Siren Strengthens Roster in PWHL Draft

The Siren made significant moves during the PWHL draft on Tuesday night, selecting standout forward Christina Kartunkova from Colgate with their first pick. Along with this, they traded for Wisconsin’s Casey O’Brien using the third overall selection.

With the draft, the Siren parted ways with unprotected forwards Alex Carpenter and Jesse Eldridge. However, they welcomed two promising players who could elevate their scoring game—Kartunkova, in particular, is noteworthy, having clinched three national championships.

Kartunkova, originally from the Czech Republic, showcased impressive talent this past season, finishing among the top ten scorers nationwide with 111 goals throughout her time at Colgate.

O’Brien stood out as well, leading the country with 88 points and 62 assists, even earning the title of the top women’s college hockey player in the U.S.

Expressing her excitement after being drafted, Kartunkova commented, “It doesn’t matter what role I play. I’m happy to jump in and help as much as I can, and it will have an impact right away.”

The Siren also made a strategic move by trading defender Ella Shelton in exchange for the third and 27th picks in the draft.

“I’m so honored that New York traded up for me. It’s pretty special and this concludes a great year,” O’Brien remarked after her selection.

In total, the Siren secured nine picks during the draft, setting themselves up for a potentially strong season ahead.

They picked up goalkeeper Curry Shanahan from Boston in the second round, along with other prospects including Ann Cherkovski from Clarkson, McKenna Webster from Ohio State, and Dale Ross from St. Cloud State at various positions in the draft. Additionally, the team added Yale’s Anna Bergman in the fifth round and Kayley Doyle from Kinnipiac in the sixth round.