On November 21, at 7pm, fan cheers and a new legacy echoed through the Pacific Coliseum as the puck dropped for the first PWHL game between expansion teams—the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Seattle Torrent. The expansion of the league to the west and the Goldeneyes being the first to have a designated rink of their own marks another stepping stone in the fight for recognition that women’s hockey has faced over the past century.
In this article, we’ll be looking at the history of women’s hockey, particularly in the West, and what the PWHL’s expansion means for the ever-growing women’s game.
Significance
Overview - A Growing Sport
In an interview, Sarah Nurse described the leap to the PWHL as almost surreal, and contrasted it with her earlier experiences: “We didn’t have great ice times, we didn’t have access to the best resources, the best people, and you’re practicing at 10 o’clock at night.”
Unfortunately, despite the progress, this was and still is an unfortunate reality for many young female hockey players—missed opportunities, fewer avenues to improve, and, as we’ve learned through the development of women’s hockey gear, ill-fitting gear that can lead to injuries. The greater cost of equipment issues is developmental; time lost to injury and healing is time lost from honing one's skills and, thus, advancing in the sport.
My hockey journey began in boys’ leagues, as girls’ hockey was non-existent in my city. I could have registered in one of the surrounding cities, but the better path for development at the time—a point we’ll discuss in more detail later—was to play with the boys. I was also not the only girl with this sentiment; I can recall some players I knew who went back to boys to play another year, before returning to girls' hockey stronger than ever.
Of course, this wasn’t an ideal situation for everyone. The true goal is for girls’ hockey to offer equal opportunities to the boys’. While this standard has vastly improved compared to the past, it remains a work in progress today.
Even after working hard and developing one’s skills enough to make it to the professional leagues, female players still often do not expect to climb that high in hockey. Before the PWHL, the main options for continuing hockey included playing in leagues with questionable sustainability (CWHL, NWHL, PHA, PWHPA) or playing in Europe.
In Canada, women’s hockey peaked in the 1920s-30s before entering a rapid decline. A slow revival began in the 1960s, though the sport still faced immense challenges. That revival didn’t come out of the blue either. Even today, although we may be further than ever before, there is still a lot of work to be done.
Women's Hockey in BC
Historically, BC has been underrepresented at the international and professional levels, compared to other provinces like Ontario and Quebec. From goaltender Danielle Dube's appearance for Team Canada in 1997, no BC-born player reached the women's national team for over twenty years. The drought finally ended in 2019 when Micah Zandee-Hart made the squad. More BC players joined Team Canada in 2025, including Jennifer Gardiner and Chloe Primerano. They would have been joined by Hannah Miller as well, but she was unfortunately deemed ineligible due to international transfer rules.
This isn’t to say that hockey is newer to BC compared to the East. The earliest recorded women’s hockey game happened in the West Kootenays—at the Rossland Winter Carnival in the early 1900s, which postdated the earliest recorded instances of hockey in other provinces like Ontario and Alberta only by a few years. When the Rossland Ladies beat the Nelson Ladies 4-0 in the carnival’s organized game in 1911, organizers billed it as the “Ladies Championship of the World.”
Like their eastern Canadian counterparts, the women played in knitted turtleneck sweaters, long skirts, gloves, and hats. While this uniform may seem restrictive for skating, some historians suggest the long skirts may have actually offered goalies a tactical advantage in blocking shots.
This, however, is only part of the story. In 1918, a new women’s team was formed: the Vancouver Amazons, who were widely acknowledged as BC’s first women’s sports team to travel outside the province for their sport.
The Vancouver Amazons
The Vancouver Amazons are considered to have been the first women’s team in any sport in BC to travel and compete outside of the province. The team was formed in 1918 by a group of students from King George High School, who used to watch the Vancouver Millionaires at Denman Arena on Friday nights.
At their first appearance at the 1921 Banff Winter Carnival, the Amazons reached the Alpine Cup final, and their captain, Phebe Senkler, was named Carnival Queen of the tournament. Upon their return to Vancouver, they swept the West Coast Women’s Championship—considered the first women’s international hockey tournament, with one team from the US participating—without giving up a single goal.
They would end up winning the Alpine Cup upon their return to Banff the next year in 1922, fighting through -30-degree weather and coming back from a 0-1 deficit to beat the Calgary Regents 2-1 with two goals from Kathleen Carson.
Standstill and Dissipation
Throughout the 1910s and into the 1920s, women’s hockey had been on an upturn, with teams from Victoria, New Westminster, UBC, among others also growing and competing. Despite the successes, however, the Amazons folded in 1933 amid the Great Depression, and other teams had folded much earlier, around 1918.
The opportunity to rebuild dwindled further with World War II on the horizon. The war effort mobilized the entire population and required everyone's focus and labour, leaving women with very little time and energy left to participate in sports. Prevailing social attitudes also discouraged girls and women from pursuing sports, reinforcing more “feminine” domestic roles over “masculine” activities, which included hockey.
Women’s hockey then fell into a lengthy dormancy, a period that lasted until it began its revival in the 1960s.
Some fought for the ability to play a few years prior to the revival; women’s hockey history is filled with stories of pioneers like Abigail Hoffman, who had to disguise herself as “Ab Hoffman” just to play. With no girls’ or women’s leagues, girls were forced to pretend to be boys or fight the courts to play legally. The constant push from girls and women for more opportunities to play prompted slow, albeit eventual, changes in the sport's participation rules.
Abby Hoffman was just nine years old during the 1955-1956 season when her attempt to play hockey sparked that landmark legal battle. Her family took the fight over the ‘boys-only’ rule to the Supreme Court, only to have it upheld. But hers was not the only family; several other families also fought against the ruling soon after, including Gail Cummings (1976) and Justine Blainey (1981-1986).
In Blainey’s case, she had sought the better opportunities and competition available in boys’ hockey, and even made it onto their rosters, but had been constantly told: “You are good enough, but you can’t play with the boys.” Legally, this had been true too; sex-based restrictions were allowed in sports as per Section 19(2) of the Ontario Human Rights Code at the time, and the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) was dead set on not allowing for mixed-gender hockey. Blainey and her family fought the courts for years, seeking the right for Blainey—and girls across Ontario—to play on boys’ teams.
The fight did not end with Blainey or any of the other girls fighting for better hockey opportunities. In the West, the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association (VIAHA) sought to institute rules that would require girls play on female-only teams and compel associations to create girls’ teams.
The proposal still allowed girls to play on boys' teams under a single registration fee, although it did require them to prioritize their main commitment to the girls' team. To a degree, the logic behind the push made sense—girls' leagues needed more participants to become sustainable and competitive. However, the opposing side also brought up how many girls actually prefer boy’s hockey and the opportunities presented there. The latter’s counter-suggestion was that the association look at fixing the reasons for that preference, rather than forcing something through policy. The push was controversial, with even BC Hockey calling the proposal “not ideal.” This case in particular showcased the complexity of building equality in the sport.
Where We Are Now: The Vancouver Goldeneyes
Ali Bologna, PWHL Senior Director, described the Goldeneyes name as “born from a desire to create a team identity that felt truly unique to Vancouver.” And they certainly found quite the animal.
The Common Goldeneye: The common goldeneye is a species of waterfowl that can be found across North America, specifically in boreal and sub-boreal regions near wooded lakes, rivers, ponds, and wetlands. They also often spend the non-breeding seasons along the Pacific coast. The common goldeneye primarily inhabits freshwater margins found throughout British Columbia; this local connection is symbolized in the logo, which incorporates a map marker pointing northwest toward Vancouver’s location. The goldeneye's renowned speed and agility also make it an ideal symbol for a professional hockey team.
Film and Game City: Vancouver is a dual hotspot for the film and gaming industries. Cinephiles might recognize the homonym GoldenEye from the James Bond series. Although the film wasn't shot in Vancouver, the Goldeneyes do offer it a bit of a playful nod at the rink with a familiar tune during intermission—and they'd be right. The intermission music is not from the movie, but the loading screen from the film's game, GoldenEye 007.
Video by Vizzed Gameplay Videos on Youtube; Source Link.
Striking Yellow Eye and Logo Symbolism
The Vancouver Canucks drew inspiration from British Columbia's 'land meets sea' landscape, using green for forests and blue for the sea (and sky). Similarly, the Goldeneyes' palette of pacific blue, cream, and earthy bronze evokes the unique, coastal geography that defines Vancouver. The motif is also represented by the curved line accents present on the logo.
Of course, the first thing you’ll notice on the logo isn’t really those colours, but the striking golden eye right in the centre. As implied, the common goldeneye gets its name from those eyes, described as a symbol of “vision, clarity, and focus”—all qualities you want in a hockey team.
Every angle and shape on the logo is significant. Early sketches of the logo include eyes oriented in both directions, but the one they ultimately went with points northwest, as a portrayal of Vancouver’s geographical location. The shape of the eye looks like a diving bird, and as the Goldeneyes have described it, it is a show of their collective momentum: “We move as one, with purpose, grace, and shared direction.”
Venue - The Pacific Coliseum
The Pacific Coliseum is both an arena and a local historic site in Vancouver. The stadium was one of two attractions—alongside the famed wooden rollercoaster—on Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) grounds to have been named a heritage site in 2013 by the Vancouver Heritage Foundation (VHF).
The Coliseum’s legacy was originally forged in the 1960s, designed by W.K. Noppe in 1966 and opened as the new home of the Vancouver Canucks in 1968. It served as the Canucks’ home until 1995—when they moved to General Motors Place (now Rogers Arena)—then the Vancouver Giants’ home rink from 2001-2016, until they relocated to Langley Events Centre. The Coliseum lay dormant ever since, without a main hockey team until now, with the Vancouver Goldeneyes now calling it their home and being the first PWHL team with their own arena.
It should be no surprise that the Coliseum has been the domain of some of Vancouver’s most high-level sports teams. The rink was built with the explicit goal of attracting an NHL franchise, and although Vancouver’s initial bid in the 1967 expansion failed, the city’s persistence—and the ready-made Coliseum—helped secure a team in the 1970 expansion, finally cementing the arena’s place in Vancouver’s hockey history.
The Pacific Coliseum’s legacy extends far beyond hockey, too. It has been a major concert venue for various musical legends, including Led Zeppelin, KISS, the Bee Gees, and David Bowie, and its ice has seen Olympic glory during the 2010 Vancouver Games’ figure and speed skating events. And as part of the PNE, it has also hosted the beloved SuperDogs, the Summer Nights Concert Series, and other sports like professional inline hockey and boxing.
Vancouver Goldeneyes games are considered both PWHL and PNE events.
Vancouver Goldeneyes Leadership
Captain: Ashton Bell - Deloraine, MB
Selected first overall by Vancouver in the Expansion Draft, Ashton Bell became the Goldeneyes' first captain after two seasons with the Ottawa Charge. Her talent and leadership capabilities were evident early in her career; as a freshman at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, she finished second on the team in scoring. She’s a defenseman, but she didn't always play that position. At the suggestion of Hockey Canada, she made a transition to playing defense going into her junior year of university—where she then led the WCHA in points as a defenseman (32) and has remained on the blue line ever since.
One of the biggest reasons Bell was picked first overall was because of her leadership capabilities, as Vancouver GM Cara Gardner Morey mentioned, “She is a professional, one that leads by example while taking care of her teammates.” Anyone who followed the PWHL the previous year may remember seeing these claims in action, with the Charge in their run for the Walter Cup.
She has also had numerous appearances on the international stage, starting out with the U18 team in 2016, followed by another appearance in 2017, and also played in the USA/Canada Rivalry Series (2018, 2019), IIHF Women’s Worlds (2021, 2022, 2024), and the Olympics (2022).
Alternate Captain: Sarah Nurse - Hamilton, ON
Probably the most exciting signing to the Vancouver Goldeneyes was Sarah Nurse, known for setting a new women’s tournament record with 18 points, overtaking Hayley Wickenheiser’s previous record. She also established a new record in assists with 13. Before joining the Goldeneyes, Nurse played for the Toronto Sceptres, and she was one of the first to be drafted in the pre-draft by Vancouver when Toronto left her unprotected.
While renowned for her impressive collection of medals and honours, Nurse's impact extends far beyond the rink. She has been a spokesperson for multiple causes, including racial equity, gender inclusion, diversity in sports, and youth mentorship and programs. Through her “Nursey Nights” initiative, partnered with Rogers, she provided young girls with tickets to PWHL games, a chance to meet Nurse herself, and exclusive merchandise. She’s partnered with many other companies as well, including Tim Hortons and Mattel, and was the first woman to be featured on the cover of an EA Sports hockey game (NHL 23).
Alternate Captain: Claire Thompson - Toronto, ON
Claire Thompson has been all around the professional women’s hockey scene. Before the PWHL, she played in the PWHPA for Toronto and Team Sonnet, and before that, Thompson attended Princeton University and played for the Tigers. Thompson made it into multiple All-American Teams across the years for both her hockey play and scholastics while attending Princeton.
From 2022 to 2024, Thompson attended NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where she was studying as a med student while fitting in hockey on the side, which included exhibition games in the PWHPA and participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, which would be her international hockey debut (would have been sooner, if the 2020 IIHF Women’s World Championship wasn’t cancelled due to COVID-19).
Although she was able to balance it out during her first year, it became difficult during her second, when students are required to begin clerkships. Due to this, she couldn’t sign onto a full-time player contract in the PWHL, since she couldn’t attend all team activities. She was given a compassionate waiver exemption to play for New York—offered by the league due to her location—but she still was unable to play full-time, nor could she sign a reserve contract due to being on a student visa. In 2024, she officially announced a temporary pause in her education to commit to professional hockey full-time, in preparation for the 2026 Olympics.
Alternate Captain: Michelle Karvinen - Rødovre, Denmark
With Sarah Nurse on injury reserve, Michelle Karvinen stepped up to the plate as another alternate captain for the Vancouver Goldeneyes early in the season. And this choice makes complete sense as well—Karvinen is not only one of the most experienced players in the league, but also one of the greatest internationally.
Karvinen is widely regarded as “the world’s best technical player,” and the title doesn’t come without merit. With SDHL's Frölunda HC, she averaged 1.09 points per game (21G, 14A) and was known across the league for both her playmaking and goalscoring. Karvinen has been playing professionally for 16 years and has an extensive European hockey resume, with three Bronze medals with Team Finland and multiple championship wins. At the 2017 Nations Cup championship, Karvinen scored the game winner on now-teammate, Emerance Maschmeyer, to take home the gold.
On the Goldeneyes, she has said that she wants to “be one you can count on everywhere on the ice, to be a two-way player and just give [her] best on the team [...] so [her] teammates can be their best,” which is a mentality that every team would want on their captain squad.
Local Players
Among the team’s players are several who hail from British Columbia, adding to the team’s local connection and showcasing some homegrown talent on the ice. Make sure to keep an eye out for them!
#9 Katie Chan - Richmond, BC
#12 Jenn Gardiner - Surrey, BC
#28 Nina Jobst-Smith - North Vancouver, BC
#34 Hannah Miller - North Vancouver, BC
#35 Kimberly Newell - Burnaby, BC
Final Thoughts
Change doesn’t happen overnight; it’s a constant battle, and in hockey, it’s been fought for over a century. The story of women’s hockey—from the Vancouver Amazons to the legal pioneers—has continued to push the game forward against both social and institutional barriers, some of which are still alive today.
The launch of the PWHL and its first expansion to the West with the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Seattle Torrent is the next pivotal turn in women’s hockey history. With their own ice and a league of their own, the Goldeneyes push to not only fight for recognition, but a new standard—and we’re excited to see where they and the rest of the PWHL will take the game next.
Further Reading
“A Parent’s Guide to Kid’s Hockey Equipment.” City of Surrey. Soure Link.
Andrejev, Alex. “Examining hockey neck guard rules around the world, changes after Adam Johnson’s death.” The Athletic, 4 Dec 2023. Source Link.
Kolstad, Ash T. et al. “Protective equipment in youth ice hockey: Are mouthguards and helmet age relevant to concussion risk? Concussion for mouthguard wearers.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 57, no. 10, 2023. Source Link.
“Reminder Regarding Hockey Helmet Certification and BNQ-Certified Neck Protectors.” Hockey Canada, 2024. Source Link.
Hockey Canada Playing Rules. Hockey Canada, Rule 3.6, 2024. Source Link.
USA Hockey Rulebook. USA Hockey, Protective Equipment, 2024. Source Link.
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