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The Vancouver Goldeneyes didn’t lose any players in the first round of additions for the PWHL four expansion teams, but it wasn’t for lack of the new clubs trying.
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The PWHL announced Tuesday that Vancouver forwards Jenn Gardiner and Izzy Daniel were among six players who turned down foundational player offers (FPO) from an expansion squad. Detroit, Hamilton, San Jose and Las Vegas all start up in the fall, pushing the PWHL to 12 teams.
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Those foundational offers, under league rules, were non binding. Because they rejected those deals, Gardiner and Daniel must sign with a team during this next phase of the expansion process, which begins Wednesday and closes Friday at 2 p.m.
Detroit, Hamilton, San Jose and Las Vegas all had one expansion foundational offer (EFO) in the last round and those were binding. The four new clubs each added five players.
Vancouver was the lone team that didn’t lose any players. The eight returning clubs could lose up to three players under contract in the round. There was no limit on the number of players on expiring contracts.
The New York Sirens and Seattle Torrent both lost four players from last season’s rosters to lead the way.
In this next phase, Vancouver and the seven other existing teams can protect three more players, adding to the three they had in the last round. Initial Vancouver protections were centre Sarah Nurse, defender Sophie Jaques and goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer.
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Surrey product Gardiner, 24, tied for the Goldeneyes lead in goals (nine) with Nurse and Jaques and was second points (19) to Jaques (20) in team scoring this past season, which was Vancouver’s expansion campaign. She was one of five Canadian Olympians on the Goldeneyes, joining Nurse, Jaques, Maschmeyer and defender Claire Thompson.
Daniel, 25, who’s from Minnesota, finished with seven goals and 10 points. Vancouver (9-3-4-14) came in sixth in the eight-team loop, missing the fourth and final playoff spot by seven points. New York (9-3-3-15) and Seattle (8-5-1-16), oddly enough, were the two teams who finished behind Vancouver in the standings.
Gardiner and Daniel are both pending free agents, so they need new deals this round.
Vancouver Goldeneyes’ Izzy Daniel (8) celebrates a goal against the Minnesota Frost during first period PWHL Takeover Tour action at Rogers Place, in Edmonton Saturday Dec. 27, 2025. Photo by David Bloom Photo by David Bloom /Postmedia
The PWHL expansion process is six phases. The final one — the open signing period for all 12 clubs — begins June 19.
The PWHL entry draft is June 17 and the Goldeneyes have first pick overall, thanks to winning the league’s Gold Plan standings, which calculates points once a team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. They’re expected to select American defender Caroline Harvey, who was voted most valuable player of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics.
Vancouver is looking for a new coach as well, after firing Brian Idalski. General manager Cara Morey Gardner has said that she’s focused first on the expansion process and will ramp the coach search after that.
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