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06/17 21:00 CDT The Vancouver Goldeneyes select U.S. Olympian Caroline Harvey with the 1st pick in the PWHL draft The Vancouver Goldeneyes select U.S. Olympian Caroline Harvey with the 1st pick in the PWHL draft By JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writer DETROIT (AP) --- Established veterans Hilary Knight and Marie-Philip Poulin helped deliver the Professional Women's Hockey League a major post-Olympic boost coming out of the Milan Cortina Games in February. On Wednesday, it was the youngsters' turn to take the spotlight at the draft. In being selected first overall by the Vancouver Goldeneyes, U.S. national team and Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey kicked off a parade of 11 Olympians --- five of them Americans --- taking downtown Detroit's Fox Theater stage over the first two rounds of the six-round event. The draft class was regarded as the league's deepest and most talented, and represented a reason behind the PWHL adding four new markets, growing to 12 teams entering its fourth season. And it's a reason why Harvey experienced nerves before finally hearing her name called. "There's always this, you have no idea until you officially hear it," said Harvey, who kicked off the day being named the International Ice Hockey Federation's female player of the year. "This draft class is just so deep and so many phenomenal players. Anyone could get picked at any time," she added. "It's just a surreal feeling, and I had no idea. I mean it could have been anyone. But I'm grateful to have my name called." The draft was held in one of the PWHL's new markets and featured its share of tears and cheers. Seated next to Harvey, Laila Edwards grew emotional while congratulating her longtime friend and teammate upon being selected. "It caught me off guard. After I gave her a hug I started crying, and I couldn't stop," said Edwards, who was chosen fourth by San Jose. The 22-year-old Edwards is from Cleveland, and became the first Black player selected in the first round of the PWHL draft. As for the cheers, numerous went up any time Detroit or Knight --- the expansion team's star addition --- were mentioned. And the biggest roar in the packed theater was heard when Detroit finally made its first selection in the second round by choosing Switzerland Olympic goalie Andrea Brandli. "I had the whole crowd with me," the 29-year-old Brandli said. "I just felt like a big family up there and I'm so excited." This was the atmosphere the PWHL has become accustomed to generating while growing its brand in the wake of the Americans' thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Canada in the Olympic final. The win created a surge of attention for women's hockey in North America, with Knight and gold medal-clinching goal-scorer Megan Keller appearing on Saturday Night Live. "Milan was just one of those amazing things that keeps happening to us," PWHL executive board member Stan Kasten told The Associated Press. "You see what the city of Detroit is going to do for this team, right? We just think the more people that get exposed, the more fans we make." On Wednesday, Americans swept the top five picks and made up nine of 12 first-round selections, with the 23-year-old Harvey continuing to cement her reputation as being her generation's most accomplished player. She's a two-time Olympian and was the tournament MVP in Milan. At Wisconsin, she won three NCAA titles and capped her four-year career winning the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as college hockey's MVP. From Pelham, New Hampshire, Harvey is the second American player to go No. 1 after Minnesota chose Taylor Heise with the first pick in the league's inaugural draft in 2023. Fellow U.S. Olympians followed with Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy chosen second by Seattle, Penn State forward Tessa Janecke going third to Las Vegas. After Edwards went fourth, Wisconsin forward Kirsten Simms rounded it out in going eighth overall to Toronto. "It's a little bittersweet," Simms said of watching her Badgers' teammates go their separate ways. "I'm just happy for all of them. They're unbelievable players and unbelievable people and so every team is super lucky. But, obviously, I'm gonna miss them." Finland national team defender Nelli Laitinen was the first European player selected, going No. 6 to Hamilton. The first Canadian selected was Ohio State defender Sara Swiderski, who went ninth overall to Minnesota. ___ AP women's hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

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