VANCOUVER — Jenn Gardiner is still in shock.
The former Montreal Victoire forward can't quite fathom that she'll soon be playing professional hockey in the city where she grew up.
"I really can’t wrap my hand around the fact that there’s actually a team at home and I get to be on it," Gardiner said Friday, less than 24 hours after she signed with the Professional Women's Hockey League's new expansion team in Vancouver.
“Honestly, I still can’t believe that it’s actually happening. I think there’s just been so many little girls that I’ve heard from, that I work with, that I coach in the summer reach out. And that’s just kind of just touching on the importance of this team in Vancouver."
Gardiner is one of five players PWHL Vancouver inked to new deals during an exclusive expansion team signing window this week.
The club also picked up defender of the year candidates Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques from the Minnesota Frost, former Ottawa Charge goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer and former Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse.
Nurse and Gardiner both experienced Vancouver's hunger for professional women's hockey when they played there during a "Takeover Tour" stop in January.
More than 19,000 fans packed Rogers Arena for the game, and the crowd was dotted with signs crying for a permanent team in the city.
“I’ve always been blown away by the amount of support and the real longing and wanting of professional women’s hockey in the West Coast," Nurse said. "So I’m just excited that the time is now and we get to be the foundation of the future out west.”
Nurse — cousin of WNBA star Kia Nurse and Edmonton Oilers defender Darnell Nurse.-- was one of the Toronto Sceptres first three signings. She had six goals and eight assists in 21 games last season, despite missing nearly two months with injury.
The 30-year-old from Hamilton added one assist in four playoff contests before the Sceptres were ousted from the semifinals by the Frost, who went on to win the Walter Cup for the second year in a row.
Playing so close to home has been special, said Nurse.
“It is such an honour to play in Toronto," she said. "To be able to see all the jerseys in the stands, to be able to see the signs and the messages that have been sent throughout my time in Toronto and also in the last few days has been bittersweet. … I just couldn’t be more grateful for all of the support.”
Before the Sceptres released their list of the three players they wanted to protect during the expansion process, Nurse spoke with general manager Gina Kingsbury.
"It was definitely a difficult and very emotional conversation," Nurse said. "The team in Toronto is deep. There’s a lot of players that are worthy of being protected. All the power to their group moving forward because they do have a great group."
The expansion process came with tough feelings for Maschmeyer, too.
The 30-year-old goalie was one of Ottawa's foundational signings, and posted a 9-9-4-2 record for the Charge last season before suffering a leg injury late in the campaign.
Rookie goalie Gwen Philips took over in net and backstopped the squad to the Walter Cup final. Ottawa then opted to protect Philips during the expansion process.
"It’s definitely been a journey, a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, I would say," Maschmeyer said. "Gwen, I cannot say enough amazing things about her. … She’s obviously an incredible goaltender and had a standout playoff series. I have no ill will against her. Honestly, I’m very happy for her.
"I think we both deserve starting roles and so this is the best scenario, where we both get to own the net."
Some of the PWHL's biggest stars were left unprotected during the expansion process, including Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight.
The 35-year-old American tied for the league lead in scoring last season with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) and is up for the Billie Jean King award as the PWHL's most valuable player.
Knight became the first player to sign with the league's other new expansion side, PWHL Seattle, on Wednesday.
Players knew heading in that the expansion process would bring "bittersweet feelings," she said.
"Definitely, there’s a lot of conversations that happen behind the scenes and you kind of have to meet people where they are, and figure out which pieces work and what people want to do and how to build a successful franchise," Knight said.
“I think things aligned personally for me in the right way. And I can’t wait for puck drop.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
