The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is set to expand by four teams this fall, adding franchises in Detroit, Hamilton, San Jose, and Las Vegas. This expansion will bring the league to 12 clubs for its fourth season. The Vancouver Goldeneyes, who joined the league last year alongside the Seattle Torrent, appear well-prepared for the expansion process, which officially begins Thursday.
Goldeneyes' Key Protections
Vancouver boasts star defender Sophie Jaques and starting goalie Emerance Maschmeyer already under contract for the upcoming season. Both players are logical candidates for the team's first three-player protected list, which must be submitted by next Wednesday. Jaques, 25, led the Goldeneyes in scoring during their inaugural campaign with 20 points, including nine goals, in 30 games. She is a finalist for the PWHL defender of the year award for the second consecutive season and ranked second among league blueliners in scoring.
Maschmeyer, 31, posted a 7-9-2 record with a 2.97 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage last season. Given the league's limited supply of goaltenders, retaining her is a priority. The addition of four new teams creates 12 new starting goaltending positions, making Maschmeyer's protection even more critical.
Expansion Process Details
The league unveiled its six-phase expansion plan on Wednesday. Existing teams will protect three players under contract for the 2026-27 season by next Wednesday. The process begins with each team submitting a list of 10 players on expiring contracts they are interested in signing as one of those three protections by Thursday at noon. This list includes pending free agents from their own roster and other existing teams.
Key rules include that existing teams can lose a maximum of four players under contract for 2026-27 during Phases 1 through 4. The expansion teams—Detroit, Hamilton, San Jose, and Las Vegas—will each have 10 players under contract for 2026-27 by the end of Phase 4. Additionally, existing teams will gain three extra protections in Phase 3, which can include players already signed or those signed during the phase.
Goldeneyes' Roster and Draft Position
Other players signed through at least next season with Vancouver include centre Hannah Miller, 30, who finished third in team scoring with seven goals and 18 points, and team captain Ashton Bell, 26, a defender. Players on expiring contracts include winger Jenn Gardiner, 24, who was second in team scoring with nine goals and 19 points, and centre Sarah Nurse, 31, who recorded nine goals and 15 points in just 19 games due to injury.
Vancouver holds the No. 1 pick in the PWHL entry draft on June 17. The Goldeneyes secured the top pick by winning the league's Gold Plan, which awards the highest draft position to the team that accumulates the most standings points after being eliminated from playoff contention. They are expected to select American defender Caroline Harvey, 23, who was named the most valuable player of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Key Dates for Expansion
- June 2-3: Phase 1 — Existing Team Signings and Protections
- June 5-8: Phase 2 — Expansion Team Foundational Signing Period
- June 10-12: Phase 3 — Preliminary Open Signing Period for All Teams
- June 14-15: Phase 4 — Expansion Signing Period
- June 16 and 18: Phase 5 — Existing Team Exclusive Re-Signing Period
- June 17: PWHL Draft presented by Upper Deck
- June 19: Phase 6 — Open Signing Period Begins for All Teams
The Goldeneyes finished sixth in the league last season with a record of 9-3-4-14, missing the playoffs by seven points. With key players already locked in and the top draft pick, Vancouver is poised to build on its inaugural campaign and compete for a playoff spot in the expanded league.
