For many young girls, growing up and dreaming about playing professional hockey meant aspiring to play in the NHL. It meant modelling their game off the likes of Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin, all because there were no easy ways to see the players who looked just like them.

“When you can see it, you can be it” never rang so true until the creation of the PWHL, where those girls could finally see, on a regular basis, the very role models they’ve been looking for.

Issy Wunder on the Privilege of Pressure, the Neuroscience of Leadership, and Defining a New Era in Women’s Hockey

For Princeton University forward Issy Wunder, who now sits on the cusp of embarking on her own PWHL journey, the impact of seeing yourself properly represented in the sport you love rings especially true.

“I remember when Sami Jo Small came and talked at my high school with her gold medal,” Wunder recalled. “That was an extremely formative experience for me, just hearing her story. And I think visibility in the community is so important because you need young girls, need people to look up to who aren’t men and who are just like them and look like them.”

My full conversation with Issy Wunder is available now on YouTube.

Wunder, who has completed a remarkable four-year career at Princeton both on and off the ice, doesn’t feel pressure when thinking about those young girls and becoming a role model for the next generation. Like many in the sport, she says that pressure is a privilege, and one that represents fuel that drives her development and passion.

“I think the fortunate thing about the modern age and social media and how the game is growing,” Wunder said. “It’s not really necessarily just me. There are so many different girls, so many different types of players that you can model your game after. And I think that the best thing is that there are different people who you can look up to.”

Now that one chapter of her career is closing, another one is on the verge of being written, as the 2026 PWHL Draft looms on the horizon. And as excited as Wunder is about the possibility of hearing her own name called on draft night, she recognizes how much has changed and how far the sport has come.

“The biggest thing that I find myself thinking about is how fortunate we are that this is now the reality,” Wunder said. “I’ve spent my whole life, I love the Maple Leafs, I’ve watched the NHL growing up. Every single year, I sit down and watch the Draft, and it’s always so cool to see those 17, 18, 19-year-old boys go out there and have their dreams come true. And I think the fact that now we get to do that is an extremely cool thing.”

Through the many individual awards, her deep connection to the community, and the team milestones she helped achieve, Issy Wunder will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy at Princeton University. And as she looks ahead to a professional hockey career in the PWHL, she carries with her the reminder of just how important it is to be the role model so many in the sport never had.

My full conversation with Issy Wunder is available now on YouTube.

“Be where your feet are.”

It’s a phrase that often comes up when speaking with athletes. It speaks to the importance of being present, in the moment, focused on what you can control, not what you can’t. And for Cornell defender Alyssa Regalado, that’s exactly the mentality she’s taking into the 2026 PWHL Draft.

“It’s honestly really tough, obviously,” Regalado said. “It’s something that’s going to be on my mind until the day comes. But I think it’s more so, just how can I work towards something? How can I make myself better? Not just with hockey, or the PWHL, or whatever my future holds, but just myself as a person. I’m just taking it day by day.”

Alyssa Regalado On Growth, Leadership, and Mindset In Her Journey to the PWHL Draft

Regalado has spent the past four years patrolling the blueline at Cornell, helping the team to three straight Ivy League Championship titles, and over that time, through the ups and downs, she has grown. That growth has helped prepare her for this moment, and she cites this past season, with the program’s high expectations and the loss of 11 seniors, as a testament to her personal growth.

“I think it was hard to overcome those losses this year,” Regalado recalled. “Being one of the seniors and leaders, it was about teaching the underclassmen how to deal with those losses. I didn’t have those seniors telling me how to do that. So I think that communicating with them helped me to learn how to handle it and move on from it, but also use it to build on to the next game.”

My full conversation with Alyssa Regalado is available now on YouTube.

Over that time, Regalado has also had the opportunity to play alongside current PWHL players. She spent three years paired with Ottawa Charge defender Rory Guilday and Vancouver Goldeneyes forward Katie Chan. Seeing them succeed and make their professional dreams come true motivates Regalado.

"I think both show that not only are they amazing hockey players and great people," said Regalado. "But there's a lot that goes on that people don't see. And just knowing that all that extra work pays off is really special to see. It motivates me that this work will all pay off some way, somehow in the end."

With the prospect of a professional career on the horizon, it isn’t lost on Regalado how special this moment is for her career. “It’s an amazing thing to even think about,” she said. “It’s something that I never thought was even going to be possible. I think my freshman year, I said, ‘Okay, well, after my four years, I guess maybe Sweden, if that’s an option. It’s hard to put into words how cool and how special it is to have this opportunity.”

For Alyssa Regalado, she may not know what is in the cards for this next chapter of her journey through the sport she’s always been a student of, but she knows that by being where her feet are and staying in the moment, she’ll end up exactly where she was meant to be.

My full conversation with Alyssa Regalado is available now on YouTube.

Each step along her journey has prepared defender Stephanie Bourque for this next chapter in an already successful hockey career.

Bourque, a native of Moncton, New Brunswick, has finished a standout collegiate career at Union College, where she became the program’s all-time points and assists leader among defenders and set an ironwoman streak by playing in 141 consecutive games.

Stephanie Bourque and her Path From Backyard Rinks to the 2026 PWHL Draft

Now that she has graduated, with a Psychology major in hand, her eyes are set on making the jump to professional hockey.

“I think it’s kind of just treating it like any other big milestone,” Bourque said. “I’m just going to control what I can. So that’s just doing the daily things, the little things every day that put me in the best frame of mind and put me in the best physical shape to achieve that dream one day.”

If she were to hear her name called on Draft night, Bourque would become the first defender from New Brunswick to suit up in the PWHL, and only the second player ever to play a game in the league following forward Sarah Bujold. While she doesn’t feel pressure about the possibility of holding that mantle, doing so would mean a lot and reflect the support she’s had along the way.

“Being from Moncton and New Brunswick gave me the love for the game,” Bourque said. “So I think being able to achieve that dream, not just for myself, but for all my teammates and coaches and my family who have been supporting me throughout my journey.”

Bourque also coaches youth hockey back home in the summers, and she hears from young girls who want to play in the PWHL one day. Knowing that is an inspiration and provides fuel to achieve this next milestone.

“I couldn’t look up and say that I’m going to play professionally in the PWHL,” said Bourque. “So to be able to see someone achieve that dream, being from Moncton, will show them that no matter where you’re from, everyone has a different path to success, but it is doable, and it’s very much achievable.”

Regardless of where this next chapter of hockey takes Stephanie Bourque, she has the foundation to succeed and the inspiration of those young girls back home who will be cheering her on when the spotlight shines brightly on the next generation of PWHL stars.

My full conversation with Stephanie Bourque is available now on YouTube.

“This is what I’ve been working towards for almost a year now. It just means everything.”

When Tory Mariano elected to pursue a five-year undergrad at Northeastern, she had no idea that playing professional hockey could have been an option. After taking a year away from the game to finish her degree, she’s now on the cusp of joining the PWHL.

Tory Mariano on Family, the Road to Northeastern, and Why She’s Ready for the PWHL Draft

Tory Mariano, a defender at Northeastern University, entered the Husky program and chose to pursue a five-year undergraduate program because of its co-op program, which gave her the chance to plan for the future and solidify her academics. Then, partway through her collegiate career, the PWHL was unveiled, offering an opportunity to play professional hockey.

Despite being told that she was ineligible for the 2025 draft because she was unable to relocate to a city that drafted her, she remained undeterred. “At the beginning, I will say that it was tough,” Mariano said. “I’ve never been at school without playing hockey or being a part of the team. It was uncharted waters, but (Dave) Flint helped me a lot.”

A year away from the game was a challenge. She had loved the game ever since she was a kid, when her dad would show her photos of her grandfather playing the game. But doing so gave her perspective.

“Doing it on my own has been hard at times, but I feel like I’ve appreciated it more because I’m doing it for myself and I have a goal,” she said. “Everything that I’ve done, I feel like it’s starting to pay off. I’m proud of myself, and it’s been hard, but I’m glad to see where I am now.”

My full conversation with Tory is out now on YouTube.

Mariano describes herself as a defender who takes care of her own zone first, physical and reliable, the kind of player who makes her team harder to play against. The year away gave her room to approach her conditioning in a way a regular season may not have allowed.

“I’ve been working with our strength and conditioning team here,” Mariano said. “It’s crazy, but I feel like I’ve been doing more than I would in a typical season. I mean, it’s hard to simulate a game, and minutes and stuff like that. It’s been very challenging, but I think it’s honestly for the better.”

In her final season on the ice for the Huskies, Mariano played in all 37 games and set career highs in assists and points. She also helped lead the team to their record 20th Beanpot Championship title.

Now she’s ready for one more milestone.

“I think just to hear my name called and be a part of a team, I mean, that’s what I want. That’s what I’ve been putting my whole year towards,” Mariano said. “I miss the team aspect. It’s not easy to go to the gym or go skate and you don’t have 26 or 28 girls with you. So, I mean, just to be in a team dynamic again would be awesome. Just to have a family again and just be a part of something bigger than yourself would just be great.”

The road to the PWHL Draft may not have been exactly how Tory Mariano drew it up back when she first laced up her skates, but the work she’s put into the journey will be worth it when she pulls on a professional jersey for the very first time.

My full conversation with Tory is out now on YouTube.