Andrea Brändli has officially signed a three-year contract with PWHL Detroit, securing her future in the Professional Women’s Hockey League through the spring of 2029. Selected by the Michigan franchise in the second round at 15th overall during the 2026 expansion draft, the 29-year-old Swiss national team goaltender arrives in North America following a standout international and European club career. According to reports from Planète Hockey, the deal makes her the first player from the franchise’s inaugural draft class to officially put pen to paper on a contract.
The milestone signing brings one of international hockey’s most reliable netminders to the growing North American professional circuit. Brändli enters her new club assignment carrying immense momentum from the international stage, anchored by a performance at the international level earlier this year.
According to 24 heures, the Zürich native served as the backbone for the Swiss national team during their run to a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Milan in February. Her play between the pipes earned her honors as the best goaltender of the competition.
International Dominance and European Success
Brändli’s path to a multi-year deal in Detroit is underpinned by statistical performances across top European leagues. During the 2025–26 season with Frölunda in Sweden’s SDHL, she posted a league-leading 94.5% save percentage alongside a 1.49 goals-against average, which ranked second overall in the league, as detailed by Planète Hockey. That campaign followed another award-winning run with MoDo Hockey, where she was previously crowned the SDHL’s top goaltender.
Her international resume includes eight appearances at the Women’s World Championship in the elite category, supplemented by three Olympic campaigns. Long before turning professional in Europe, Brändli cut her teeth in North American collegiate hockey. She captured an NCAA national championship with Ohio State in 2022 before completing her collegiate career at Boston University.
Building PWHL Detroit From the Crease
For PWHL Detroit, locking down the veteran goaltender for three seasons provides stability as the franchise builds its roster identity following the league’s expansion. General Manager Manon Rhéaume emphasized the immediate value the Swiss star brings to the locker room and the ice.
«Andrea est l’une des meilleures joueuses à son poste et son expérience olympique a démontré qu’elle pouvait avoir un impact immédiat en PWHL», noted Rhéaume, as reported by Planète Hockey. Rhéaume herself carved a path in hockey history as the first goaltender to play a game under the colors of a men’s NHL franchise.
With her contract finalized through the 2028–29 season, Brändli prepares to transition her high-level European and international form back across the Atlantic. Fans and analysts will watch closely as training camp approaches for the upcoming PWHL campaign, where the decorated goaltender is expected to shoulder significant responsibilities for Detroit’s defensive unit.