The Vancouver Goldeneyes are making moves to retain their core roster for the upcoming season. On Wednesday night, the team announced the re-signing of forwards Jenn Gardiner and Izzy Daniel. These signings automatically place them among Vancouver's three protected players for Phase 3 of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) expansion process, which concludes on Friday afternoon.
Contract Details and Background
Gardiner, a Surrey native, inked a three-year contract, while Daniel, a Minnesota product, signed for two seasons. Financial terms were not disclosed. Both players were among six league-wide who declined non-binding contract offers during Phase 2, which aimed to stock the new expansion clubs in Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose.
Vancouver was the only existing team that did not lose a player in the first round of expansion additions. In contrast, their expansion cousins, the Seattle Torrent, lost four players.
Protection Strategy
Gardiner and Daniel now join centre Sarah Nurse, defender Sophie Jaques, and goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer as Vancouver's protected players. The Goldeneyes needed to re-sign Nurse ahead of Phase 1 to make her eligible for protection. Notably, Nurse, Jaques, Maschmeyer, and Gardiner were four of Vancouver's first five additions as an expansion club last season.
Season Performance and Outlook
The Goldeneyes finished sixth in the then eight-team league in their inaugural campaign, missing the playoffs by seven points. However, they ended the season on a high note, winning their final four games and boasting an impressive average attendance of 11,235 at the Pacific Coliseum—the second-best in the league.
General Manager Cara Gardner Morey has emphasized the team's strong chemistry and culture, stating her goal is to retain the majority of last year's lineup. "How do I keep them? That's my main goal. That's the strategy I'm trying to come up with," she told Postmedia.
Player Highlights
Gardiner, 24, tied for the team lead in goals (9) with Jaques and Nurse, and finished second in points (19) to Jaques (20). She was one of five Goldeneyes to represent Team Canada at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, alongside Nurse, Jaques, Maschmeyer, and blueliner Claire Thompson.
Daniel, 25, recorded seven goals and 10 points last season, earning first-line ice time at times. She won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award in 2024 as the NCAA's top player while at Cornell.
Third Protection Candidate and Other Moves
Candidates for Vancouver's third protection in this round include forward Hannah Miller (30, North Vancouver native, third in team scoring with 18 points), team captain Ashton Bell (26, defender from Deloraine, Man.), and Thompson (28, Toronto, fourth in team scoring with 17 points). Thompson, who took time off from medical school to play, may focus on her studies in the fall.
The Goldeneyes lost defender Sydney Bard, 25, who signed a two-year deal with Detroit on Wednesday. Bard had no goals and two assists in 30 games with Vancouver.
Upcoming Draft and Free Agency
Vancouver holds the first pick in the PWHL entry draft on June 17, thanks to winning the league's Gold Plan standings. They are expected to select American defender Caroline Harvey, 23, a University of Wisconsin product who was named MVP at Milano Cortina.
The expansion process includes six phases, with free agency opening on June 19.
