The Professional Women’s Hockey League is expanding to Seattle and Vancouver. Now it’s time for the league’s newest franchises to start building their first-ever rosters.

A five-day signing window officially opened on June 4, where each team can sign up to five players — either pending free agents or players left unprotected — ahead of the expansion draft on June 9.

With only three protection slots available for the PWHL’s six existing teams, star players will be on the move. As Montreal Victoire general manager Danièle Sauvageau said, “It’s a great buffet that those expansion teams have.”

This story will be updated as signings are announced this week before the window closes on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.

PWHL VancouverClaire Thompson, 27, Defense (Minnesota Frost)

Vancouver’s historic first signing is a foundational — truly elite — player.

Thompson is a dynamic offensive defender, an Olympic record holder, Walter Cup champion and a Defender of the Year finalist. She was also Minnesota’s third-overall pick 12 months ago.

Despite her credentials, it’s not a surprise that Thompson was left unprotected — the Frost protected shutdown defender Lee Stecklein, and forwards Taylor Heise and Kendall Coyne Schofield — which really highlights how favorable the expansion rules are for the new teams.

Thompson is an offensive threat who can bring speed and a dynamic ability to the blue line. She finished third in scoring among defenders and had a league-leading 15 primary assists through the regular season and playoffs. Thompson’s instincts are truly what set her apart from other offensive defenders — she can make plays on the blue line that others might not even attempt, but also has the speed and defensive ability to get back if the play goes the other way.

Vancouver is a natural fit for Thompson. She’s Canadian and played for four years under former Princeton coach Cara Morey, who is now Vancouver’s general manager. Thompson put medical school on hold to return to the PWHL and the 2026 Milan Olympics, so there’s a chance that she might only play for one season and return to NYU when her contract expires in 2026.

That Vancouver would use one of its five signing slots on potentially one year of Thompson is a testament to how talented she is.

Defender of the Year finalist Sophie Jaques signed a three-year deal with PWHL Vancouver through the 2027-28 season. (Adam Bettcher / Getty Images)Sophie Jaques, 24, Defense (Minnesota Frost)

Vancouver will open its debut season with two of the league’s best offensive defenders anchoring the blue line. Jaques, like Thompson, was named a finalist for Defender of the Year last month after a stellar sophomore season.

No defender had more points than Jaques this season (22), and she finished second in goals (7) en route to a second-straight league title. Jaques is highly active on the offensive blue line — she registered 75 shots on goal this season, the most by any defender — and excellent at five-on-five. In the regular season and 2025 playoffs, Jaques set up a league-high 16 even-strength goals.

Jaques’ three-year contract, initially signed with Boston in October 2023, was set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 season. Now, with a new three-year deal, Jaques will be in Vancouver through the 2027-28 season — a savvy bit of business by Gardner Morey, especially with Thompson expected to return to medical school as early as next season.

Vancouver will be Jaques’ third PWHL team after being traded by Boston to Minnesota just seven games into her professional career. Since then, she’s become a legitimate No. 1 defender and will be a cornerstone for Vancouver.

“Sophie is a proven winner, and that experience will be instrumental in shaping our foundation from the blue line,” Morey said in the league’s press release. “She is a dynamic defender with world-class speed and skill, and a player I believe is only scratching the surface of her potential.”

The Frost have now lost two of their top defenders from the 2024-25 season, and have protected rookie forward Britta Curl-Salemme with their fourth and final protection slot.

Sarah Nurse, 30, Forward (Toronto Sceptres)

Nurse – who is expected to sign with PWHL Vancouver, according to a source briefed on the situation – is a versatile, highly talented foundational forward for Vancouver to sign.

She has the ability to play up the middle or on the wing. She can win faceoffs. She has great hands, and an excellent shot. She was one of the best players in the PWHL in the inaugural season, finishing second in both goals (11) and points (23). And was well on her way to a strong sophomore year with 12 points in her first 15 games before missing several weeks with a lower-body injury. Vancouver will likely get a highly motivated – fully healthy – Nurse next season after being left unprotected by her former team.

(Top photo of Sarah Nurse: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)