PWHL Vancouver signs Nurse, Thompson, Jaques, Maschmeyer

PWHL Vancouver made major waves by signing star forward Sarah Nurse from the Toronto Sceptres, top defenders Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques of the Minnesota Frost, plus Ottawa Charge goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer, the expansion franchise announced Wednesday and Thursday.

The signing window for the PWHL expansion process opened Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET and will close Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. Vancouver and PWHL Seattle can each sign up to five unprotected players or pending unrestricted free agents during the period.

Vancouver and Seattle will select a minimum of seven players during Monday's expansion draft to reach a 12-player roster. The teams will fill additional roster spots during the entry draft, which will be held June 24.

Sarah Nurse

The original six clubs could each protect three players as part of the expansion process. The Sceptres used their selections on captain Blayre Turnbull, star defender and MVP candidate Renata Fast, and forward Daryl Watts, who led Toronto with 12 goals and 27 points in 30 outings this season.

Nurse, who inked a one-year pact with Vancouver, recorded six goals and 14 points in 21 regular-season games. She missed nine contests after suffering a lower-body injury during the Rivalry Series in February.

The 30-year-old generated one assist in four playoff matchups as the Sceptres fell to the Frost in the semifinals for the second straight campaign.

Nurse ranked second among all Sceptres with 11 goals and 23 points in 24 games during the PWHL's inaugural season in 2024.

She's had success on the international stage as well, winning gold with Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics and the IIHF Women's World Championships in 2021, 2022, and 2024. Nurse logged 18 points in seven appearances during the Beijing Games, establishing a new record for the most points in a single women's tournament.

Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques

Vancouver announced that Thompson signed a one-year deal, while Jaques inked a three-year pact. Both players are finalists for this season's Defender of the Year award.

Thompson dazzled in her first PWHL season after Minnesota selected her third overall in 2024. She finished the regular season third among all defenders in assists and points with 14 and 18, respectively, in 30 contests. Thompson then tied Taylor Heise for the league lead with six assists in the postseason.

The 27-year-old is also decorated internationally, helping Canada win gold at the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship and 2022 Winter Olympics before capturing silver at the 2023 and 2025 Worlds.

Jaques, meanwhile, ranked second among all blue-liners with seven goals during the regular season, while her 22 points tied Sceptres rearguard Renata Fast for the most at the position. Her 0.88 points per game rate was fourth highest among all skaters.

The 24-year-old went on to add seven points in eight playoff games, trailing only Lee Stecklein for the most in the league this spring.

Jaques was selected by the Boston Fleet at the 2023 PWHL Draft, but she was dealt to Minnesota in February 2024 in exchange for forward Susanna Tapani and defender Abby Cook as part of the league's first-ever trade.

Since the back-to-back defending Walter Cup champions have now lost two players, they've been given a fourth protection slot. Minnesota used it on forward Britta Curl-Salemme. She joins Heise, Stecklein, and captain Kendall Coyne Schofield as the Frost's untouchable players.

Emerance Maschmeyer

Maschmeyer signed a two-year pact with Vancouver. She had one year left on her original contract with Ottawa.

She owned a .913 save percentage as well as 2.58 goals-against average and a 6-7-2 record in 18 appearances for the Charge this season. Maschmeyer missed the remainder of the campaign after suffering a lower-body injury in March.

Ottawa turned to Gwyneth Philips in net during Maschmeyer's absence. Philips helped the club reach the PWHL Finals and was named playoff MVP for her efforts.

The Charge opted to protect Philips, rearguard Ronja Savolainen, and forward Emily Clark ahead of the expansion draft.

Maschmeyer recorded a .915 clip across 23 PWHL showings in 2024. The 30-year-old won gold with Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics and the IIHF Women's World Championships in 2021, 2022, and 2024.