PWHL Vancouver sign forward Michelle Karvinen

PWHL Vancouver continued putting the finishing touches on their roster build on Monday, signing forward Michelle Karvinen to a one-year contract for the team’s inaugural season. 

Karvinen, 35, was one of five players taken by PWHL Vancouver in the PWHL Draft, and was one of the few experienced players available for selection, having played professionally since the 2009-10 season overseas.

Before signing with Vancouver, her only North American hockey experience came between 2011 and 2013, when she played for the University of North Dakota, captaining the team during the 2013-14 season. 

Yet, Vancouver holds a special place in her career as well. She made her Olympic debut at the Vancouver 2010 Games, capturing the first of her three Olympic bronze medals while representing Finland. 

Hailing from Rødovre, Denmark, Karvinen has represented Finland at the international level, earning eight IIHF World Championship medals, including a silver medal in 2019, along with seven bronze medals. 

At the 2025 World Championships, she established herself as Finland’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament, with 24 goals and 62 points since making her debut at the level in 2009. 

Professionally, she is a serial winner. Through her career,  she has won championships with the Espoo Blues in Finland, Lugano in Switzerland and KRS Vannke Rays in Russia’s ZhHL, while also capturing titles in Sweden with Luleå HF and, most recently, last season with Frölunda HC, where she posted 21 goals and 35 points in 32 games, before adding five goals and 12 points in 11 playoff games. 

“Joining Vancouver is like a full circle moment,” Karvinen said. “Vancouver, you made my Olympic dream come true at the 2010 Olympics. Today, you have once again made a dream come true.”

“As a little hockey girl, I could only dream of this moment, to be a professional hockey player and to play in a professional women’s hockey league. I feel very honoured to join the Vancouver and British Columbia community, to be part of raising the women’s hockey bar even higher, and to be part of PWHL Vancouver from the very first puck drop.”

Karvinen and the rest of PWHL Vancouver will hit the ice for the first regular-season game in franchise history on Nov. 21 when they face Seattle at the Pacific Coliseum.