PWHL Detroit: Newest team additions and where roster stands now
Daryl Watts, left, Britta Curl-Salamme, Cayla Barnes, Hannah Bilka and Jesse Compher. Photos: PWHL
FOX 2 - The newest professional sports franchise in Detroit is wasting no time assembling its roster since the expansion announcement in early May.
Dig deeper:
The PWHL Detroit team has its first five players officially in place, with a sixth coming via a sign-and-trade as General Manager Manon Rhéaume has started with a splash.
High-scoring forward Daryl Watts from the Toronto Sceptres was signed as the (as-yet unnamed) Detroit team's first-ever player.
Watts, 27, ranks second all-time in goals (32) and is tied for third in points (63) after two seasons with the Sceptres (2024-26) and one season with Ottawa (2024).
Four more additions:
Detroit also added a name familiar with Red Wings fans, signing Jesse Compher - sister of current forward J.T. Compher.
- Jesse Compher was signed from the Toronto Sceptres, where the forward ranked among the team's scoring leaders in each of the last two seasons.
- Britta Curl-Salamme comes from the Minnesota Frost and a 2026 member of the gold medal-winning Team USA. Curl-Salamme placed third in scoring last year and set a league record with 18 assists in a season.
- Cayla Barnes arrives from the Seattle Torrent and is a two-time gold medal winner for Team USA in both 2018 and 2026. The defender was an alternate captain for the Torrent last year.
- Hannah Bilka also comes via the Torrent and is an all-star forward who was also a 2026 Team USA gold medal winner. Bilka missed the second half of last season after suffering an upper-body injury in the Oympics, but still tied for the tournament lead with four goals.
Sign-and-trade:
On Monday a report surfaced that another 2026 Olympic star and one of the sport's biggest names is also heading to Detroit.
Veteran star Hilary Knight was acquired through a sign-and-trade, according to the Associated Press.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO - APRIL 08: Hilary Knight #21 of the Seattle Torrent skates during the first period of the game against the Ottawa Charge at The Arena at TD Place on April 08, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Photo by Troy Parla/Getty Images)
Knight, one of the sport's most recognized stars, is expected to sign with Las Vegas as part of of the league’s expansion process. The AP reports Las Vegas in turn, reached an agreement to trade Knight to Detroit in exchange for the team’s first-round pick in the draft next week.
The 36-year-old forward is a five-time U.S. Olympian and one of the most decorated players in her sport. She is coming off captaining Team USA to a gold-medal victory at the Milan Cortina Games in February, where she deflected in the championship game-tying goal late in the third period of a 2-1 overtime win against Canada.
What's next:
Westland native and recently named coach Josh Sciba and Detroit readies for next week's draft.
Related: PWHL Detroit GM announced: Manon Rhéaume headed to Michigan after stint with LA Kings
The PWHL Draft is set to be held June 17 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit.
The Source: Information for this report is from previous coverage and the PWHL website.