Mickey Moniak's diving catch
Claire Thompson 'So Grateful To Be Back With The Women On This Team'
Despite eventually winning 9-1, Canada actually got off to a slow slow start in its quarterfinal game against Japan at the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship. Canada did eventually leave the period with a two-goal lead, thanks to a goal and an assist from defender Claire Thompson.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
8 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Expansion Seattle begins its roster with former Fleet captain Hilary Knight
The right wing tied for the league lead with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists), and in 2023-24, the PWHL's inaugural season, helped the Fleet to the Walter Cup Final. Vancouver, which will also enter the league next season, went defense first by landing the two-time defending champion Minnesota Frost's blue line duo of Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques. Advertisement The Frost teammates were among the league's top-scoring defensemen. Thompson, Jaques and Toronto's Renata Fast were the finalists for the defender of the year honor, and the Minnesota pair represented Canada at the world championships in April. After having two players pulled from their roster, the Frost were allowed to protect an extra player, and they chose to keep forward Britta Curl-Salemme. In this initial five-day signing period, during which Seattle and Vancouver are allowed to add up to five players who were either left unprotected by their current teams or eligible to become unrestricted free agents. Both franchises will then take part in an expansion draft on Monday. After that, each team will have a dozen players. Then they will fill out their rosters during the PWHL draft on June 24 and during the league's free agency period. Advertisement
Associated Press
11 hours ago
- Associated Press
PWHL's new Vancouver team lands Frost defensemen Thompson and Jaques in expansion signing period
The PWHL's new Vancouver franchise went defense first by landing the two-time defending champion Minnesota Frost's blue-line duo of Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques to start the league's expansion signing period on Wednesday. The Frost teammates were among the league's top-scoring defensemen. Thompson, Jaques and Toronto's Renata Fast were the finalists for the defender of the year honor, and the Minnesota pair represented Canada at the world championships in April. Seattle, the other expansion team, has remained quiet so far in the five-day signing period, during which both franchises are allowed to add up to five players who were either left unprotected by their current teams or eligible to become unrestricted free agents. Vancouver and Seattle will then take part in an expansion draft on Monday to fill their rosters. Thompson was Minnesota's first-round pick in the PWHL draft last year. She will be reunited with her coach at Princeton, Cara Gardner Morey, who left the Tigers last month to become Vancouver's general manager. 'Having had the privilege of coaching Claire at Princeton, I know how exceptional she is as a player and as a person and couldn't be prouder to build our foundation with her contributions both on and off the ice,' Gardner Morey said. Thompson's 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) were tied with Toronto's Jennifer Gardiner for the PWHL lead among rookies. She was a rookie at 27 after forgoing turning pro in 2024 to focus on her medical studies at NYU. Still undecided on when she'll return to medical school, Thompson signed a one-year contract with Vancouver while preparing to represent Canada at the Winter Olympics in February. Jaques, who signed a three-year contract, had seven goals and 22 points in 25 games to finish tied with Fast for the league lead among defensemen. She completed her first full season with the Frost after being involved in the PWHL's first trade, a three-player deal that sent Susanna Tapani and Abby Cook to Boston in February 2024. 'I'm incredibly honored to sign with PWHL Vancouver and to help lay the foundation for something truly special in this city,' Jaques said. 'I want to thank the Minnesota Frost for the opportunity the past two seasons, and I am so proud of the work we did to win two championships.' After losing two players, the Frost added forward Britta Curl Salemme to their protected list, which already included captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, forward Taylor Heise and defenseman Lee Stecklein. The league's six existing teams will lose four players each during the expansion process. Boston captain Hilary Knight and Toronto forward Sarah Nurse were are among the high-profile players left unprotected. Knight, who will be competing in her fifth and final Olympics representing the United States, is considered a strong candidate to sign with Seattle. The 35-year-old has an offseason home in Idaho. ___ AP women's hockey:
New York Times
12 hours ago
- New York Times
PWHL expansion signings tracker: Vancouver adds Defender of the Year finalist Claire Thompson
The Professional Women's Hockey League is expanding to Seattle and Vancouver. Now it's time for the league's newest franchises to start building their first-ever rosters. A five-day signing window officially opened on June 4, where each team can sign up to five players — either pending free agents or players left unprotected — ahead of the expansion draft on June 9. Advertisement With only three protection slots available for the PWHL's six existing teams, star players will be on the move. As Montreal Victoire general manager Danièle Sauvageau said, 'It's a great buffet that those expansion teams have.' This story will be updated as signings are announced this week before the window closes on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. Claire Thompson, 27, Defense (Minnesota Frost) Vancouver's historic first signing is a foundational — truly elite — player. Thompson is a dynamic offensive defender, an Olympic record holder, Walter Cup champion and a Defender of the Year finalist. She was also Minnesota's third-overall pick 12 months ago. Despite her credentials, it's not a surprise that Thompson was left unprotected — the Frost protected shutdown defender Lee Stecklein, and forwards Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield — which really highlights how favorable the expansion rules are for the new teams. Thompson is an offensive threat who can bring speed and a dynamic ability to the blue line. She finished third in scoring among defenders and had a league-leading 15 primary assists through the regular season and playoffs. Thompson's instincts are truly what set her apart from other offensive defenders — she can make plays on the blue line that others might not even attempt, but also has the speed and defensive ability to get back if the play goes the other way. Vancouver is a natural fit for Thompson. She's Canadian and played for four years under former Princeton coach Cara Morey, who is now Vancouver's general manager. Thompson put medical school on hold to return to the PWHL and the 2026 Milan Olympics, so there's a chance that she might only play for one season and return to NYU when her contract expires in 2026. That Vancouver would use one of its five signing slots on potentially one year of Thompson is a testament to how talented she is.
