Full Breakdown
Hilary Knight Joins PWHL Detroit via Sign-and-Trade with Las Vegas
6/9/2026, 12:08:46 PM
Core Trade
Hilary Knight will join Detroit via a sign-and-trade: she signs a foundational contract with Las Vegas, then is traded to Detroit for its first-round pick. The trade freeze lifts June 16, a day before the June 17 draft. Knight, 36, played the prior season with Seattle.
Expansion Context
The 2026 PWHL expansion adds Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, San Jose. All clubs may sign one Expansion Foundational Offer (EFO) guaranteeing at least $100,000 per season for 2-4 years. Las Vegas kept its EFO; Detroit used its on Daryl Watts. Detroit now has five contracted players, with Knight as a sixth per some reports.
Player Profile
Knight is a five-time Olympian who captained Team USA to gold at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games and holds U.S. Olympic records for goals (15) and points (33). She joins Detroit under GM Manon Rheaume and coach Josh Sciba.
Stats & Contract
In 2025-26 with Seattle, Knight posted 5 goals, 9 assists and 14 points in 22 games, missing two months with a lower-body injury. She tied for the league lead with 29 points in 2024-25. She earned $106,090 last season; the contract guarantees a $100,000 minimum.
Official Response
Detroit management said the trade satisfies the league’s requirement for five contracted players by Phase 2’s end; league officials noted draft picks can move only after the June 16 trade-freeze ends.
Criticism
Seattle Torrent GM Meghan Turner called the new expansion system “difficult” and “long,” citing the lack of a draft. She said the move forced Knight, left unprotected by Boston and Seattle, into a multi-step trade despite her prior commitment to Detroit.
Conflicting Reports
AP lists five Detroit signings, Daily Faceoff six. The exact slot of Detroit’s first-round pick is undisclosed. Some outlets call the contract a one-year deal; the league defines it as an EFO with a $100,000 minimum. Knight’s age is reported as 36, though a Free Press article says she will be 37.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Hilary is a pro in all respects, and it was a very professional conversation,” — Meghan Turner, GM, Seattle Torrent
- “I have a ton of respect for her as a player and a person and a leader.” — Meghan Turner, GM, Seattle Torrent
- “This process is difficult. It’s long. Last year was a little bit, I guess, more straightforward,” — Meghan Turner, GM, Seattle Torrent
- “Like you had the protections, and then you had the draft. There’s more variables at play (now), and I think those were real factors in the decision-making here, including … the contract landscape across the board.” — Meghan Turner, GM, Seattle Torrent
What’s Next
The June 17 draft will reveal Detroit’s first-round slot. After the trade freeze lifts, Detroit can complete the exchange with Las Vegas and finalize its roster for the 2026-27 season.
