PWHL San Jose Secures Initial Roster with First Four Player Signings

PWHL San Jose has officially announced the signing of its inaugural four players, marking a significant milestone for the franchise. General manager and head coach Troy Ryan has secured a goaltender, a defenseman, and two forwards, all under two-year contracts.

The first signing was goaltender Corrine Schroeder, who previously played 17 games for the Seattle Torrent. Last season, she achieved a .915 save percentage, ranking seventh in the PWHL, while finishing with a record of 5-8-4. Notably, Schroeder had the highest save percentage among unprotected goalies during the first phase of the expansion process. At 26 years old, she embarks on her fourth season in the league, having recorded save percentages of .919 and .930 in her last two seasons spent in New York.

Joining her is defenseman Rory Guilday, who recently earned a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics. The 23-year-old tallied one goal and nine points in 30 games with the Ottawa Charge last season. Guilday is entering her second year in the PWHL and has been a part of the U.S. national team since the 2022 World Championship. Before her professional career, she played four seasons at Cornell University, where she scored five goals and collected nine points in her senior year.

Forward Anne Cherkowski has also signed with San Jose after an impressive rookie season with the New York Sirens, where she recorded two goals and nine points in 28 games. Cherkowski was drafted 13th overall following a standout four-year career at Clarkson University, which culminated in 17 goals and 45 points during her final season.

The franchise also signed forward Kristin O’Neill to a two-year foundational offer. “Each expansion team was granted one binding EFO to pursue a player on an expiring PWHL contract through a premium multi-year contract opportunity,” the PWHL stated. O’Neill has represented Canada annually since 2021 and contributed four goals and five points in 30 games last season with the Sirens. She also ranked fourth in faceoffs won. In her two prior seasons, she netted three goals and added an assist in seven playoff games with Montreal Victoire.

Ryan still has the opportunity to sign one more player during this expansion phase, which continues until the PWHL Draft on June 17 and the open signing period starting June 19.