NH Native Olympic MVP Caroline (KK) Harvey #1 Draft Pick For Women’s Hockey

When the TV camera lights found her face at Detroit's Fox Theatre on Wednesday night, the 23-year-old from Nashua just stood there... cool, calm, and completely ready... in a crisp white suit, surrounded by family and coaches who'd made the trip from New England to watch her hear her name called first.

And called it was. The Vancouver Goldeneyes selected Harvey with the top pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft, making the New Hampshire native the face of the next era of women's professional hockey. 🏒

According to the Boston Globe, She grew up between Groton, Mass., and Salem, N.H., played high school hockey in New York, and became a superstar at Wisconsin. But Harvey hasn't forgotten where she came from. "I love New England so much," she said after being drafted.

The pick surprised exactly nobody. Harvey is a once-in-a-generation talent whose skills have been likened to Bobby Orr... high praise for any hockey player, let alone a defender. She led all NCAA defenders in points and finished second in the country in points per game.

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And the 2025–26 season was already something out of a storybook. KK won gold with Team USA and was named MVP at the Milan Olympics in February, then led Wisconsin to a second straight NCAA championship in March. She took home the Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the top player in college hockey, becoming just the third defender in history to win it. On Wednesday, hours before the draft, she was also named IIHF female player of the year. Really?  She's gotta be on Cloud 9.

"It's overwhelming in the best way," she said. According to the Boston Globe.

In Vancouver, Harvey joins a blue line that already includes Sophie Jaques, the second defender ever to win the Kazmaier. "She's such a stud," Harvey said of Jaques. "Her IQ is off the charts, and it'd be an honor to play with her."

Credit: Getty Images

For as dominant as Harvey has been, she kept the moment grounded. "This draft class is just so deep, and so many phenomenal players," she said. "I'm just honored to hear my name called."