No one expected the Vancouver Goldeneyes to have only a single overtime win after their first three games of the PWHL season, but that's where they stand, and they've been easily beaten twice.
Some thought the Vancouver Goldeneyes would walk through the PWHL competition this season as the league's new dominant force. After three games, a small sample size, but one representing a tenth of their inaugural campaign, the Goldeneyes sit near the bottom of the standings, and have suffered lopsided losses.
After a 4-3 overtime win against the Seattle Torrent in their historic home opener, the Goldeneyes suffered identical 5-1 losses to the Ottawa Charge and New York Sirens, teams most believed would be fighting for a final playoff spot. Instead, it's the Goldeneyes who are looking to find a way to get into the picture, and to right a slow start.
An Anticipated Strength, An Early Weakness
When the Vancouver Goldeneyes signed Emerance Maschmeyer and then traded for Kristen Campbell, the expectation was that Vancouver's apparent wealth of riches in net would create stability when the team in front of the tandem struggled. After three games however, Campbell sits last in the PWHL with a goals against average of 5.00 and save percentage of .821, while Maschmeyer's GAA is second last at 3.54, and her save percentage is 8th of 10 goalies who have played this season at .885.
There isn't a league in the world where sub .900 goaltending will result in a winning record long term. Neither made timely saves that could have helped salvage defensive breakdowns to turn momentum and keep their team above water, but the Goldeneyes acquired a plethora of experienced and skilled players who should not be forcing their goaltenders into make or break situations so early.
Allowing 13 goals against in three games, the Goldeneyes have been taking on water, and their offense has not been able to keep up.
Offensive Chemistry Hasn't Clicked
When you run down Vancouver's lineup their offensive firepower, from Hannah Miller to Tereza Vanisova, Sarah Nurse to Jenn Gardiner, Michela Cava and Michelle Karvinen, Vancouver has more skill and experience than almost any other team in the league. So far however, the Goldeneyes have not been able to find chemistry. Tereza Vanisova, who finished second in the PWHL in goals scored last season, has not been visible for the Goldeneyes recording only two shots in three games. Hannah Miller had moments in game two, but remains largely outside the attack as well and sits with a team and league worst -6 rating. Jenn Gardiner showed flashes of brilliance in Vancouver's opener, and looks dangerous, but just hasn't been able to break through, and the team has been without veteran Sarah Nurse for the two regulation losses. Michelle Karvinen has been one of Vancouver's most consistent players up front, but she's only one ingredient in the bigger picture.
Vancouver's most consistent offensive threats have been defender Sophie Jaques and forward Abby Boreen. While Jaques was expected to be among the league's scoring leaders on the blueline as she was last season with the Minnesota Frost, Vancouver's reliance on Jaques and Claire Thompson over the opening weeks of the season has also hurt their defensive play.
Transition Game Lacking
With Vancouver's depth at all positions, their attack in transition should have been a strength. Over their first three games, there were more moments where Vancouver saw their transition killed in the neutral zone, suffocated at the blueline, or at best, kept to the periphery.
While Jaques and other offensive blueliners for the Goldeneyes have the ability to lead the rush, there were times when those decisions actually held up Vancouver's forward group allowing back pressure to find the puck and fill their lines to better defend what came next.
This is a team that will thrive as a unit, but at the moment many of their top players look like they're hoping individual efforts fit into a team system, instead of buying into a team system to improve their individual performances.
Vancouver hasn't been dangerous off the rush out of transition, and when they have threatened, it's been individually, not as a group. The team has been outshot 67-90 in three games, and many of those attempts came from the periphery.
Urgency Must Come
Brian Idalski has always built hard working rosters at St. Cloud State who were able to stick with top programs in the WCHA despite being outgunned. In the PWHL, the Goldeneyes have the guns, but are being outworked. Early in the 2025-26 season underskilled teams like the Boston Fleet have earned hard fought points. Facing the New York Sirens and Ottawa Charge, Vancouver spent more of the game watching while two less experienced rosters worked for their success. Vancouver's roster has physicality, and players who have stepped up in big games for their former teams. It almost looks as though players are struggling to figure out who will take the energy role, and who will find soft spaces on the ice, and the result is a team watching and reacting to pressure, instead of creating it.
Don't Expect The Goldeneyes To Stay Down For Long
This team is too talented, and has too many players with diverse skill sets to stay down for long. The Goldeneyes remain a favorite, and when they find the missing chemistry, and begin to fall into roles serving the group, rather than individual roles they brought from past teams, this team will be be one of the best in the PWHL.
The Goldeneyes will lose a large chunk of their roster during the international break with Miller, Vanisova, Karvinen, Maschmeyer, Jaques, Gardiner, and Nurse likely to represent their nations. The break however will give Vancouver a crucial opportunity to regroup and enter the heart of the PWHL season on the same page, or perhaps at least in the same book.