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PWHL Vancouver Officially Signs 2 Players on Day 1 of the Exclusive Signing Window

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jess Amato | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 12:15 PM ET

On June 4 at 9:00 A.M. EDT, the Exclusive Signing Window opened for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Expansion Draft. PWHL Vancouver and PWHL Seattle are allowed to sign five players from now until June 8 at 5:00 P.M. EDT. PWHL Vancouver was busy on just the first day, already signing two of the five allotted players.

Claire Thompson was the first player to sign with PWHL Vancouver. She signed a one-year contract with the incoming PWHL team. Thompson was Minnesota’s first draft pick in the 2024 PWHL Entry Draft. The defender played in 30 regular-season games and recorded 18 points via four goals and 14 assists. Thompson also recorded six assists in eight playoff games. She played alongside Lee Stecklein on the first pairing. Stecklein is a veteran from the previous season with Minnesota, so Thompson had a great mentor on the blue line.

OUR FIRST-EVER PLAYER IS CLAIRE THOMPSON

The Walter Cup Champion and 2025 Defender of the Year Finalist has signed with the team for the 2025-26 season!
https://t.co/HIlmYSKVDw pic.twitter.com/I6NZ8JfRm0
— PWHL Vancouver (@PWHL__Vancouver) June 4, 2025

Following her former Minnesota teammate to Vancouver, Sophie Jaques was the next to sign. Jaques signed a three-year contract with the incoming team, and she is the first player signed through the 2027-28 season. She spent the last two seasons with Minnesota. She played in 25 regular-season games this season and recorded 22 points via seven goals and 15 assists. Thompson and Jaques played on different pairings in Minnesota, but perhaps they could come together on the same pairing in Vancouver.

With two players selected, both from the Frost, Minnesota was able to select their fourth protected player. The Frost elected to protect Britta Curl-Salemme. This was Curl’s first season in the league. She played in 28 regular season games and recorded 15 points via nine goals and six assists.

Vancouver still has three players they can select in the Exclusive Signing Window, while Seattle has four. Vancouver has a roster tracker for all official expansion team signings.