Keys To Success: Vancouver Goldeneyes

The Vancouver Goldeneyes were many people's preseason pick to win the Walter Cup last season. Their inaugural roster, on paper, was that good. The result however, didn't work out as planned, but it did end up with the Goldeneyes winning the draft order points race to secure the first overall pick, landing generation defender Caroline Harvey.

Now, the Goldeneyes look to make minor adjustments with major implications and crack the playoffs. They have an excellent chance to do that in an expansion-heavy Western Conference.

Vancouver will be experiencing change again this season after they parted way with head coach Brian Idalski, with now former general manager Cara Gardner Morey replacing him as head coach this season, and Alison Izzi replacing Gardner Morey as GM. The team also lost Claire Thompson to retirement at only 28 as she embarks on her medical career, and saw defenders Mellissa Channell-Watkins and Nina Jobst-Smith sign with Detroit.

Vancouver was set back immediately last year losing Sarah Nurse in game one, and there's no telling if she'll be in top form this season after missing Canada's camp, the same could be said for starting netminder Emerance Maschmeyer. Health is already a concern, and something Vancouver won't want to deal with.

But Vancouver still looks poised for success with solid depth, experience, and a year of lessons learned under their belt. Even with the positives, Vancouver must still manage to achieve several key items to ensure they're a contending playoff team in 2026-27.

Losing Claire Thompson, Mellissa Channell-Watkins and Nina Jobst-Smith this offseason hurt Vancouver's blueline. They also saw late season acquisition and camp invite Sini Karjalainen's season end before it could begin after she suffered an ACL tear playing in Switzerland. Replacing the group are Caroline Harvey, who is already considered the best defender in the world, and draft pick Jules Constantinople. Harvey is an upgrade whose impact will be immediate and substantial. Constantinople will be a typical rookie who will grow as the season progresses, but given the fact she could factor into their top four immediately, she'll also be challenged. Depth-wise, Vancouver's blueline is thin. Ashley Messier was a late round pick, but she struggled immensely last season with UMD to produce, and her ability to handle the physicality is a question mark. Her skating, puck skills, and vision are not issues, so finding ways to ease her in will be important, and if she can feel more comfortable with the contact, and find ways to protect pucks, Messier could be a sneaky acquisition. Vancouver also signed veteran Dominika Laskova, who will be counted on to contribute immediately. Laskova has lost some mobility, but she can play at this level. The final names to watch on their blueline are Alexie Guay and Olivia Knowles,  free agent training camp invites who could end up playing regular minutes. Their top three of Harvey, Sophie Jaques, and Ashton Bell are elite, and will play a ton. They need to be able to carry more than their share, but it's a tactic that has worked in other markets.

No team boasts a pairing like Vancouver where Emerance Maschmeyer and Kristen Campbell have both been starters, both have represented Canada internationally, and are both trusted veterans. Campbell was the PWHL's inaugural Goaltender of the Year, but has been inconsistent since. Maschmeyer, who was the starter in Ottawa until Gwyneth Philips arrived, and then came to Vancouver, has been good, but not spectacular at any stretch dealing with injuries, and also changes to her stance. She may not be 100% when camp opens either after skipping Canada's camp. What Vancouver needs, is for one of these goaltenders to step forward with a noticeable edge. Then the other will need to push to take the starting role. Internal competition, and one of the other emerging as the clear choice would be good for Vancouver. In other words, while it doesn't need to happen every night, Vancouver needs one of these goalies to step forward and steal a few wins, something they did not get last year.

There were times last season where it felt like Vancouver's top lines couldn't get it done. They had the talent, but they just couldn't break through. In those moments, teams will often look for depth to step up and if not score, then at least alter the momentum. That didn't happen last season for Vancouver either, at least not regularly enough. Abby Boreen, Gabby Rosenthal, Mannon McMahon, Anna Segedi, Katie Chan, Maddy Samoskevich, and Laura Fuoco are the group to watch here. It's likely that one or two of these players end up seeing top six minutes, but most will be in bottom six roles. Like most professional leagues, these players often have little or no experience in checking line positions, and it's something they need to learn. Making an impact in less time, often while taking defensive zone starts, is a challenge, but it's what this group will be tasked with. They need to do more lifting, so that Vancouver's offense can play a more free and open style. And when it comes time to be in a tight game, a few of these players need to develop a reputation for producing.

Over a few games, a 10.7% power play is a slump, over a season, it's a factor that will result in losing ground, and points. That was the case in Vancouver last season. When they needed it most, their league worst power play sputtered and failed. Given the talent they had on their roster, including defenders like Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson, it was unacceptable. Especially with a forward group that includes Hannah Miller, Sarah Nurse, Tereza Vanisova, and Jennifer Gardiner. This season the introduction of Harvey to the mix should pay dividends, and it's possible Vancouver will look to elevate Izzy Daniel in their lineup. Thea Johansson is another name to watch who could get some special teams time up front. Cara Gardner Morey will also have the opportunity to work on this element, giving a new look from what was occurring under Brian Idalski.