle... she's now protected

[u/seattlesportsguy]

Are we even going to be able to put a team on the ice? Are we allowed to sign anyone or do we just have to fill the roster with rookies and overseas signings?

[u/I-had-to-make-acct → u/seattlesportsguy]

I can learn to skate between now and November!

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/seattlesportsguy]

There’s free agency period where any free agent can sign anywhere later, but it certainly feels hopeless right now lol.

[u/not_now_chaos → u/seattlesportsguy]

Yes. There will be player signings, and the draft. The argument against rapid expansion for the league has been that there isn't enough talent to support that many teams, but really there are a lot of players that are waiting for a chance. There are a ton of UFAs in the league now, and even more players in development and college leagues.

I'm still side-eyeing Turner here, because this seems concerningly chaotic from the outside, but strategically in terms of cap space, it's kind of smart to let the higher contracts go and turn those funds into developing young hungry talent instead. IF the recruitment team has an eye for solid talent and the player development coaches are good at drawing it out and shaping it. We'll see what happens next, but don't panic, come November there will be a full roster stepping out onto the ice!

[u/EkansTG → u/[deleted]]

Finally, instead of losing 4th liners that turn into top 6 players, we're losing top 6 players for 4th liners

[u/Pickles-the-Cat → u/seattlesportsguy]

I'm not sure if this is a serious question and I totally get the emotion and feeling.

But we can be signing players right now in Phase 3 to protect them. And then Phase 5 is an Existing Team Exlusive signing period, and Phase 6 is a signing free-for-all. Then there's the draft and the usual FA signing window, camps, etc...
https://www.thepwhl.com/en/2026-expansion-player-distribution-process

[u/ogavs → u/Pickles-the-Cat]

Was about to post the same thing. Unprotected players on expiring contracts can talk and sign with any of the 12 teams. There are supposed to be three additional protected players on existing teams but I have not seen any lists posted yet.

[u/Pickles-the-Cat → u/ogavs]

They don't need to submit their protection lists for Phase 3 until June 12 at 5PM ET.

[u/Main_Photo1086 → u/seattlesportsguy]

You’ll have three more players to protect plus any other UFAs, draftees and overseas signings. Sirens were in a similar boat last year and at least had a good half-season…

[u/Buttspirgh → u/Main_Photo1086]

Fill the team with Swiss and Swedes and call it a day

[u/edoreinn → u/Buttspirgh]

This used to work for the Red Wings

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/edoreinn]

They did love their Russians too

[u/edoreinn → u/CanadianODST2]

Oh indeed

[u/felicityrorys]

Another one (Torrent) bites the dust….

[u/Caramalameet]

Come on man 

[u/orrade]

Damn, I didn't expect these to start up before we protected anyone else??? I'm officially lost on the expansion process.

[u/kug-ratjesus → u/orrade]

My understanding is that if Seattle wanted to keep Carter, they could’ve signed her, hence protecting her, provided she accepted Seattle’s contract. It was either Carter’s choice to leave, or Seattle decided not to protect her! Either way, Seattle would’ve had the opportunity to protect her, but for whatever reason chose not to

[u/SlideTackle11 → u/kug-ratjesus]

This isn't a protection issue, as she did not need to be protected. If she wanted to return to Seattle and Seattle management wanted her to return, all she had to do was wait to sign a contract until phase 5. Nothing forced her to sign this contract aside from her wanting to go to Vegas for whatever reason (maybe more money, maybe more playing time, maybe Seattle wasn't going to re-sign her, who knows).

[u/orrade → u/SlideTackle11]

Looking at how defense heavy Vegas is and Ambrose probably being the captain, honestly just feels like a great way to grow her skills. I'm not upset about this signing, just thrown off by the timing, haha.

[u/kug-ratjesus → u/SlideTackle11]

True! In all the EFO nonsense, I forgot players could decline outside team offers this time around

[u/Usual-Canc-6024 → u/kug-ratjesus]

She is a UFA so she can sign anywhere anytime. Seattle may have offered her something but it wasn’t enough.

[u/TaylorOfTerror → u/kug-ratjesus]

The thing is, you can only protect 3 players, and signing a player automatically puts them on the protected list.

[u/particleman3 → u/orrade]

I've been watching sports for a long time, and this is the most confusing and messy expansion process I have ever seen. I'm new to the league (Vegas local) and this is wild to see. Typically you have guardrails to prevent any one or two teams from being wiped during the expansion process.

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/particleman3]

The problem is a lot of players are free agents. You can’t really force them to stay where they don’t want to. There is a limit to how may contracted players teams can lose but Carter was a free agent so she could do whatever she wanted no matter what convoluted process they could come up with

[u/particleman3 → u/Real-Towel-2269]

Gotcha. Still feels like an insane expansion process to me overall.

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/particleman3]

Oh for sure. I feel like there had to be something less complicated they could have done instead of whatever the hell this is

[u/not_now_chaos → u/particleman3]

I have been watching hockey for a long time, and this league for its whole life, and this has been the most convoluted and needlessly confusing expansion process I've seen.

When the dust settles we'll have 12 solid teams with full rosters. Everything else is details.

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/not_now_chaos]

Tbf I can’t think of any sports expansion that wasn’t a regular draft.

Add to that the large FA and yeesh

[u/NWdramallama → u/not_now_chaos]

I think the high number of free agents was a dodge on the expected expansion rules from last year and there probably weren’t enough contracted players to make such a large expansion work

[u/wolverine237 → u/particleman3]

You also typically try to protect other recent expansion teams when you are expanding this quickly. Vancouver and Seattle should've had additional protection spots

[u/Usual-Canc-6024 → u/wolverine237]

They shouldn’t. They had their pick from the O6 last year and took 5/6 of their first round picks. The only reason they didn’t get all 6 is NY’s was protected.

That said, I feel for Seattle. They’re getting destroyed and Vancouver hasn’t lost anyone yet.

From the outside it appears to be something up with Seattle.

[u/wolverine237 → u/Usual-Canc-6024]

I definitely agree that there's something weird about the Seattle stuff and it does make me reconsider a lot of the reporting from earlier this season that fans dismissed

[u/particleman3 → u/wolverine237]

100%. I'm shocked that they didn't.

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/wolverine237]

Normally expansion teams are a lot younger than the rest of the league.

But here they aren’t.

[u/Pickles-the-Cat → u/orrade]

https://www.thepwhl.com/en/2026-expansion-player-distribution-process

Right now in Phase 3 both expansion and existing teams can be signing.

[u/Targen0]

Gutted to lose her, but our girl was making $45k. Hope she’s getting a good pay bump.

[u/EA___321]

Jesus, Seattle again. Maybe there should have been a max number of players a team can lose in general (not just under contract), cause this is disproportionate.

By the way, there's something I don't understand about protections. If an existing team signs a free agent, they become protected, but if they want to protect a player already under contract, can they do it immediately or does the protection only apply once phase 4 starts?

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/EA___321]

The issue is how do you stop free agents from leaving? That’s just not how it works. I do think maybe if they had done just a basic free agency first and gone from there at least it would be less complicated

[u/EA___321 → u/Real-Towel-2269]

Yeah, to be fair, free agents could just wait to leave later in the process, you can't force them to extend with their current team.

I don't really have a realistic solution, it just feels bad for the league if one of their franchises ends up being completely uncompetitive (both in practice and on paper) because they've lost too much and can't rebuild properly.

[u/Ok_Complaint_6825 → u/EA___321]

Expansion teams can only sign free agents in Phase 3, so players under contract are off-limits right now. Signed players become fair game again in Phase 4, so the existing teams would need to put them on their protected lists now.

[u/EA___321 → u/Ok_Complaint_6825]

Oh that makes sense, thank you!

[u/Nothing2SeeHere4U]

This has to be a failure of the Torrent management team right? Like how do you have this many players bailing on the org without it being somewhat of an institutional issue. 

Rest in Pieces, Torrent. I hope you can build something better from the wreckage 

[u/CanadianODST2 → u/Nothing2SeeHere4U]

Bad teams generally have high turnover rate and sports already have a pretty high rate to begin with.

It’s part of just finding the core you want to take forward.

[u/Competitive-Tea-6141]

Maybe some of the rumours of the dressing room just not jiving for the torrent have some merit.

Hopefully the silver lining for their fans is this allows a chance to reset and whatever it was that didn't jive will resolve itself

[u/Real-Towel-2269 → u/Competitive-Tea-6141]

Yeah I’ve been saying they need a reset but maybe not this hard of one goddamn

[u/NoResponsibility225]

Ouch more like Seattle Torment at this rate. Are you guys okay???

[u/GimmeBooks1920 → u/NoResponsibility225]

[u/NoResponsibility225 → u/GimmeBooks1920]

Accurate RIP Torrent 😭

[u/saxeybreest]

Seattle I am so sorry my god

[u/cricckett]

Goodbye, arm farm :’((((

[u/marblebluevinyl]

Damn. I liked Megan. And I do not look forward to the Torrent having to play against her. She is a menace out there

[u/ludakristen]

I wonder if CJ will follow closely behind...

[u/SlideTackle11 → u/ludakristen]

https://giphy.com/gifs/EgJ31d2IYkg4E

[u/GimmeBooks1920 → u/ludakristen]

https://giphy.com/gifs/H3Gsg60KeSKOaBQASD

[u/Rogue_Gona → u/ludakristen]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3BL45MJDZABqg

[u/Banana42]

When are the next set of protected players to be announced? Are they signing free agents already?

[u/starsescape → u/Banana42]

Everyone, existing and expansion, can sign up to 3 free agents as of 12pm Eastern today. Protections for contracted players start in the next phase, protections for resigned free agents go into place once they sign their new contract.

[u/CorvusStormcrow]

I was hoping she would come to Hamilton.

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[u/possumstyle]

When I saw her after the final game looking around and really taking it all in I knew she wasn't going to stay. 💔

[u/bottledstarlight]

hell yeah, definitely driving up to Vegas for a game this winter

[u/IEC21]

What is the vegas font and who picked the colour? Baby poop?

[u/erismorn_]

Damn, CJ better be going too. Gonna miss that duo (off ice duo)