Fans, food, nature, and more top the list of why these Goldeneyes chose to sign in Vancouver.
For many of the Vancouver Goldeneyes, playing for the PWHL’s newest Canadian team came out of desire to return home. For those who were not raised in BC, the motivations have differed.
Former Minnesota Frost defender Sophie Jaques was the second Vancouver signing announced on the opening day of the exclusive signing window. Originally from Toronto, she cited her previous knowledge of Vancouver as one of the reasons she was interested in joining the Goldeneyes.
“I always grew up learning about Vancouver, and I knew that deep down, I kind of wanted to live out there someday. Once the cities got announced, and Vancouver was one of them, it was like I kind of wanted to jump on that opportunity to get to come out here.”
Many players have noted that the close proximity to nature has influenced their perception of Vancouver, and Jaques is no different. While the defender has only been in Vancouver for a couple of days, this isn’t her first time in BC, as she’s visited Tofino on occasion to catch some waves. During the season, she’s looking forward to calling the city home for the time being.
“Just all the excitement and activities like getting to live right downtown and experiencing all that, but also being able to drive an hour and be in the mountains and get to do a ton of hiking,” she said of what excites her most about living in Vancouver. “Just getting to explore the whole area.”
Nature is also one of the things that Jaques’ former Frost teammate, Michela Cava, also mentioned in terms of what has interested her the most about Vancouver. Cava has been living in Vancouver for around a month now and is slowly starting to find her go-to places within the city.
“It’s beautiful here, the mountains and being along the water,” she explained during training camp, also noting that she’s already found a home in trademark Vancouver neighbourhood Yaletown. “It’s amazing. The views, and the people are really nice too.”
Like Jaques, Cava’s move to Vancouver came as a result of a signing rather than expansion draft selection. The former Frost forward is one of six Minnesota players from the 2024–25 season to end up in Vancouver, four of whom chose to come to BC via signing. In Cava’s words, reuniting with her Frost — and now Goldeneyes teammates — “felt like the right choice.”
This same sentiment is shared by Michelle Karvinen, 2025 PWHL first-round draft pick and Finnish hockey legend. The Goldeneyes will be the first PWHL team that Karvinen ever plays for, as she has spent her entire career overseas in leagues in Sweden, China, Switzerland, and more. Vancouver, however, is where her run of spectacular international play began.
“I go back to 2010, my Olympic dream came true here,” she explained during training camp. “For me to be able to come back here and actually [have] my pro dream become real, it’s quite unique. I feel like it was just meant to be that I ended up here.”
Another player who chose to sign with Vancouver may have come at a bit of a surprise. It felt like the Vancouver hockey market exploded when news dropped that Canadian hockey icon Sarah Nurse would be joining the city’s inaugural team. The forward, who took part in Vancouver’s stop at the Takeover Tour as part of the Toronto Sceptres, reflected on those who have made the team so special off the ice — the fans.
“The fan base, even though they haven’t been in the building yet, has already proven how loyal and dedicated and loud they are. For a visiting team to come in off of a five or six hour plane ride, I think it’d be pretty awesome for them to really hate being here.”
The fans have been a huge talking point in making this team as special as it is. As Nurse mentioned, this team has become such a big part of the city already without even stepping out on the ice for the regular season. It was the fans’ support during the Takeover Tour that helped Vancouver get a PWHL team, and it’s the fans who will continue to be a great beacon for players who are interested in joining the Goldeneyes.
“I think the energy all around the city, it seems like we’re going to have great attendance and great fans in the building,” Cava said. “It’s always fun to have a loud barn. I think a lot of the teams have done a really good job at that in this league, so I’m hoping our fans can come and show the support and be there for us, and we could put on some good hockey for them.”