Ashton Bell, Julia Gosling among young stars selected in PWHL expansion draft

The original six PWHL teams gathered in Minnesota almost exactly one year ago last June for the league's second entry draft.

The players chosen in the first round last year included top-pair defenders, power forwards, playmakers and goal scorers — all poised to be future stars in the PWHL.

After the league's expansion process, all but one of those six players will be playing for the PWHL's newest teams in Vancouver and Seattle. Only superstar Sarah Fillier, who was protected by the New York Sirens, won't be on the move to the west coast.

It's a snapshot of just how much young talent the league's two newest teams were able to accumulate during a roster-building process that included an expansion draft and exclusive signing window.

The original six teams could only protect three players each to start. They were able to protect a fourth once the team gave up two players.

The result is two brand new teams that could both seriously contend for the Walter Cup next season. The goal was to make sure Seattle and Vancouver would be competitive to maintain the league's parity, but both new teams surpassed the bar of keeping up with the existing teams. They already look to be among the deepest in the league.

Meanwhile, the original six teams have gaping holes to fill, having just watched a significant amount of talent walk out the door.

Vancouver general manager Cara Gardner Morey, who was a defender in her own playing career, has built her team's foundation from the net out, starting with long-time Team Canada backup goaltender, Emerance Maschmeyer.

Bell, a former forward, can contribute both offensively and defensively, but what she brings off the ice also appealed to Gardner Morey.

"She's also one of those great teammates and