Daryl Watts Signs Four-Year, $100K+ Deal with Detroit as PWHL Expansion Signing Period Begins

Detroit general manager Manon Rhéaume signed four players on Friday, the first day of the PWHL's three-day expansion signing process. Forward Daryl Watts received the league's first four-year contract under an Expansion Foundational Offer that guarantees her an annual salary of no less than $100,000. Watts, 27, chose the maximum four-year term allowed under league rules for the offer.

She earned $59,000 last season with Toronto, where she led the Sceptres with 10 goals and 19 points. Watts ranks second on the PWHL career list with 32 goals and won a silver medal with Canada at the Milan Cortina Games in February. Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury said Thursday she was closing in on a re-signing before Watts broke off negotiations.

The player is from Toronto. Detroit also signed defender Cayla Barnes to a three-year standard agreement and forward Hannah Bilka to a two-year standard agreement. Barnes and Bilka were teammates in Seattle and both won Olympic gold representing the United States.

Charge captain Brianne Jenner, 35, signed a three-year standard agreement with the new Hamilton team. The four-time Canadian Olympian is moving closer to her hometown of Oakville. Hamilton also signed New York goalie Kayle Osborne to a three-year standard agreement.

San Jose signed Seattle goalie Corinne Schroeder and Ottawa defender Rory Guilday to two-year standard agreements late Friday. Las Vegas remains the only expansion team yet to add a player. Each of the four new teams can sign five players during the three-day process.