San Jose fans now have all five of the team's top inaugural draft picks signed for 2026-27. The additions of Lily Shannon and McKenna Van Gelder bring the roster to 18 players under contract, including 10 forwards.
What Shannon brings
Shannon arrives after four seasons at Northeastern University, where she totaled 92 points, with 45 goals and 47 assists, in 144 games. The 23-year-old from Andover, MA, captained the Huskies in 2025-26 and finished second in team scoring with career highs of 19 goals, 24 assists and 43 points.
A Hockey East First Team All-Star, Shannon led Northeastern with six game-winning goals. She was also the only NCAA player to record at least 40 points and 40 blocked shots.
Van Gelder's Cornell connection
Van Gelder joins a San Jose roster that includes defender Rory Guilday, her teammate for three seasons at Cornell University. Across four collegiate seasons, Van Gelder produced 86 points, with 41 goals and 45 assists, in 134 games.
The 22-year-old from Etobicoke, ON, served as a senior captain in 2025-26, recording 23 points in 33 games on 10 goals and 13 assists. She also increased her faceoff win total from 337 to 479. Before Cornell, she won gold with Team Canada at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship.
What it means for the roster
The signings complete San Jose's work to secure its top five inaugural draft selections. Defender Laila Edwards, forward Sloane Matthews and goaltender Tia Chan are each signed to three-year agreements.
The signings bring the PWHL San Jose roster up to 18 players, including 10 forwards, currently under contract for the 2026-27 season.
Official PWHL release
Source: official PWHL release.
Source: thepwhl.com
