Las Vegas reportedly to sign Hilary Knight, trade to Detroit for first-round pick
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Report: Las Vegas trading Hilary Knight to PWHL expansion Detroit
PWHL Las Vegas is reportedly finalizing an agreement to sign forward Hilary Knight to a foundational player offer before trading her to Detroit. This transaction would involve Las Vegas receiving Detroit’s first-round pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft. The deal is expected to become official on June 16, the day before the draft, when draft picks are permitted to be traded.
Knight’s move to Detroit has been anticipated since the beginning of Phase 2 signing. It was understood that she had agreed to a contract with Detroit. However, sources indicate that the timing of Las Vegas’ Expansion Franchise Offer (EFO) complicated the situation. Knight was reportedly informed she had been assigned to PWHL Las Vegas after she had already committed to Detroit.
The complexity arises from the PWHL’s expansion process, which has not publicly disclosed EFO rankings or team target lists. One scenario suggests that if both Detroit and Las Vegas had Daryl Watts as their top-ranked EFO, Knight would have become Las Vegas’ second-ranked EFO once Watts signed with Detroit. Alternatively, Knight might have been Vegas’ top-ranked EFO and delayed a resolution on her desire to play in Detroit until the last possible moment.
If Knight had agreed in principle to a contract with Detroit before Las Vegas’ second-ranked EFO was activated, it could have created a loophole in the league’s rules. A member of the Seattle Torrent’s 2025-26 roster confirmed that Knight had indicated her intention to join Detroit to those close to her.
Knight’s recent performance and career highlights
Knight, at 36 years old, played for the Seattle Torrent in the previous season, an expansion team. She recorded five goals and nine assists for a total of 14 points in 22 games. This was a change from her performance with the Boston Fleet during the 2024-25 season, where she tied for the league lead in points with 29. During her time with Seattle, she also sustained an MCL tear while representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which sidelined her for over a month.
Despite the injury, Knight broke the U.S. women’s Olympic goal and points record in Milan, contributing to her team’s third gold medal victory in the country’s history and her second Olympic gold. In 76 regular-season games in the PWHL, Knight has accumulated 26 goals and 28 assists, totaling 54 points.
Knight was not among the three players protected by Torrent general manager Meghan Turner, a decision that was mutually agreed upon. Seattle protected forward Alex Carpenter, defender Anna Wilgren, and goaltender Hannah Murphy. Knight has served as the inaugural captain for both the Boston Fleet and the Seattle Torrent.
Impact on Detroit and the league
With this potential signing, Knight would become the sixth player to join Detroit’s roster, which already includes Daryl Watts, Hannah Bilka, Cayla Barnes, Jesse Compher, and Britta Curl-Salemme. Her move to Detroit was reportedly a significant factor in attracting other players, such as Hannah Bilka and Cayla Barnes, who also joined from Seattle.
The trade for a first-round pick is notable, especially since the PWHL has not yet announced the draft order. This means Las Vegas would be trading Knight without knowing the specific position of the pick they are acquiring. Las Vegas will likely need to officially retain Knight until June 16, as PWHL expansion rules mandate that teams must have five players under contract by the end of Phase Two, a requirement Las Vegas would not meet without Knight.
Internationally, Knight’s career includes two Olympic gold medals and three silver medals, along with 10 World Championship gold medals and five silver medals. She holds the record for all-time leading scorer in the World Championships and is the USA’s all-time leading scorer on the international stage. Knight was also a PWHL First Team All-Star in 2025.
Detroit has now utilized all five permitted spots for its roster during Phase 2, which concludes on Monday.
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Source: dailyfaceoff.com
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