Vancouver Goldeneyes Training Camp Notebook: First Looks Ahead Of The 2025–26 PWHL Season

After a week of training camp at the Pacific Coliseum, the Vancouver Goldeneyes look prepared to start their inaugural PWHL season on November 21. This follows four weekdays filled with drills and a scrimmage as well as two pre-season games against expansion sister Seattle Torrent. 

While this was the Goldeneyes’ first training camp, many Vancouver players have taken part in PWHL training camps before. This is Sarah Nurse’s third training camp in as many years — while she did not take part in practice during the first few days due to an injury that kept her out of the Rivalry Series the week prior, the forward ultimately joined for the final day of drills and both pre-season games. 

“Every single year has been different,” she told the media after the first day of camp. “Being the first expansion team that has their own primary venue like this. It’s been really awesome to come in and be a part of that, but it does look completely different, like I mentioned. We’re all just meeting each other for the first time, players and staff, so it’s been a learning experience, and I know that it’ll continue to be, but I’m excited for the culture that Cara’s cultivated here. We had a great chat earlier, had a nice team meeting, so ready to hit the ground running.” 

Day 1 of training camp was special, despite players knowing they had work to do. This was the first unveiling of the Goldeneyes’ logo at center ice — something that many players and staff reflected on. 

“This is our home. We’re not asking to come in here and play — this is ours,” goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer explained regarding the significance of being the Coliseum’s primary tenant. “It’s really, really exciting for women’s hockey, but women’s sports as well.” 

After that until Thursday, the Goldeneyes broke into two different groups for their respective practice times — the pacific blue group and cream group. Pacific blue featured names such as Abby Boreen, Malia Schneider, Michela Cava, and goaltenders Emerance Maschmeyer and Erica Fryer. Cream iced players like Ashton Bell, Claire Thompson, Hannah Miller, and the tandem of Kristen Campbell and Kim Newell. Emphasis throughout camp was on neutral-zone drills and odd-man rushes, with groups that were scored on most doing bag skates at the end of their session. 

“We have a lot of different players with a lot of different skills, and everyone’s going to bring different things to this team,” Cava said. “I think definitely we’ll be very gritty and work hard. I don’t feel like we’ll never not have a game where we’re all working and trying our best, but I definitely think we’ll bring a very skilled level to the game and be able to put a lot of things together.” 

The Goldeneyes’ roster construction has put a big emphasis on building from the back-end out, evidenced in the strength of the team’s blueline. During Vancouver’s scrimmage on Thursday evening, it was two defenders who put the puck past the goaltenders — Bell and Thompson. Exiting camp, it looks like this pairing will likely start the season together. 

While the Goldeneyes’ two pre-season games against the Torrent were closed to both the public and media, stats from each were available via PWHL scoresheet. In Game 1, it was camp invitee Schneider who was one of a few who made a big difference. The former member of PWHL Ottawa during the 2023–24 season put up a goal, two shots, and two hits in 11:09 minutes played. 

Fans also got a better idea of how the Goldeneyes’ lines could shake out come home-opener, with Bell and Thompson starting the game together. Jenn Gardiner, Madison Samoskevich, and Abby Boreen made up a line, with the three eating up some of the most minutes played throughout the game of all forwards. Both Madisons — camp invitee Clough, and 2025 draft pick Samoskevich — finished with over 21 minutes played. 

Game 2 took place only a day later, though the game fell in Seattle’s favour as the Torrent won 4–2. Kristen Campbell started the game and played for two periods, while Kim Newell took over for the third period and surrendered one goal against. Schneider continued her campaign for an opening-night roster spot by adding her second goal of the weekend. Samoskevich was the other member of the Goldeneyes to find the back of the net, doing so on a penalty shot taken against Seattle goaltender Hannah Murphy. 

This game also provided a better look at how Vancouver’s defence will shake out. With Bell and Thompson paired together the night before, it was Sophie Jaques and Mellissa Channell-Watkins who started the game together. In terms of minutes played, it was the starting line of Gardiner, Miller, and Tereza Vanišová who each logged over 30 minutes.

From practices. and the pre-season game scoresheets, it's clear that Vancouver is placing a heavy emphasis on their defence. Bell, Thompson, Jaques, and the rest of the blueline will be key players for the Goldeneyes this season. With her two-goal effort, Schneider looks primed to take a full-time roster spot, while Michelle Karvinen's game seems like it will transition well to the PWHL. 

Get ready, Goldeneyes fans. PWHL hockey is coming to you on Friday night.