The Vancouver Goldeneyes built a roster via expansion and free agency that many, if not most, believed would place them squarely and incontestably atop the PWHL standings. It didn't work out that way for the Seattle Torrent, nor the Goldeneyes.

The league's new west coast teams certainly had challenges. They were given only weeks to assemble a staff, prepare for the 2025 Draft, plan their expansion targets, negotiate with free agents, all while managing the logistical hurdles of setting up offices, facilities, housing, and more. It's a laundry list that most expansion teams in professional sports have months if not years to complete, not weeks.  Couple in additional travel impacts for athletes who, unlike their men's hockey counterparts, do not have the comforts of luxury hotels, sleep specialists, or chartered flights.

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