Tessa Janecke is one of the best prospects in women’s hockey, yet she has remained relatively under the radar compared to her peers. An elite centre who plays an extremely sound two-way game, Janecke is one of the more intriguing prospects heading into the PWHL Draft.
| Position | Forward — C |
| Shoots | Left |
| Height | 173cm (5’8″) |
| Weight | 76 kg (168 lbs) |
| Date of Birth | May 12, 2004 (22 at draft) |
| Nationality | USA |
| Current Club | Penn State University — NCAA |
Recent Statistics
Source: Elite Prospects. NCAA stats are not directly comparable to PWHL competition.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | PTS | PTS/GP | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Penn State University | NCAA | 38 | 22 | 25 | 47 | 1.23 | 34 |
| 2023–24 | Penn State University | NCAA | 38 | 17 | 36 | 53 | 1.39 | 50 |
| 2024–25 | Penn State University | NCAA | 38 | 24 | 29 | 53 | 1.39 | 67 |
| 2025–26 | Penn State University | NCAA | 31 | 26 | 22 | 48 | 1.54 | 72 |
Who Is Janecke?
From Orangeville, Illinois, Janecke was a star early on. Dominating in juniors, she made the USA U18 team in 2021–22, turning heads before even making the jump to the NCAA. She then committed to Penn State University, a school known for its athletics, but not necessarily its hockey program.
Since then, she has become the primary play driver for the Nittany Lions. In her Freshman year, she was the number-two option behind Kiara Zanon. When she transferred to Ohio State, Janecke firmly took her role.
Janecke has steadily improved throughout her tenure with Penn State. Continually improving her point production while also rounding out her two-way game. Not only is she the offensive play driver for Penn State, but she is also one of the better defensive forwards we have seen.
At the U-18 World Junior Championship, Janecke was over a point per game with six through five games. Ever since, she has continued to represent the USA, just at the World Championships itself. 16 points through 21 games over the course of three years (2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25) at the tournament, all while still playing in the NCAA. This past February, she represented her country at the Winter Olympics in Milan, where the USA won gold.
With steady development on both ends of the ice, Janecke has always been one of the top players in her class. Her production this year, alongside her performance in Milan, has also helped her be firmly in the top five in draft rankings.
What Janecke Brings to the Table
- Playmaking: Being Penn State’s all-time leader in goals, assists, and points doesn’t happen on a whim. She finds teammates even where a passing lane doesn’t seem to exist. She reads the play and can set up a Grade-A chance for her teammates.
- Hockey IQ: Janecke reads a play before it happens, she anticipates the play and creates openings. This allows her to use her playmaking ability to create chances after opening up the ice for her teammates.
- Face-offs: She won 144 of 214 face-offs this past season, a 67% success rate. An invaluable trait, she is one of the most trustworthy centres, both on the offensive and defensive ends. Her ability to win draws allows her team to set up on offence, or begin a quick breakout and create a rush.
Areas to Develop
There could be one weakness for Janecke, being that she has had challenges adjusting to the international game in the past. With the PWHL being much faster and demanding than the NCAA, seeing how she makes the adjustment will be critical.
That being said, she has begun to get used to the more difficult competition, as evidenced by her performance at the Olympics. It may not be too much of a concern.
Where Could She Land?
Many have Janecke projected outside the top 3, primarily at the four slot. She could sneak into the three spot, but with Caroline Harvey and Abbey Murphy, she most likely won’t be going higher than that.
A team like the Toronto Sceptres could benefit from Janecke. She would most definitely help them across the ice and help them rebound after a disappointing season. Additionally, Toronto has the talent, yet they were last in Goals For this season by a healthy margin. Janecke would help them solve that issue.
The Bottom Line
Janecke has all the makings to be a franchise player in the PWHL. Whichever team selects her will be getting a superstar for the future, and someone who will almost certainly be a Forward of the Year winner in the future. She would be an amazing first building block for a rebuilding team, or even someone who could help teams win right now.
PDub Hockey 2026 PWHL Draft Profiles
Caroline Harvey | Abbey Murphy | Tessa Janecke | Laila Edwards | Lacey Eden | Kirsten Simms | Nelli Laitinen | Viivi Vainikka | Emma Peschel | Elisa Holopainen | Petra Nieminen
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