OTTAWA — The New York Sirens selected Czech forward Kristýna Kaltounková with the No. 1 pick in the PWHL Draft on Tuesday night.

Kaltounková, 23, is a physically dominant forward with the hardest shot in the draft class.

“(I’m) so excited to be able to be here and be selected No. 1,” she said on the draft broadcast. “Coming from such a small town in the Czech Republic it’s a great honor.”

At Colgate this season, she finished top-10 in goals in the nation and set a program record in goals (111) and game-winning goals (19). She finished her career just 6 points shy of the Colgate record in points, which is held by Danielle Serdachny, who was drafted second last season.

Kaltounková is a pro-ready forward who already has experience at the senior international level; she was tied for the scoring lead for Czechia in her women’s world championship debut in April.

She has a solid frame (5-foot-9) and strong skating with a physical style of play that will benefit her in the PWHL. Kaltounková has a heavy and accurate shot that makes her a consistent threat in the offensive zone and off the rush. She wins puck battles along the wall, plays through contact, and does well to get to the net front, where she has good hands and uses her size to take away goalies’ sightlines.

In New York, Kaltounková could center her own line, giving the Sirens a one-two punch up the middle behind Canadian star Sarah Fillier. Or one of the two could move to the wing to load up the top line. Last season, Fillier was excellent on the wing beside Alex Carpenter. But after Carpenter was left unprotected in expansion and signed in Seattle, there’s a major hole at the top of New York’s lineup. Kaltounková could fill that position either at center or on the wing with her shot and nose for the net.

Defender Haley Winn and forward Casey O’Brien were other potential No. 1 picks, but with seven defenders on the roster, it makes sense that New York opted for a forward. O’Brien was the No. 1 prospect in The Athletic’s pre-draft ranking, but Kaltounková has history playing for New York coach Greg Fargo at Colgate, which made her an easy selection.

Kaltounková is New York’s second straight No. 1 selection after drafting Fillier first in 2024. The Sirens have finished last in the PWHL standings in back-to-back seasons and won the Gold Plan — the league’s innovative approach to determining its draft order — and the No. 1 pick in both years.

With the No. 2 pick, the Boston Fleet selected defender Haley Winn, who was widely considered to be the best defender in the class of 2025 and was the No. 2 prospect on The Athletic’s pre-draft ranking.

Winn is a dynamic offensive defender and one of the most promising prospects at the position in the women’s game. She has already helped Team USA win two world championships, and has been on the senior women’s national team since she was 19 years old. Winn is an elite skater who is gifted with the puck on the offensive blue line. She’s a strong transitional defender and reliable in the defensive zone, making her an incredibly valuable two-way player.

She will add depth and offense to a Boston team that lost captain Hilary Knight, 2024 first-rounder Hannah Bilka and a pair of defenders in the expansion draft.

After trading defender Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres in exchange for the No. 3 pick (and pick No. 27), the Sirens drafted Casey O’Brien – ultimately walking out of the first-round with two of the best young forwards available in the draft.

O’Brien, 23, was the No. 1 prospect on The Athletic’s draft ranking and was the most dominant forward in college hockey this season, winning the Patty Kazmaier Award, WCHA Player and Forward of the Year and a national championship.

She led the NCAA in scoring with 88 points in 41 games – the best individual season since Alex Carpenter scored 88 points in 2016 for Boston College – and broke the Badgers’ all-time scoring record for a male or female hockey player with 274 career points.

“She’s been good for us for a long time,” coach Mark Johnson said after the WCHA Final, calling her “the best player in college hockey this year by far.”

O’Brien is a natural center and an excellent playmaker — she had more assists last season (62) than most players in the country had points — with elite hands and vision. She’s responsible defensively, can play in all situations and is able to make an impact on every shift, whether it’s winning a faceoff, making a defensive play or setting up a goal.

Over the last three years at Wisconsin, O’Brien developed dynamic chemistry on the top line with Kirsten Simms. The duo led the NCAA in scoring in back-to-back seasons, won two national championships and were both named top 3 finalists for the Patty Kazmaier in 2024 before O’Brien ultimately won in 2025.

O’Brien’s playmaking ability and easy chemistry with star wingers makes her a natural fit to center a line beside New York’s top forward Sarah Fillier. The 2024 No. 1 pick was excellent on the top line beside Alex Carpenter last season, but after Carpenter was left unprotected in expansion and signed in Seattle, there’s a major hole at the top of New York’s lineup.

With Kaltounková, Fillier and O’Brien the Sirens have a formidable forward core that can still be added to throughout the remainder of the draft.

(Photo: Gil Talbot / NCAA Photos via Getty Images)