Led by N.Y. Sirens' Sarah Fillier, rookies already making an impact 2 weeks into PWHL's 2nd season

Sceptres defender Renata Fast recalled attending the PWHL draft in June and being impressed by how much young talent Toronto was adding to its roster before quickly coming to another more worrisome realization.

The league's other five teams got better, too.

Fast shared her recollection when assessing the impact the PWHL's highly touted rookie class has already made two weeks into the league's second season.

"The level of play is elevated. Credit a lot of that to the rookie class that's coming in. They've been amazing," Fast said. "It's making the league that much deeper."

With play resuming Tuesday following a nine-day international break, New York Sirens rookie and No. 1 draft pick Sarah Fillier leads the league with six points (two goals, four assists). Minnesota Frost rookie Dominique Petrie's three goals are tied for the lead.

Though the sample size is small, with each team playing three games, the expectations were large for a group of so-called rookies, who brought with them years of international experience as well as a small wave of Europeans making the jump from the Swedish women's pro league.

Overall, 29 of the 42 players drafted have made their teams' 23-player rosters, representing a 21 per cent turnover from the PWHL's inaugural season. The high rate of change reflects how talented the rookie class is — the first 10 players selected had national team experience — and how the PWHL is already considering expansion by as many as two teams by next year to account for growing global talent pool.

WATCH l 1 gift for each PWHL team this holiday season:

1 gift for each PWHL team this holiday season

With expansion looming, Sceptres coach Troy Ryan expects this season to be one of the PWHL's most competitive