Tag: Dominique DiDia

Las Vegas makes its first selection at the PWHL Entry Draft

PWHL Las Vegas general manager Dominique DiDia has previously spoken about her desire to build a team that is both competitive from the start and set up for the future. She backed this promise up during the Expansion Draft; five of the eight signed players are 26 or younger.

In an attempt to bring a veteran presence into the locker room, she also tried to sign Hilary Knight to an EFO. The problem? Knight didn’t want to come to Vegas, and allegedly only wanted to play for one particular team.

So, DiDia took her lemons and made some Grade-A lemonade. She organized a sign-and-trade with PWHL Detroit; Detroit would get Knight, and in return, Las Vegas would get Detroit’s first-round pick in the upcoming PWHL Entry Draft—although, because of the roster freeze, it took a few days until the trade was official.

Now, the draft order for the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft wasn’t revealed until the 15th—two days before the Draft—and the general managers only found out ten minutes before the public did. So until then, all DiDia could do was pray that her Knight gamble would pay off.

The hockey gods must have heard her plea, because Las Vegas lucked into two high draft picks. They ended up with the 5th overall pick… and also the 3rd, which would have belonged to PWHL Detroit.

At 3rd overall, PWHL Las Vegas selected forward Tessa Janecke. Janecke leaves Penn State as its all-time leading scorer after spending the last four years of her life turning the women’s hockey program into a powerhouse. She is eager to do the same in Vegas.

To get to build a program, get to build a franchise, is something that’s not new to me. I’m so excited to do that in Las Vegas as well… I had the opportunity to go to a Golden Knights game a few years ago with Penn State, so I’ve seen the environment, and I can’t wait to have them rally around us as a team. -Tessa Janecke

At 5th overall, PWHL Las Vegas selected Lacey Eden, who played six seasons at Wisconsin due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eden broke out as a senior, scoring 29 goals and 77 points in 41 games, and also becoming the only player in program history to win four national championships.

When Eden spoke about the opportunity to be a cornerstone player for an expansion franchise, her passion was palpable.

I want to be a player that helps build this franchise and helps put Vegas on the map as a contender when it comes to the end of the season. When it comes to the PWHL playoffs, I want to be there and want to be a big reason why Vegas is there. [The Golden Knights] had a lot of success this season and came up just short. I’m hoping to continue that on the women’s side of things as well. [I want us to] be competitive and be one of those teams that other teams are looking at, and be in that conversation at the end of the season. -Lacy Eden

DiDia spoke following the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft, and she reiterated her plan of attack when it came to building her roster.

We really wanted to build a team that competed from the very beginning, and our goal is to win a Walter Cup. But also, a growth mindset is one of the pillars of our team. Planning for the future and development is really key for us. -Dominique DiDia

When asked, she confirmed that Janecke and Eden’s evident desire to help build something in Las Vegas was a big reason why she selected them.

With Tessa and Lisa, you can feel the passion of wanting to be a part of, not only a new franchise, but Vegas, specifically… For us to have players that we can trust, to take leadership roles and be a part of something new, like Lacey and Tessa, was really exciting. -DiDia

Hilary Knight is a legend of the game. She would have been an excellent leader in the locker room, and her name would have helped drive ticket sales. However, Knight will be 37 when the 2026-27 season rolls around.

DiDia took a big swing at Knight, and unfortunately, it didn’t land. Instead, her team got the chance to double-dip from a pool of elite young talent, and both of those picks are chomping at the bit for the opportunity to help build a franchise in Las Vegas.

I’d say that gamble paid off.

Former Player Agent Dominique DiDia Brings Unique Perspective to PWHL Las Vegas GM Role

By Hannah Kirkell

On May 28, 2026

In Analysis

(Photo Credit: @dominiquedidia on Instagram)

The newly appointed general manager of PWHL Las Vegas, Dominique DiDia, has never held a management position. She’s never been tasked with building a roster of professional athletes or been involved with a team’s front office.

And yet, she might be the perfect person for the job.

DiDia is a first-time general manager, but she has been involved with the Professional Women’s Hockey League since the beginning. When the league formed in 2023, she was part of CAA Sports, one of the largest sports agencies in the world. That summer, DiDia served as the founding co-head of the Women’s Hockey Department and worked as an agent

DiDia knows this league. Because of her time as an agent, she knows the players. She knows how they want to be treated by their teams, and she knows just how important that is in order to establish Las Vegas as an attractive player destination.

Being an agent the last few years has given me a great insight into the players’ perspective of being a player in this league… Being a part of the expansion, and from the first draft until now, working with great players has really given me the perspective to see the things that we need to do on our team, on our side, to make a great franchise. I think knowing the players’ perspective will give me a unique opportunity to build our roster from the ground up. -DiDia

Earlier this week, the PWHLPA made player salaries public for the first time in order to promote league-wide transparency. During her media availability on Thursday, DiDia admitted to being a staunch supporter of public salaries.

I was a proponent of the players knowing their salaries and each other’s salaries from the beginning. It’s something that, on the NHL side, is visible, and it helps players and agents make comparisons in order to know what they should be paid and make sure they’re on the same playing field as their peers. I think it’s something that is beneficial for both sides. It allows us to have clarity and makes sure that players are being paid what they deserve. -DiDia

In just a few short days, the PWHL will begin a complex six-phase Expansion Roster Distribution Process. It’s certainly more complicated than the 2025 Expansion Draft, but it also provides DiDia the opportunity to have conversations with players and identify which ones will be the right fit for the environment she’s looking to foster.

There’s a great opportunity for us to have discussions with players and make sure that the players we have on our team want to be part of our team from the beginning… There’s an opportunity to bring players to Vegas who want to come, who want to be part of something new and be a part of the culture that we’re building. The way that the expansion draft works, there’s an opportunity for us to discuss with them and make sure we’re all on the same page. -DiDia

If PWHL Las Vegas is to be a contender for the Walter Cup from day one as DiDia promised, it won’t be because of her brains alone. She certainly has them— she knows the game inside and out, and it’s obvious that she has a clear vision for how to go about building a team.

However, I would argue that it isn’t DiDia’s mind that’s her superpower. Rather, it’s her unique perspective that gives her the ability to empathize with the players. She’s a double threat— her humanity will establish Las Vegas as an attractive destination to PWHL players, and her ability to construct a winning team will keep them there.

Dominique DiDia Hired As PWHL Las Vegas General Manager

By missconduct

On May 16, 2026

In News

(Photo Credit: @dominiquedidia on Instagram)

Las Vegas’ newest team has a brand new leader. The PWHL announced today the hiring of Dominique DiDia as the general manager of the soon-to-be-named team in Las Vegas.

DiDia launched the Women’s Hockey Department at CAA Sports, one of the largest sports agencies in the world. She began her post-playing hockey career with the LA Kings where she spent nine years rising to the role of Director of Marketing. During her playing days, she was the captain at Trinity College.

She’ll take control of the Vegas organization charged with building the staff and roster in preparation for the 2026-27 season.

Representation matters, and I am proud to build an organization that will inspire the next generation of girls to see a future for themselves at the highest level of this sport. I cannot wait to get started, build a championship culture, and establish PWHL Las Vegas as a world class sports franchise. -DiDia via press release

The finalized details for the roster-building process that DiDia will follow to build the Las Vegas team will be announced by the league in the coming weeks.

Covering PWHL Las Vegas

Tag: Dominique DiDia

PWHL Las Vegas Hits Jackpot With Hilary Knight Trade Gamble

Former Player Agent Dominique DiDia Brings Unique Perspective to PWHL Las Vegas GM Role

Dominique DiDia Hired As PWHL Las Vegas General Manager

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