SEATTLE — Some tough news for Seattle Torrent fans this week.
The team is losing three key players as the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) expands.
Expansion team PWHL Detroit announced Friday that it signed defender Cayla Barnes and forward Hannah Bilka.
Barnes signed a three-year contract, and Bilka agreed to a two-year deal.
The pair took home gold medals earlier this year when they competed on the U.S. Olympic team.
The Torrent also lost goaltender Corinne Schroeder, who will join the San Jose expansion team. She signed a two-year contract there.
Existing teams can only lose a maximum of three players under contract during this phase of expansion, so the remaining Torrent players are safe.
Phase 2 of the expansion process wraps up on Monday, June 8. The next phase will begin on June 10. The Torrent can protect three more players at that time.