The Vancouver Goldeneyes have officially escaped Phase 2 of the PWHL [https://thehockeynews.com/womens]’s expansion process unscathed. Vancouver was the lone existing PWHL team not to lose a single player during Phase 2 of the expansion player distribution process. No Goldeneyes were taken during the signing period, while none were selected during the selection process. New PWHL expansion teams Hamilton, Detroit, San Jose, and Las Vegas have acquired their first five players via signing. Names such as Daryl Watts, Kristin O’Neill, and Hilary Knight have all shuffled through the league and to different teams during the signing process. Sarah Nurse, Sophie Jaques, and Emerance Maschmeyer were the three players Vancouver protected [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/why-the-vancouver-goldeneyes-protected-nurse-maschmeyer-and-jaques-in-phase-one-of-pwhl-expansion] during Phase 1 of the expansion process. This left players such as Jenn Gardiner, Hannah Miller, Claire Thompson, and Kristen Campbell all out in the open for the four expansion teams to try and acquire. Kristen Campbell highlights None of these players were signed or selected by expansion teams. Other teams around the league weren’t so lucky. The Seattle Torrent and New York Sirens lost four players through Phase 2 of the expansion process, while the Ottawa Charge, Montreal Victoire, and Minnesota Frost have each lost three. This is a massive deal for a Vancouver team that is only likely to get stronger heading into the upcoming season. Prior to the beginning of Phase 2, Goldeneyes General Manager Cara Gardner Morey spoke at length about how her priority heading into this stage of the process was to keep as many of her current players as possible [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/for-goldeneyes-gm-cara-gardner-morey-the-priority-through-pwhl-expansion-has-been-to-keep-as-many-players-as-possible]. “We have a lot of top-talent, a lot of great human beings — they came to Vancouver for a reason, they all want to help build something. For me, it’s trying to figure out how to keep as many of them as possible.” With three more protection spots now opened up heading into Phase 3, the Goldeneyes look to be trending in a good direction when it comes to retaining as many of their current players as possible. This opens the door for the team to protect players such as Vancouver-locals Gardiner and Miller or captain Ashton Bell, or to go after other free-agents and use their protection slots on them instead. Phase 3 of the expansion process begins on June 10 at 12:00pm ET/9:00am PT.
