BREAKING: PWHL San Jose Selects Sloane Matthews at No. 16, Tia Chan at No. 28

PWHL San Jose has drafted forward Sloane Matthews and goalie Tia Chan.

Matthews doubled her junior year point total during her senior season with Ohio State University. The 5-foot-6 forward put up 20 goals and 44 points in 41 games. This season, the 2024 NCAA champion played both center and wing, and would be one of just two centers on the PWHL San Jose roster alongside defensively-sound Kristin O’Neill

“I think I bring a really strong defensive game,” Matthews said. “My offensive game: I like beating players wide, using my speed, cutting in, driving the back post. So, I think I can really use my skills, take them to San Jose, and better the team.”

The Score’s Kyle Cushman ranked Matthews 22nd among draft-eligible prospects: “She won over 59% of her 325 faceoffs this season, and given the lack of legit centers in the draft, she could be selected by a team with the intention of using her down the middle in the PWHL. I think she fits better on the wing, but she’ll likely play both throughout her pro career… She’s a competitive, responsible player who will hunt pucks, go to hard areas, and succeed in doing so.”

The Hockey News’ Ian Kennedy feels similarly, and also ranked Matthews at 22: “She’s not going to put up huge numbers, but will make a team better and adds positive intangibles. When you dig into her advanced stats, there’s even more to like. Her good habits should result in secondary offense at the pro level.”

Chan, the second goalie drafted today, won NCAA Goalie of the Year after posting a .951 save-percentage and 1.55 goals-against average in her fifth year. Across five seasons with the University of Connecticut, Chan never had a season below a .935 save-percentage.

Cushman rated Chan 21st in the class, saying “Athleticism. That’s what jumps out about Chan’s game. She has an impressive highlight reel of desperation saves. Too many desperation saves are a red flag. That’s not the case for Chan, given her ridiculous save percentage. She’s stopping the easy ones and she’s stealing some. Her track record at UConn is elite… Chan’s probably best suited to begin her career as a backup or as a 1B in a pairing.”

Kennedy, was more bullish in his assessment of Chan at 40th-overall, noting that “her 5-foot-6 stature isn’t big by modern women’s hockey standards, but she makes up for it in other ways.”

Goalie Corinne Schroeder was PWHL San Jose’s first signing. She held a .917 save-percentage last season, the best among goalies not protected during the expansion process. Chan likely slots behind Schroeder to start next season.

“I’m excited,” PWHL San Jose first-round pick Laila Edwards said about Chan on the 2026 PWHL Draft broadcast. “I was lucky enough to not have to play against her. That’s a brick wall. I’m pumped.”

“They have lots of great defenders,” Chan said in her post-draft press conference. “Laila Edwards is a big body, and Rory Guilday, so lots of people that I’m excited to play with. At UConn, too, we had a big defensive presence, so I’m used to playing around that, and it’s exciting for me.”

General manager and head coach Troy Ryan has now selected a forward, defender, and goalie with the franchise’s first three picks.