Three Greater Toronto Hockey League alumni heard their names called on Wednesday, June 17, as the Professional Women’s Hockey League welcomed 72 new players during the 2026 PWHL Draft presented by Upper Deck at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan.
The fourth annual PWHL Draft marked another major step forward for the women’s game, with the league’s newest generation of talent joining 12 franchises ahead of the 2026-27 season. For the GTHL, the night also served as another proud reminder of the role minor hockey continues to play in helping develop athletes for the highest levels of the sport.
Forward Isabel “Issy” Wunder was the first GTHL alumna selected, going in the second round, 13th overall, to PWHL Las Vegas. Wunder, who first played in the GTHL at the house league level with the Avenue Road Ducks, before moving on to the competitive levels with both North Toronto and the Markham Islanders, joins one of the league’s new expansion franchises after an impressive collegiate career at Princeton University. A standout forward with size, skill, and offensive impact, Wunder was recognized during her NCAA career as an Ivy League Player of the Year, ECAC Forward of the Year, and a two-time top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.
In the third round, the New York Sirens selected forward Carina DiAntonio with the 31st overall pick. DiAntonio, a Mississauga, Ontario product, played in the GTHL with the Port Credit Storm, Mississauga Senators, and Toronto Wolverines. DiAntonio, a product of Yale University and team captain with the Bulldogs, appeared in all 36 games during the 2025-26 season and led Yale with 26 goals and 22 assists.
McKenna Van Gelder rounded out the GTHL contingent when PWHL San Jose selected her in the fifth round, 52nd overall. Van Gelder, who played in the GTHL at the house league level with the West Mall Lightning, joins San Jose as part of the expansion franchise’s first-ever draft class. The Etobicoke native developed into a consistent forward at Cornell University, where she served as captain and continued to build on a strong offensive collegiate career.
The GTHL congratulates Isabel Wunder, Carina DiAntonio, and McKenna Van Gelder on being selected in the 2026 PWHL Draft.
For more information on the 2026 PWHL Draft, visit thepwhl.com here.
