Caroline (KK) Harvey, the New Hampshire native and University of Wisconsin star who was selected first overall by the Vancouver Goldeneyes in last week's PWHL draft, says she always wanted to live in Canada and is excited to experience a new culture.
Harvey's Excitement About Moving to Canada
“I can’t wait to get going. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things, and not just about Vancouver, but also the fan base and everything else,” said Harvey, who was named tournament MVP after helping the United States win gold at the Italian Winter Olympics. “I always told my family that I wanted to go live in Canada. The opportunity is presenting itself now, and there’s no better time than now. I wanted to live outside the U.S., and Canada is right above New Hampshire, where I grew up. I want to experience new cultures, new things outside of what I know.”
Harvey added that she has received only positive feedback from her U.S. teammates about playing in Canada. “I’ve only heard positive things from my U.S. teammates. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things again and that’s the vibe and feeling amongst us Americans. We’re hoping to feel welcomed by you guys, too … you guys are happy to have us because we’re happy to be here.”
Goldeneyes GM Not Worried About NHL Comparisons
Questions about players wanting to leave Canadian markets have been common in the NHL, with talk of Connor Hellebuyck wanting to leave the Winnipeg Jets and the Ottawa Senators trading Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. However, Vancouver general manager Cara Gardner Morey said she was not concerned about that sentiment affecting the PWHL.
“What I was leery of is that when I started building the team last year it was five Hockey Canada players right away,” Gardner Morey said, referring to Sarah Nurse, Jenn Gardiner, Claire Thompson, Sophie Jaques and Emerance Maschmeyer. “What I was more concerned about was American players thinking this wouldn’t be a good market for them and explaining that Vancouver is a great market for hockey and that’s it. KK understood that immediately.”
Harvey's Impressive Resume
The 23-year-old blueliner already has two Olympic and five world championship tournament appearances, and she was part of three NCAA championship teams in her four years at the University of Wisconsin. This season, she won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the NCAA's top player after recording 18 goals and 64 points in 33 games.
Harvey's nickname “KK” originated from her older sister Grace having trouble saying “Caroline” when Harvey was born. The moniker has stuck to the point that PWHL broadcasters use it on first reference. Harvey says she does like it when people opt for Caroline, but she even signs autographs with KK.
Goldeneyes' Inaugural Season and Future
The Goldeneyes joined the PWHL last summer alongside the Seattle Torrent and quickly won over fans. They drew an announced crowd of 14,958 at the Pacific Coliseum for a season-opening 4-3 overtime win against Seattle on Nov. 21. Vancouver's announced attendance average for the season was 11,235, second-best in the league behind Seattle's 12,875.
Despite a strong roster on paper, Vancouver struggled offensively early, recording one goal or less in five of their first nine games and dropping six of those contests. The team finished the season in sixth place in the eight-team PWHL, but won their final four games to earn top spot in the Gold Plan standings, which awards points after teams are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. That led to them landing the No. 1 pick.
The PWHL is adding expansion teams in Detroit, San Jose, Las Vegas and Hamilton this coming season to push the league to 12 clubs. Gardner Morey emphasized that the chemistry with her club was so good last season despite early struggles that she wanted to bring back as many players as possible. Sarah Nurse, a pending free agent who could have joined a new club in her hometown of Hamilton, instead re-signed on June 2 as one of Vancouver's initial trio of protections. Jenn Gardiner and forward Izzy Daniel also turned down non-binding contract offers from expansion sides to re-sign with Vancouver.
High Expectations for Harvey
Harvey should be front-and-centre in Year 2. The Hockey News ranked her No. 2 in the women's game in February, behind only Marie-Philip Poulin. Gardner Morey said simply that Harvey is “elite at everything already.”
“Year 2, I think a lot of the distractions that come with being brand new are going to be gone and allow the players to just focus on playing,” Gardner Morey said. “I think it should be significantly better.”
