PWHL expansion signings: Seattle adds Barnes, Serdachny; Vancouver adds Nurse, Maschmeyer, Gardiner

Hilary Knight has company in Seattle, with the new PWHL team adding two 2024 first-round draft picks — Ottawa Charge forward Danielle Serdachny and Montreal Victoire defenseman Cayla Barnes — on Thursday during the league’s expansion signing period.

The league announced Serdachny agreed to sign a two-year contract and Barnes reached a three-year deal to join Knight as the yet-to-be-named franchise’s first three players.

The other expansion team, Vancouver, continued stocking up on Canadian national team stars with the additions of Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse and Ottawa goalie Emerance Maschmeyer. Nurse agreed to sign for one year and Maschmeyer for two.

Vancouver reached its five-player signing limit by agreeing to a one-year contract with Montreal Victoire forward and rookie of the year finalist Jenn Gardiner, who grew up in the city’s suburbs.

Vancouver opened the signing period on Wednesday by reaching agreements with defensemen Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, Canada teammates who played together for the Minnesota Frost.

Seattle has two of a five maximum slots open during the signing period, which ends Sunday. The expansion draft is Monday, after which Seattle and Vancouver will have 12-woman rosters. Each of the league’s six existing teams will lose four players, before all eight teams take part in the PWHL draft on June 24.

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After losing two players, the Charge added forward Gabbie Hughes to their protected list, which already included forward Emily Clark, goalie Gwyneth Philips and defenseman Ronja Savolainen. The Victoire have also lost two players, and added defenseman Erin Ambrose to their protected list of goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens and forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey.

The New York Sirens, who finished last in both seasons, are the only team to not yet lose a player in the expansion process.

The 24-year-old Serdachny was the second pick in last year’s draft, while Barnes went fifth overall.

The 26-year-old Barnes, from Southern California, led PWHL rookie defensemen with 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) last season. She is a two-time U.S. Olympian who won a gold medal in 2018 and silver in 2022. Barnes also won an NCAA title with Ohio State last year.

“She’s a dynamic defender who moves the puck well and consistently contributes offensively,” Seattle general manager Meghan Turner said. “Even as a rookie last season, she played with the poise and presence of a veteran, and we see her playing a key role on our blue line.”

Serdachny finished with two goals and six assists in 30 regular-season games. She had two assists to help the Charge reach the Walter Cup Finals, which they lost in four games to defending champion Minnesota.

Serdachny is from Edmonton, Alberta, and played collegiately at Colgate. She scored the 2024 world championships gold-medal clinching goal in Canada’s 6-5 overtime win over the United States.

“She’s strong, plays through contact, and she’s only beginning to tap into her full potential,” Turner said.

Nurse is a two-time Olympian and finished tied for second with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 24 games during the PWHL’s inaugural season last year. This season, she had six goals and eight assists in 21 games while battling injuries.

From Burlington, Ontario, the 30-year-old Nurse led the high-scoring and gold-medal-winning Canadians with an Olympic women’s tournament record 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) at the 2022 Beijing Games.

The following summer, she became the first woman to be included on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL video game. Nurse, who is biracial and the cousin of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, has also advocated for inclusivity in hockey.

“Sarah is one of the sport’s biggest stars, both on and off the ice, and she will play a significant role in growing professional women’s hockey in Vancouver,” said Cara Gardner Morey, the expansion team’s general manager. “Her outstanding on-ice abilities will help establish our foundation at forward, and her unwavering commitment to building an inclusive hockey community makes her a fan favorite everywhere she goes.”

Maschmeyer is from Edmonton, and joins Vancouver after two seasons as Ottawa’s starter. This year, she became the league’s first goalie to register 1,000 career saves. He season was cut short when she suffered a lower-body injury in March.

Philips took over as the Charge’s starter through the playoffs, and that contributed to the team’s decision to make Maschmeyer available in the expansion process.

In 2024, Maschmeyer led PWHL goalies in games played (23) and finished second in wins with a 9-9-4 record.

The 30-year-old has been mostly a backup while representing Canada. She won an Olympic gold medal in 2022 and has medaled in eight world championships.

The 23-year-old Gardiner was selected by Montreal with the 11th overall pick following her career at Ohio State, where she won an NCAA title in 2024. She finished this season second among PWHL rookies with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 30 games.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey