Phase 2 of the PWHL’s expansion process is over, and the Vancouver Goldeneyes are the only team left unscathed. All four expansion teams have signed the requisite five players needed by the end of Phase 2, drawing from all seven other existing teams. Now, as the teams move into Phase 3, the Goldeneyes will have a chance to sign and/or protect three more players.
Why were the Goldeneyes the only team without a loss in Phase 2? In my opinion, it comes down to a few things, including age, salary, and general mid-to-low level performance from the team as a whole this past season. However, I also think it comes down to culture.
Every Goldeneyes player that I spoke to this past season really enjoyed being in Vancouver, whether it was the city as a whole, the fanbase, the arena, or their teammates. Cara Gardner Morey, the Goldeneyes general manager, stressed that she wanted to prioritize culture and that last season’s locker room culture was excellent, despite the less-than-expected results.
To me, what we’re seeing here is the desire for these players to prioritize staying in Vancouver over looking for a way out. Keeping this team together as much as possible is also the best way to build towards a Walter Cup in Vancouver, and having players who are invested in the outcome of the team and want to stay is the best way to do that.
Another layer to these Phase 3 decisions is that both Jennifer Gardiner and Izzy Daniel were offered Foundational Player Offers (FPOs) by expansion teams in Phase 2. Players who received an FPO and didn’t sign with the offering team in Phase 2 must sign somewhere in Phase 3, and must be paid at least $73,000. If the Goldeneyes want to keep Gardiner and Daniel, they must re-sign them in this phase. By re-signing them, they will automatically be one of the three protected players for Phase 3.
Should they re-sign Gardiner and Daniel? Yes. Absolutely.
Who Should the Goldeneyes Protect?
Jenn Gardiner
Whether or not Gardiner was offered an FPO in Phase 2, Gardiner should always have been a priority to protect in this round. As I mentioned in my Phase 1 protections article, Gardiner has expressed her interest in staying and building a championship-winning team in Vancouver, and her decision not to take an FPO and to hold out for a Phase 3 signing shows that she is invested in this team. She’s a strong forward who has continued to grow her game each season in the PWHL, and ended the season as the Goldeneyes forward with the most points on the season.
Izzy Daniel
The other FPO player, Daniel, is another player who needs to be signed in Phase 3, either by the Goldeneyes or by another team. While she is more of an underrated player in this league, it’s clear that she’s a welcome and valued member of the Goldeneyes. Both Gardner Morey and former head coach Brian Idalski stressed how much she had grown in the past season and how she was their most improved player of the season. That’s the type of player that should be rewarded with a better paycheque and as a key member of this team going forward.
Regarding both Gardiner and Daniel, the fact that they did not accept FPOs from expansion teams leads me to believe that they were assured they would be re-signed by the Goldeneyes.
Hannah Miller
Choosing the third player to protect is not easy, but in my mind, Hannah Miller is the most vulnerable player that the Goldeneyes have to lose. Not only was she a key member of the team, logging first and second line minutes as a centre, but she’s also one of the most talented centres out there for teams to choose from. Centres are at a premium, and it would be wise for the Goldeneyes to protect her.
Miller hasn’t indicated that she would like to leave the team, describing playing in her hometown as nothing short of a dream come true. If she does want to stay in Vancouver, she would only be vulnerable should the player selection process be triggered at the end of Phase 4. It would be up to the Goldeneyes brass to determine how big a risk it truly would be to leave her unprotected. I would rather lock her down early and show that she’s a valued member of this franchise.
Honourable Mentions
Ashton Bell
The Goldeneyes captain has flown under the radar thus far in the expansion process, but she is another player that the Goldeneyes could choose to protect. The Goldeneyes captain is signed through 2027-28, so would only be at risk if she wanted to leave the team, or if the player selection process is activated.
The defensive defender logged the third-most minutes on the team, averaging 20 minutes a game. She had the third-most blocked shots among PWHL players this season. She’s not as flashy a defender as some in the league, but she is a solid, steady presence.
That being said, some very good defenders in this league are available or have already been selected by an expansion team, which puts her less at risk than someone like Hannah Miller.
Tereza Vanišová
Vanišova is another name that’s been mentioned as a possible risk for the Goldeneyes to lose in the expansion process. The forward only put up 15 points this season, down from her 22 the season before, but her forechecking prowess was important to the Goldeneyes offense this season.
Along with her less productive season, she carries the highest contract on the Goldeneyes roster, making $90,000 in the 2025-26 season. In Phase 4, contracted players must sign for the same average salary or higher, which makes Vanišová a very expensive choice.
Players can begin signing contracts as soon as June 10, at 12 PM ET. Team protections are due by June 12 at 5 PM ET.
