Caroline Harvey has been viewed as the clear top choice for the 2026 PWHL Draft for quite some time now. And at the current Olympic hockey tournament, she is showing everyone exactly why that’s the case.

The young defender is making a strong argument that she is the best at her position right now. Through the preliminary rounds, Harvey has been the standout performer for Team USA and arguably the entire tournament.

Caroline Harvey driving Team USA success with two-way play

Harvey leads the American squad with seven points across four games. That total ties her with Germany’s Laura Kluge for the tournament lead. Although it’s worth noting that Kluge is a forward and has racked up her numbers against arguably less challenging opponents in Group B. The competition Harvey has faced has been significantly tougher, which again makes her performance even more impressive.

When she has the puck, Harvey can burst into open space and shake off defenders. She often finds herself in dangerous scoring positions. Her ability to deceive opponents and roll off checkers often creates prime opportunities that she consistently capitalizes on. Even against Canada, this ability saw her get one goal and two assists in a 5–0 victory.

What makes Harvey special is how she uses that exceptional edge work and puck-handling skills to weave through opposition defenders. Her skating has always been elite. She is known to open up lanes that other players simply can’t see.

One such play against Canada perfectly showed off Harvey’s all-around game. She led an American rush up the ice, and when Canada grabbed the puck and headed the other way, Harvey raced back through traffic to challenge the puck carrier and shut down the attack before Canada could even get a shot off.

And despite all her finesse and skill, she is not afraid to battle in the tough areas around the net and engage physically when needed.

Harvey building on standout year

Her Olympic performance shouldn’t surprise anyone who has followed her college career. Playing for Wisconsin this season, Harvey has put up incredible numbers with 17 goals and 56 points in just 26 games. Those are forward-like totals from a defenceman, and they speak for just how much impact she has every time she is on the ice.

Everything Harvey has done at the Olympics has only added to what scouts already believed. She will be the first name called at the 2026 PWHL Draft. There’s simply no question about it anymore.

And whichever team lands that top pick will be getting a player who can make a real impact from the moment she steps on the ice. Her performance at these Olympics has definitely cemented her status as the unquestioned top prospect. The young woman has proven that she is ready to make her way to the top at the professional level.