Hilary Knight eager to introduce PWHL and women's hockey to her new team in Seattle

As Hilary Knight winds down her international career, the four-time Olympian and long-time face of U.S. women's hockey is hardly done making inroads in her sport.

Next up for the 35-year-old during a trailblazing career — in which she stood up to USA Hockey in demanding better wages and helped found the PWHL — is introducing the women's game to a new frontier as part of the league's expansion into the Pacific Northwest.

''Yeah, I guess it's sort of how my career's gone. I'm more of a builder in many ways,'' Knight said with a laugh on Friday, two days after becoming the first player agreeing to sign with the PWHL's new team in Seattle.

''Ecstatic. It's an incredible honor to be part of this group and to have this opportunity. I think it's pivotal, it's important,'' added the PWHL MVP finalist. ''And to have a hand in that at the ground level is an extreme honor.''

And don't be fooled by Knight agreeing to sign a one-year deal. Though she's already announced the 2026 Winter Games will be her fifth and final Olympics, Knight said she is committed to continuing her pro career in Seattle beyond the PWHL's third season.

''The term doesn't really reflect my commitment or my promise to what we want to build and be a part of in the city of Seattle,'' she said.

The additions of Seattle and Vancouver grow the league to eight teams, and expands the PWHL's reach fully across the continent.

In switching coasts, Knight bids farewell to her longtime ties to Boston, which go well beyond the two years she spent serving as captain of the PWHL Fleet. Before her college days at Wisconsin, Knight attended a prep school in New England, and later spent six years playing in Boston for its CWHL and NWHL franchises.

Seattle brings Knight much closer to her offseason home in Sun Valley, Idaho, and to where she's enjoyed several fond memories.

The foremost came in 2022, when she was wowed by the 14,551 fans inside the NHL Kraken's arena for a U.S.-Canada Rivalry Series game. And she was back in the same arena in January with 12,608 fans on hand to watch Boston play Montreal to open the PWHL's nine-game neutral-site Takeover Tour series.

''When the league announced that Seattle was gonna be an expansion franchise, I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, whoever has an opportunity to get out there, it's just going to be an amazing setup and wonderful fan base,''' Knight said. ''I think things aligned for me personally in the right way. And I cannot wait for puck drop.''

Knight is coming off a stellar season in which her 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) were tied for the league lead with New York rookie Sarah Fillier. She also captained the U.S. to win its 11th gold medal and her 10th at the women's world championships in April.

Knight will already have some familiar faces joining her in Seattle, following the signings of U.S. national team members Cayla Barnes and Alex Carpenter.

The 31-year-old Carpenter agreed to a one-year contract on Friday. She spent her first two seasons in New York and ranks third on the PWHL career list with 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) in 50 games.

Seattle, which previously signed Ottawa forward Danielle Serdachny, filled out its fifth and final signing spot by agreeing to a two-year deal with goaltender Corinne Schroeder. The all-time PWHL leader in shutouts spent the past two seasons with New York.

With both expansion teams signing their maximum five players, each will add seven more in the expansion draft on Monday. All eight teams will then take part in the PWHL draft on June 24.

Former U.S. national team captain and Vancouver Canucks assistant general manager Cammi Granato welcomed the news of Knight signing with Seattle, where she previously worked as a Kraken scout.

''I think it's fantastic. She is a leader, someone who always promotes the game on and off the ice,'' Granato wrote in a text to The Associated Press. ''With her accomplishments, she will draw fans to support her and the team. She is an icon.''

Knight reflected on how upon finishing college in 2012 there were few options for women to continue pursing hockey careers outside of their respective national teams. The CWHL didn't pay its players salaries, while the NWHL did but endured several hiccups and was eventually bought out to establish the PWHL in 2023.

''We all wanted this 20, 30, 100 years ago,'' Knight said of the PWHL.

''I'm just so grateful for all the people that came before us to be able to have this league,'' she added. ''I think we're in really good hands with where we started Year 1 and where we're going. And what an amazing hit out of the park to be able to expand in Year 3.''

___

AP women's hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey