Vancouver — Sarah Nurse and her Vancouver Goldeneyes teammates know exactly what they're chasing. They have yet to play their first game, but lofty expectations already surround the Professional Women’s Hockey League expansion team. Vancouver’s newest franchise enters the 2025–26 season with a palpable sense of ambition as it prepares for its inaugural campaign.
“When we look at our group, we have high expectations of ourselves because we all know what we’re all capable of,” Nurse said. “We know what we brought in the past, and we know what we can contribute to this team. It may look a little bit different, but it’s still great.”
As they head toward their first official game, the Goldeneyes won’t be treating it as a championship preview, but rather as a first step. “We’re looking to win that game so that we can build throughout the season, so at the end of the season, we’re in a very good position to win the Walter Cup,” Nurse added.
Interest in the Goldeneyes has grown since April, when Vancouver was announced as the league’s first expansion city. The expansion news followed a highly attended neutral-site matchup between the Montreal Victoire and Toronto Scepters at Rogers Arena, which drew more than 19,000 fans.
“We’re here to compete right away,” comes through in the club’s mindset as it aims to establish a strong identity and competitive edge from the outset.
Key context: the Vancouver Goldeneyes are one of two expansion clubs joining the PWHL for the 2025–26 season, expanding the league from six to eight teams. The Seattle Torrent is the other new franchise, with both teams set to debut in the 2025–26 schedule and to play their first games in the new alignment this season. This expansion marks a significant step in growing professional women’s hockey in North America and increasing opportunities for players at the highest level.
The Goldeneyes roster features notable talent such as forwards Sarah Nurse and Michela Cava, defensemen Sydney Bard and Claire Thompson, and goaltenders Emerance Maschmeyer and Kristen Campbell, all of whom bring a wealth of international experience and high-level play to the team. Thompson, a Beijing 2022 Olympic standout and 2021 IIHF World Champion, is highlighted as a key defensive asset, while Maschmeyer’s Olympic-caliber goaltending provides a strong anchor in net. Their presence is expected to elevate Vancouver’s competitive profile early in the season.
In addition to established players, Vancouver’s lineup includes several younger or collegiate-drafted talents poised to contribute as the season unfolds, underscoring the team’s blend of experience and potential development. The combination of veteran leadership and fresh talent is anticipated to help the Goldeneyes quickly establish cohesion and on-ice chemistry.
Management and branding efforts have also focused on connecting the team’s identity with Vancouver’s culture and energy, signaling a long-term commitment to growing the franchise and engaging local fans. The team’s public communications emphasize readiness to compete at a high level from day one, with an eye toward sustained success beyond the opening games.
Author’s summary: The Vancouver Goldeneyes enter the 2025–26 season with high internal expectations and a clear plan to translate early momentum into long-term competitive success, emphasizing a strong start, experienced leadership, and a balanced roster to establish a rapid, sustainable presence in the PWHL. [120–200 characters]
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