Seattle Torrent protect Hannah Murphy, Anna Wilgren from expansion
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 17: Hannah Murphy #83 of the Seattle Torrent tends net against the Ottawa Charge during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena on December 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
The Seattle Torrent have protected goaltender Hannah Murphy and defender Anna Wilgren from being selected during the PWHL expansion process, joining star forward Alex Carpenter.
The Torrent signed Carpenter to a new three-year contract on Tuesday, which automatically made her one of the team's three players protected. Murphy and Wilgren round out the group of three players that won't be available to the incoming expansion franchises in San Jose, Las Vegas, Detroit, and Hamilton, Ontario.
The Torrent are left with seven players under contract who are available during the expansion selection process, and another 14 players who are on expiring contracts that will also be available – including U.S. legend Hilary Knight.
Seven of the eight existing teams chose to protect a goaltender through the first phase of expansion, with only the New York Sirens electing to use their selections elsewhere.
As a rookie, Murphy played in 12 games for the Torrent, posting a .908 save percentage with a 2.87 goals against average.
Wilgren played all 30 games last season for Seattle, scoring 10 points on three goals and seven assists from the blue line.
The next phase of the expansion process will see the four expansion teams submit lists of 20 players each that will be their exclusive negotiation target list. Expansion teams can't sign any player that isn't a part of this list of their team. No existing team can lose more than three players during phase two of the expansion process.
Each team will get one "expansion foundational offer," which will allow them to name one cornerstone player to receive a premum contract with their club. This designation is binding for the player and they must accept, unless two or more teams have named the same player. In that case, the player can choose their destination between the different clubs.
Seattle Torrent Roster Outlook:
Signed through 2028-29: Alex Carpenter*
Signed through 2027-28: Cayla Barnes
Signed through 2026-27: Lexie Adzija, Hannah Bilka, Jenna Buglioni, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, Hannah Murphy*, Corinne Schroeder, Danielle Serdachny, Anna Wilgren*
Expiring contracts: Emily Brown, Brooke Bryant, Megan Carter, Gabrielle David, Julia Gosling, Carly Jackson, Mariah Keopple, Hilary Knight, Sydney Langseth, Theresa Schafzahl, Natalie Snodgrass, Aneta Tejralová, Marah Wagner, Emily Zumwinkle
Expiring contracts (rights held): Lily Delianedis, Jada Habisch, Lyndie Lobdell
*Denotes protected player.
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Seattle Torrent sign, protect Alex Carpenter ahead of PWHL expansion
The Seattle Torrent announced they have signed center Alex Carpenter to a new three-year contract, making her one of three protected players for the team ahead of the PWHL's upcoming expansion process.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Torrent and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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