Latest news with #SophieJaques
CBS News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Minnesota Frost lose 2 forwards in PWHL expansion draft
The back-to-back PWHL champion Minnesota Frost lost two players in Monday night's expansion draft, during which the league's two newest teams filled out their rosters. The Frost lost Brooke McQuigge and Denisa Krizova to Vancouver. The expansion team also added two former Frost players during the exclusive signing window: defenders Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson. The Frost were allowed to protect four players from the expansion teams, choosing forwards Kendall Coyne Schofield, Taylor Heise, Britta Curl-Salemme and defender Lee Stecklein. Jaques and Thompson were the bigger losses for the Frost — they had the second- and fourth-most points on the team last season. McQuigge was tied with Curl-Salemme for fifth-most and Krizova had the eighth-most. Coyne Schofield was first and Heise was tied with Jaques. The Frost are the only champions in PWHL history, having won the Walter Cup in each of the nascent league's first two seasons. With Seattle and Vancouver joining, the PWHL now has eight teams. Note: The video above originally aired May 28, 2025.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
PWHL Vancouver Adds Talent And Notable Grit In Expansion
PWHL Vancouver took a slightly different route when it came to their roster building through the PWHL expansion roster building process. While Seattle bulked up on high end offense, Vancouver selected a mix of grit, skill, and solid role players. Vancouver also put emphasis on their blueline bringing together Claire Thompson, Sophie Jaques, and Ashton Bell, all members of Canada's national team, along with Boston rookie Sydney Bard. Advertisement Vancouver's offense will be on par with many in the league with the team bringing in Sarah Nurse, Jennifer Gardiner, Izzy Daniel, Abby Boreen, Brooke McQuigge, Denisa Krizova, and Gabby Rosenthal. It's a hard nosed group who will be difficult to play against following the path that the Minnesota Frost have traveled to two straight Walter Cups. Their group features a number of players who go to the net hard, and are hard on the puck along the walls. Vancouver didn't acquire the same top end talent in the draft, but they could still chase big names in free agency including Hannah Miller, a Vancouver native who starred for the Toronto Sceptres. The final piece to Vancouver's puzzle is starting netminder Emerance Maschmeyer.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Vancouver signs D Sophie Jaques to three-year contract
June 5 - PWHL Vancouver signed Sophie Jaques to a three-year contract. The deal announced Wednesday with the defender runs through 2027-28 and is the second signing for the expansion club. The 24-year-old Canadian was a finalist for PWHL Defender of the Year honors in 2025 and won the league's first two Walter Cup championships with the Minnesota Frost in 2024 and 2025. "Vancouver fans are going to quickly fall in love with everything that Sophie brings to her game," general manager Cara Gardner Morey said. "Sophie is a proven winner, and that experience will be instrumental in shaping our foundation from the blue line. She is a dynamic defender with world-class speed and skill, and a player I believe is only scratching the surface of her potential." Jaques ranked second among league defenders in 2025 with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 25 games. She tied for second among all players with seven points (two goals, five assists) in eight playoff games. The Toronto native won a national championship at Ohio State in 2022 and won a silver medal with Canada this year at the IIHF Women's World Championship. "I'm incredibly honored to sign with PWHL Vancouver and to help lay the foundation for something truly special in this city," Jaques said. "Being part of this historic moment means so much, and I can't wait to get started and represent Vancouver with pride in this vibrant and hockey-loving community. 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. I am looking forward to meeting all the fans in Vancouver and to being a part of spreading the PWHL out West!" Former Frost teammate, defender Claire Thompson, signed with Vancouver earlier this week. Expansion teams Vancouver and Seattle have an exclusive window to sign a maximum of five players before the deadline Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. The expansion draft is on Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET. --Field Level Media
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
PWHL Vancouver signs former Frost defenders Thompson, Jaques as club's first players
Minnesota Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley (29) Sophie Jacques (16) clear the puck, as Claire Thompson (42) falls while defending against Ottawa Charge's Shiann Darkangelo (27) during first period PWHL playoff hockey action in the Walter Cup Final, in Ottawa, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Vancouver's new Professional Women's Hockey League team has signed its first player, nabbing defender Claire Thompson from the Minnesota Frost. The two-time Walter Cup champions left the 27-year-old defender exposed and Vancouver inked her to a one-year contract when the exclusive signing window opened to expansion teams on Wednesday. Vancouver later announced the signing of Thompson's Frost teammate and fellow blueliner Sophie Jaques to a three-year contract. 'I'm incredibly excited to join PWHL Vancouver and be a part of this new chapter of women's ice hockey,' Thompson said in a release. 'The opportunity to help build something special from the ground up is truly meaningful. I can't wait to connect with the fans and represent this city.' Thompson, who hails from Toronto, had four goals and 14 assists in 30 games for Minnesota last season. She added another six helpers in eight playoff appearances. Jaques had seven goals and 15 assists in 25 games, tying Renata Fast of the Toronto Sceptres for top spot in scoring by a defender. The 24-year-old Jaques, who's also from Toronto, contributed two goals and five assists in the post-season as the Frost captured the league championship for a second straight year. Thompson and Jaques are both finalists for the PWHL's defender of the year honour. 'I'm incredibly honoured to sign with PWHL Vancouver and to help lay the foundation for something truly special in this city,' Jaques said in a release. 'Being part of this historic moment means so much, and I can't wait to get started and represent Vancouver with pride in this vibrant and hockey-loving community.' Thompson and Jaques both have ample international experience. Thompson helped Canada to gold at the 2021 world championships and the 2022 Beijing Olympics, while Jaques was also on the world championship team that took silver earlier this year. The move to Vancouver will reunite Thompson with general manager Cara Gardner Morey, who was her coach at Princeton. 'Claire is one of the best defenders in the world and a phenomenal leader who will help create a culture of excellence in Vancouver,' Gardner Morey said in a release. '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.' Seattle, the league's other expansion franchise, announced late Wednesday it had signed a one-year deal with former Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight, making her the team's first player. The 35-year-old American superstar is coming off a 2024-25 season where she registered 15 goals and 14 assists, tied for the league-lead in scoring. She's also up for the Billie Jean King award as the PWHL's most-valuable player. Knight has a long history on the international stage, including winning gold for the United States at the 2025 women's world championships in April. 'Signing Hilary Knight was an absolute no-brainer — she's the heartbeat of any team she joins,' Seattle general manager Meghan Turner said in a release. 'Her proven leadership and drive, the way she elevates everyone around her, those are qualities you can't teach. Hilary's not just a game-changer on the ice, she's the kind of person who defines a culture, and we're incredibly proud to have her as the first-ever player to join PWHL Seattle.' Vancouver and Seattle can continue to sign unprotected players until the exclusive window for expansion clubs closes on Sunday. Both teams will then bolster their rosters with talent during Monday's expansion draft. A leaguewide draft will be held on June 24. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who was the biggest surprise omission for each PWHL team from their expansion protection list?
The PWHL unveiled the three players protected from each of the league's six inaugural teams. Three was a small number resulting in top players from every roster being exposed, and signalling that PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver will almost certainly enter the 2025-26 PWHL season as the teams to beat. While the PWHL has yet to unveil if there will be changes to their playoff format with eight teams now in the league, it's highly likely Seattle and Vancouver will be playing playoff hockey next season, while the existing rosters will take a season or two to recover from the deep cuts the league decided to make to their cores. PWHL fans across the league reacted negatively to the lack of protection for the players they've grown to love, including the exposure of 40 of the 42 players selected in the 2024 PWHL Draft. Advertisement As baffling as the PWHL's plan for expansion was, seeing the exposed players which includes finalists for league MVP, Defender of the Year, Forward of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, including the 2024 PWHL Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year, Goaltender of the Year, three First Team All-Stars, three Second Team All-Stars, and four of five members of the All-Rookie team. In essence, Seattle and Vancouver are picking all-star rosters without reservation. There were some exposures that surprised more than others. Here's a look at the most shocking omissions from each PWHL team's protected list. Boston Fleet - Hilary Knight Knight is a finalist for the PWHL's MVP award this season and top forward. She tied for the league lead in scoring and was the captain of the Boston Fleet, and remains the captain of Team USA. She's a first ballot Hall of Famer who holds every scoring record at the World Championships. Hilary Knight however, is nearing the end of her storied career, although no one is questioning if she can remain a star in the PWHL for a few more seasons. She would be the ultimate face for the game in Seattle to help the league hit the ground running on the west coast, but it doesn't soften the shock and dismay Boston fans feel having one of the legends of the game potentially stolen from their roster. Minnesota Frost - Sophie Jaques Minnesota made a trade for Sophie Jaques during season one and it paid dividends. She tied for the PWHL lead in scoring by a defender, helped the Frost win back-to-back Walter Cup titles, and has seen her role grow. She's only getting better and is a finalist for the PWHL's Defender of the Year. Few are as dangerous off the rush and jumping into the play as Jaques, and she'll bring her ever improving game to the west coach and make a significant impact there as well. She flourish in Minnesota, and alongside Claire Thompson, the loss of two elite defenders is going to sting. Minnesota will pray that Nicole Gosling or Rory Guilday can be had in the PWHL Draft. Montreal Victoire - Erin Ambrose Montreal loves Erin Ambrose, and Erin Ambrose loves Montreal. She was the 2024 PWHL Defender of the Year, and remains one of the best in the league on and off the ice. Montreal rolled the dice exposing both Ambrose and rookie standout Cayla Barnes on their blueline. Their only hope is that Vancouver picks up Jennifer Gardiner. If the expansion teams pick Ambrose and Barnes, Montreal is going to significantly struggle, and the defensive depth available in free agency and the draft won't be able to recoup what they've lost if the worst case scenario happens. New York Sirens - Alex Carpenter A 2024 First Team All-Star and widely acknowledged as a top 10 forward in the world, Alex Carpenter is a game changer on the ice and was half of the PWHL's most dangerous duo alongside rookie sensation Sarah Fillier. Many New York fans couldn't wrap their head around this one, and in terms of on-ice performance, it's a hard pill to swallow. What this omission shows however, is that teams were looking far beyond the scoresheet when considering their options. New York needs a culture change, they need to shake up their roster to get more out of their depth, and this move plays into that decision. Carpenter's skill will be missed if she's selected. Ottawa Charge - Ashton Bell Without Ashton Bell, it's hard to imagine the Ottawa Charge get to the Walter Cup finals this year. Bell was part of Ottawa's top pairing that played heavy minutes. She blocked shots, transitioned pucks up ice, and was key to their attack. But Ottawa went with the unique toolkit possessed by Ronja Savolainen. Savolainen has a more club friendly contract with two years remaining, and there's belief she's just scratching the surface of her potential in North America. She got better as the season went on. Toronto Sceptres - Sarah Nurse A 2024 PWHL Second Team All-Star, Sarah Nurse was one of the top scoring threats in the league in year one, and if not for an injury in year two, the same could be said. Toronto is lucky to have the depth they do up front, but depending how this process plays out, the Sceptres are likely to lose not only Nurse, but three of Savannah Harmon, Julia Gosling, Emma Maltais, Allie Munroe, or Izzy Daniel as well. It's not a pleasant prospect for the team, but there's perhaps no loss that would hurt more than that of Nurse.
