Claire Thompson remains one of the best defenders in the PWHL, and represented Canada at the 2026 Olympics. The Vancouver Goldeneyes blueliner however, remains uncertain where or if she'll continue playing, or if she'll return to medical school.
Vancouver Goldeneyes defender Claire Thompson is unsure what her hockey future will look like moving forward. Thompson faces the decision to continue her PWHL career, or complete her medical degree which she put on hold to play in the league.
In the PWHL's inaugural season, Thompson, a Princeton graduate, did not play while she studied to become a doctor at New York University, at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
She stayed on the ice practicing twice each week with New York University's men's hockey team.
But the call and opportunity to play in the PWHL couldn't wait longer than one season if Thompson intended to return, and the 2026 Olympics were another motivating factor. Inevitably, Thompson declared for the 2024 PWHL Draft and was a first round pick by the Minnesota Frost where she won a Walter Cup last season. She was also a nominee for the PWHL's Defender of the Year award.
She made the jump to Vancouver during expansion's exclusive signing period.
Now however, her two year contract is up, and Thompson has to decide where, or if she'll continue her playing career.
"I'm approaching this off season, I'm a free agent right now and so I think the season has just wrapped up, I'll go back to my home base in Toronto, and spend some time with family thinking about, what I want next year to look like, the next 5 years, the next 10 years, and really make a decision on what I think is best for me at this time," Thompson said in Vancouver's end of season press conference.
"I have no idea how long that decision will take me to make. And I think I will know once I spend a few months away from the rink whether I am coming back next season where that might be and what that will look like," she continued.
After their elimination from playoff contention, Thompson made similar comments saying "there will be a lot of things to consider for me personally and what next season and the future looks like for me."
But Thompson also spoke of the potential in Vancouver for next season, and did not rule out a return to the league or team.
Few could question Thompson remains one of top defenders in the PWHL after she scored 18 points in year one and 17 points in year two and represented Canada at the Milan Olympics this season.
When her career does switch to medicine, Thompson had targeted orthopaedics. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton, which she earned in 2020. She enrolled in NYU following the 2022 Olympics.