The season might not have ended the way the University of Minnesota women’s hockey seniors and graduate students wanted. They spent months chasing a national title, only to see the season come to an abrupt end, missing the Frozen Four.
The loss has lingered, but as the Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft approaches Wednesday night, six former Gophers are turning their attention toward the next step of their hockey careers.
Forwards Abbey Murphy, Josefin Bouveng, Jamie Nelson and Allie Franco, alongside defenders Nelli Laitinen and Sydney Morrow, all declared for the PWHL draft, hoping to hear their names called.
Abbey Murphy ended her career with the Gophers as the program’s all-time goal-scoring leader, and there is little doubt that her offense will translate at the professional level. However, for Murphy, the draft is about more than her own career. She hopes her former teammates also get the same opportunity as her.
“Just crossing your fingers they get the call,” Murphy said. “I’m pretty excited for each and every one of them. Being a Gopher is pretty special, and when you get to share that experience with everyone, it makes a difference.”
For the potential draft picks, different routes have all led them to this moment.
Jamie Nelson arrived on campus after five seasons at Minnesota State, where she became the program’s first-ever Western Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie of the Year and finished third in the program’s scoring record history. In her singular season with the Gophers, Nelson embraced a middle-six role and finished with 42 points.
For Sydney Morrow, her journey included stops at Ohio State and Colgate before finding a home in Minneapolis.
Her offensive game took off with Minnesota, where she recorded 68 points in 81 games, becoming a top-three finalist for WCHA Defender of the Year in both her junior and senior seasons. Her offensive upside could make her one of the defenders who are selected early on in the draft.
While transfers played a huge role in shaping Minnesota’s graduating class, others spent four, and in some cases, up to six years building their legacy with the program.
Allie Franco, an Oakdale, Minnesota, native and former Minnesota Ms. Hockey semifinalist, spent a portion of her time with the Gophers as a defender, but declared for the draft as a forward.
She appeared in 120 games for the team and finished with 17 career points. Her positional versatility should be intriguing to teams looking to build depth.
Defender Nelli Laitinen is also a highly regarded Gophers draft prospect. Laitinen developed into one of college hockey’s most reliable defenders, serving as captain during her final two seasons. Internationally, she represented Finland in two Olympic Games, winning bronze in 2022 and later earning an assistant captain role for the 2026 Olympics.
“Nelli’s one of the most reliable players I’ve ever played with,” Murphy said. “She’s also a great leader.”
Laitinen finished her college career with 94 points through 145 games and is widely regarded as one of the top defenders available in the draft.
Josefin Bouveng also leaves Minnesota as a two-time Olympian, representing Sweden internationally.
The forward finished her career with 142 points in 143 games and carried a 25-game point streak through most of her senior season. Her offensive consistency and ability to complement elite talent make her an interesting option for teams looking to add to their secondary scoring.
The headliner for the Gophers draft class is undoubtedly Murphy. Fresh off winning Olympic gold with Team USA, Murphy ended her college career by breaking Minnesota’s all-time goal record.
She scored 40 goals last season, earned WCHA Forward of the Year honors and finished with 261 career points, including 143 goals. Murphy is looking forward to growing her game even further in the PWHL and making adjustments to the different style of play that the league brings.
“There are a lot of additions being made,” Murphy said. “Hitting is allowed, so you’ve got to find different ways to play.”
Few prospects have a more impressive resume than Murphy, and she is expected to be one of the first names called on Wednesday night. Though for a player who spent six years helping shape Minnesota’s program, the draft represents both an ending and a beginning.
“Obviously, I was around for a long time,” Murphy said. “Being able to build something there is something that I’ll forever be grateful for.”
