Who is going to become the “face of the franchise” for PWHL San Jose?
General manager and head coach Troy Ryan is curious to see who makes that instant connection with the fanbase and who becomes beloved immediately.
His pick? Center Kristin O’Neill, who was also PWHL San Jose’s one Expansion Foundational Offer. She’s a top defensive center who won a silver medal with Canada at the 2026 Olympics.
“For those that know Kristen, just an unbelievable person, a great player, a great professional, and I really think that she’s going to have a great connection in the Bay Area, but also going to have a great connection with our staff and with our athletes as well.”
Ryan said he has already seen PWHL San Jose fans getting excited about all five new players – O’Neill, goalie Corinne Schroeder, wingers Maddi Wheeler and Anne Cherkowski, and defenseman Rory Guilday.
“I messaged a bunch of the players once the press release was announced for each initial signing, and I was really happy with the love that they’re already getting in that area. So, obviously, the Bay Area is excited to have a team and excited to have these players announced.”
Ryan, as well as O’Neill, Wheeler, and Schroeder, spoke to media following the completion of Phase 2 of the PWHL Expansion process. Phase 3 begins on June 10, and PWHL San Jose, along with the three other expansion franchises, can each sign three more players.
Troy Ryan, on what stood out about these five players…
One of the biggest things that popped out to me was their desire to be in San Jose. Good quality players, good quality people with good character that are excited about this. … You’re trying to build a successful team, and [this expansion opportunity] may be for some people, and it may not be for some people. All these people, all these players that we selected, were in for that and excited about this opportunity.
Ryan, on his philosophy behind picking players, and where the offense will come from…
I had to get a goalie, get two defenders, and get two forwards, that was generally my thought to provide a good foundation.
The opportunity to get Schroeder at this point was really, really important to me. That’s a goalie that’s had a very successful career prior to the PWHL, but also in the PWHL, has played a lot of minutes, has been a No. 1 goalie on two teams, and we’re confident that we can surround her with a great team that gives her a career-like year.
Some of the other players that we selected with expansion is going to provide an opportunity for them to potentially play a more meaningful role. They all played meaningful roles on their previous teams, but with expansion they get an opportunity to play maybe a more meaningful role. You’re trying to predict what that looks like, and you’re trying to take the best talent you can with the new given opportunity. Do you believe their ceiling is high, and I believe this group’s is high.
The signing of Guilday is really, really important. A strong, solid D that’s still young, that eats up a lot of minutes, still a player with the national team, with Team USA, so has goals – PWHL goals, but also national team goals. Those are the type of players you want in your program, for sure.
Ryan, on what he expects from O’Neill, who scored four goals in 30 games last year…
With expansion, with the experience that she’s had over the last number of years, I think she’s ready for a step. … KO is someone that has plenty of room to grow because of who she is as an athlete, who she is as a person, who she is as a leader. It’s fun for me as a coach to help along that journey. She continues to grow as a player. And if she grows, great. If she ends up being the exact player that was in New York or the exact player that was in Montreal, we couldn’t be happier with the selection.
Kristin O’Neill on Ryan’s leadership from her time with Team Canada…
I think he values me a lot as a player, despite playing fewer minutes than I do on my PWHL team. I’ve always felt so valued, no matter what position I play, no matter what role I play, and I think that’s the type of culture he creates in teams. When someone’s getting three minutes a game and they feel just as valued as the player who’s playing 30 minutes a game, that’s so crucial and that’s so important for any organization, but especially for a new organization. That’s one of my goals for San Jose, to make sure everyone feels welcomed and valued as soon as they get there. With Troy’s leadership and guidance, I’ve always felt that way under him, and I’m really hoping to continue that in San Jose.
O’Neill, on what she knows about the Bay Area…
I don’t know too much about San Jose. I played there for a Rivalry Series game, so that’s sort of my extent of hockey in that area. But my sister and brother-in-law live in San Francisco. My partner went to Stanford for two years, so I think I’m familiar with the area a little bit, but really excited to get to know the area more and call it my home.
O’Neill, on joining PWHL San Jose with two former teammates in O’Neill and Cherkowski after playing together for the New York Sirens…
With an expansion team, a lot of players haven’t played together, a lot is new, and a lot can be challenging at the beginning. To have two familiar faces that I’ve already gone through a season with, close teammates of mine. Really looking forward to continuing this journey with both of them in San Jose.
Maddi Wheeler, on joining O’Neill and Cherkowski in San Jose…
Somebody like Kristen getting the EFO from Troy, it’s a testament to the type of culture that he wants to build. For me personally, getting to play with her for the past year, I really respect her a ton as a leader and as a player. She’s so professional in everything that she does, and knowing how much Troy values the importance of leadership and culture and the discussions that we had of where we want San Jose to represent. For me personally that was really comforting, to know that that’s the direction that Troy was really looking for the team, so that was definitely a good draw for myself.
Wheeler, on building on the excitement around women’s sports in the Bay Area and bringing women’s hockey to California…
There’s not college hockey in the state of California, so that’s a huge part, kind of a gap that we can work to fill and be role models for these girls. Whereas a state like Minnesota, they get to watch people in college and stuff. So it’s going to be great to be leaders in that way, role models, and contribute to the women’s sports movement in the Bay Area.
Corinne Schroeder, on the quick growth of the PWHL…
It’s incredible to have been right there from the start, and seeing how quickly it’s grown is quite incredible, because you look at other leagues and the slower progress of their growth and how long they’ve been around. So it’s really exciting that we’re going into season four, and we’re already where we are, and have had such success in all markets, and through the expansion teams as well.
Schroeder, on her experience building an expansion side with the Seattle Torrent…
Having that experience of expanding to Seattle, I feel that I have a greater idea of what pitfalls to avoid personally, as well as things to look out for within the team. We need to really establish a good culture and a good welcoming culture immediately, and make sure that we’re all on the same page. Communication is a huge piece of that. So there’s a lot that I’ve learned this past year that will really be important to take forward.
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