Lou Orlando
The 2026 PWHL expansion process has progressed largely as expected for the New York Sirens. That continued Friday, when the club finalized its six-player protection list ahead of Phase 4.
New York protected star forwards Sarah Fillier, Kristyna Kaltounkova, and Casey O’Brien in Phase 1, then added defenders Maja Nylen Persson, Micah Zandee-Hart, and Jaime Bourbonnais in Phase 3.
The Sirens remain the only existing PWHL team not to protect a goaltender. Instead, they’ve ensured a strong foundation at both forward and defense, regardless of how the rest of expansion unfolds.
That should come in handy, particularly for a team that suffered major losses through the first three phases. Five players from New York’s 2025-26 roster have already signed with expansion teams: starting goalie Kayle Osborne and forwards Kristin O’Neill, Anne Cherkowski, Maddi Wheeler, and Taylor Girard.
It leaves general manager Pascal Daoust with some significant holes to fill this offseason. Still, there’s reason to believe the bulk of the damage has been done.
The Sirens have eight unprotected players under contract in 2026-27, and can lose only one more for the remainder of expansion. There is no limit to player movement with unrestricted free agents, but New York’s UFA pool isn’t quite as impressive as others across the League.
But that doesn’t mean the Sirens can breathe a sigh of relief just yet. Expansion teams have 11 roster spots to fill by Monday to satisfy League requirements. Here are five players who could be targeted when Phase 4 begins Sunday at noon EST.
Paetyn Levis
Factoring in salary, Paetyn Levis may be the most attractive expansion target remaining on the Sirens’ roster. A tenacious two-way forward, Levis posted PWHL career highs with five goals and 10 points in 2025-26 and played a key role on New York’s penalty kill. At 5-on-5, she finished the season on the club’s top matchup line alongside trade acquisition Denisa Křížová and an Olympic center O’Neill.
A well-rounded skater with strong defensive instincts, Levis checks several boxes for expansion teams seeking quality middle-six help. She’d also be an economical addition for teams looking to stay within 10 percent of the PWHL’s required average salary ($60,099.99). The 26-year-old carried a $44,500 cap hit in 2025-26 and remains under that contract next season.
It would likely take a raise to pry her away from New York, but that should be well within the budget for most expansion teams.
Denisa Krizova
Křížová is far and away the top remaining UFA from New York’s 2025-26 roster, and will no doubt garner interest in the open market. A two-time Walter Cup champion with the Minnesota Frost, the Czech forward joined the Sirens in March as part of the PWHL’s lone trade deadline move. She immediately stepped onto New York’s top power-play unit and recorded two points (one goal, one assist) in seven games.
Křížová might not be a true game-changer offensively, but the 31-year-old has proven herself a valuable middle-six piece. And as the League’s forward ranks thin out amid a four-team expansion, the hard-nosed veteran likely becomes an even more desirable asset.
Ian Kennedy of The Hockey News reported that multiple markets are eyeing Křížová as a potential target, so it should come as no surprise if she signs with a new squad in Phase 4.
Elle Hartje
Similar to Levis, Elle Hartje makes sense for expansion teams targeting a middle-six forward on a team-friendly contract. The former fifth-round pick (No. 25 overall 2024) made $43,500 in 2025-26 and will finish out the final year of her rookie deal next season.
The 25-year-old boasts excellent skating ability and a polished 200-foot game with an ability to play in the top six if needed. Hartje’s offensive impact has been somewhat subdued (0 goals, 13 points in 56 career games), but there is reason to believe that Yale University’s all-time leading scorer can develop into a reliable playmaker in the PWHL. An expanded league should afford her a larger role — whether that’s in New York or elsewhere.
PWHL Detroit could make sense as a potential destination for the Detroit, Michigan native, especially with former Sirens assistant Josh Sciba hired as the club’s inaugural head coach.
Allyson Simpson
In terms of talent and on-ice impact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better player in New York’s unprotected player pool than Allyson Simpson. The 25-year-old defender has been a staple in the Sirens’ top four and a regular on the power play through her first two PWHL seasons.
A sizeable salary could give expansion teams pause, though. Simpson made $72,500 in 2025-26 and remains under contract through next season. Barring a selection process, expansion teams would have to match or exceed that to lure away the former third-round pick (No. 16 overall 2024). That’s a tall order, especially after most of the League’s newest clubs already carved out a lot of cap space to lock down their five foundational players in Phase 2.
If that aggressive mentality persists in Phase 4, don’t be surprised to see teams pursue Simpson. But with New York only eligible to lose one more contracted player and cheaper options available, it’s feasible the Sirens will escape expansion with their top four intact.
Dayle Ross
This one is a long shot but worth mentioning. Highly touted for her relentless playstyle at St. Cloud State University, Dayle Ross faced a delayed start to her rookie campaign after offseason ACL surgery. The 5-foot-6 defender appeared in 16 games in 2025-26, averaging 5:03 of ice time. She struggled to make a consistent impact and ultimately found herself out of the lineup amid a tight playoff push.
Coach Greg Fargo chalked up her diminished role to a lengthy offseason recovery process and maintained that the Sirens see Ross as a key piece of their defense moving forward. Expansion teams may share that optimism. The former fourth-round pick (No. 25 overall 2025) was a defensive force in college, lauded as one of the toughest players to compete against. She’ll be a potential breakout candidate in 2026-27, health withstanding.
A restricted free agent this summer, Ross counts toward New York’s contracted player pool for expansion purposes. It would be surprising to see an expansion team target her as one of its first 10 players — especially with some of the names available across the League. Then again, there’s always a market for young controllable assets with upside.
