Vancouver made a trade with Toronto to get Kristen Campbell, sending their 2nd and 3rd round picks (16th and 23rd overall) to the Sceptres and getting their 3rd round pick (19th overall) in addition to the goalie. I may be projecting, but I see new coach Brian Idalski's fingerprints all over this draft, starting with both Karvinen and Campbell, who Idalski recruited and coached at North Dakota.
Draft Picks
Round #1: Michelle Karvinen (F), 1990, (#7 overall) – This is a no-brainer pick and while I understand the needs of the teams ahead of Vancouver in the first round had some specific needs to fill, I also think she's a bit of a steal here. I'm not sure there's another player in the league that brings what she brings to the table. Not only is she still a massively talented player that will contribute on the ice, but her experience internationally and in the SDHL give her unique insight into how to make things successful in Vancouver.
Round #3: Nina Jobst-Smith (D), 2001, (#19 overall) – With so many Minnesota Duluth players taken in this draft I've found myself wishing more people had seen the team play so they could understand the program's approach and why it leads GM's to believe these players can make a difference for them. Jobst-Smith touched on it a bit in her interview, talking about a five-person, whole-team approach. UMD rarely had a single superstar standout player. Instead, they had a really elevated group where you never knew who would be the game-changer, but you knew they'd have someone step up big. And for the past several years, Jobst-Smith has been the calm, reliable leader on and off the ice that got in front of pucks, didn't get flustered when opponents held the zone and could quickly move the puck out of danger without panicking. She's very good along the top of the offensive zone, has really good hands for outlet passes and is someone I think will really excel in the pro environment.
Round #4: Brianna Brooks (F), 2002, (#32 overall) – She showed improvement over the course of her collegiate career and took on more minutes as well as an important role on the power play. At 5'9" she's a big presence that can interrupt passing lanes, get in the way in front of the net and handle physicality.
Round #5: Madison Samoskevich (F/D), 2002, (#39 overall) – GM Cara Morey is super familiar with the Samoskevich family, so there was already a connection, but what makes Maddie a nice late-round pick up is that she was successful as both a forward and defender at Quinnipiac. After three years on the blue line she was a top line center for the Bobcats. Not only does that make her a useful and versatile player to keep on your bench, but it means she has a really expansive view of what happens on the ice. Playing on both sides will have opened up her vision and make her a smarter and more creative player.
Round #6: Chanreet Bassi (F), 2001 (#48 overall) – Bassi was named a four-time Canada West All-Star in her time at the University of British Columbia. She is tied for the most Canada West regular season points in program history with 116 and overall tallied 134 points on 51 goals and 83 assists in 166 games in her career. Her coach calls her gritty, dedicated and focused and Morey said she believes Bassi has what it takes to make it in the PWHL.
Takeaways
The online sentiment seems to be that Vancouver won the expansion process through the expansion draft and free agency and they added a couple more really talented and important parts as part of the entry draft. This team is set up to hit the ice and make an immediate impact.
I love how international this roster is and again, to me that is a sign of Idalski's involvement. He has long seen the benefit of mixing the different styles of play that players learn in different countries. After this draft, there are players who have represented five different countries in the Olympics and World Championships. That international experience is simply not replicable elsewhere and gives players not just confidence, but an ability to adapt, handle high-pressure situations and take all the things that will come with playing in the PWHL - and particularly all the travel from the west coast.
It feels crazy to pick up Kristen Campbell as a secondary goalie but I think we'll probably see something like a 65/35 split where Emerance Maschmeyer takes the larger load. The long season, the travel and the fact that it's an Olympic year mean there has to be load management and regularly scheduled off days for goalies and with that in mind, Vancouver was aggressive in getting a second goalie who won't represent a big step down from their regular starter.
There's just so much talent on this roster that it's hard not to be really excited about what is possible. Now we have to wait and see how it all comes together.
Quotables
"There were a lot of moving parts but we felt really lucky with the players that fell into the slots that we were predicting. I thought it went amazing for us." - Vancouver GM Cara Morey
"I think (this is now) the best goaltending duo in the league. It was a lot of negotiating back and forth. We know that Masch would love a good partner that can take some minutes, especially during an Olympic year. It's a long season so we want someone that's tested and ready and Kristen Campbell is certainly that goalie." - Morey
"Building a team from scratch was really fun. The philosophy was to start with the locker room as far as culture goes and leadership. I think it was really important to bring those five players in that we knew would set the standard and set the tone for the year and then hockey-wise it really was building from the goal out." - Morey
"During the draft it was finding a lot of those gritty undervalued players. Tried and tested. We know they can play in the league." - Morey
"I just kept hoping every time that no one picked her ahead of us." - Morey on Karvinen
"Her older sister was my assistant coach for a while, so I've known Maddie. I know the way she plays, and I think that's what makes her a great late pick is maybe you need a forward. She can play that role. She's an excellent center. She also was a defender for 3 years. I think she's just a great versatile player depending on injury. You can kind of put her anywhere. So right now I see her playing as a forward, but it's great to know that if we get an injury in the back she can easily transition back there." - Morey on Maddie Samoskevich
"To be picked by Vancouver, their first pick ever, I feel extremely honored. I'm excited to join the team, but also the city. I think the city is ready for this, and I feel super ready for it as well." - Michelle Karvinen
"I'm definitely one of the more experienced players. I played a little bit everywhere. I'm familiar with the playing style, but hopefully, also to be able to create a lot of creativity to the team, but also leadership as a veteran player. I feel like I have a lot to give to the team." - Karvinen
"I think it has a lot to do with the team dynamic and getting the best out of the player and kind of like building our culture. I've had a history with two club teams I have built from the ground in Sweden. So I'm very familiar with starting from zero. I feel like that would be one of the things I can definitely give to the team. On the ice, I've pretty much been through any situation because I played so long time. So, being calm in those situations where the team needs it, and and also being able to be be a threat and be someone you can count on in every single situation." - Karvinen
"My dream came true once in Vancouver in 2010. I scored my first Olympic goal. I won a medal. Now, going back there to get to play pro, I definitely rank it up there with that experience, and it's super cool that those both experiences will be in Vancouver." - Karvinen
"I'm still just in shock. That was one of the most exciting moments of my life." - Nina Jobst-Smith
"I'm tenacious, hardworking. I love to push my teammates, and I love to push myself so I'm just looking forward to taking that next step in my game and developing who I am as a person and player." - Jobst-Smith
"I live 15 min from the rink. I knew a lot about the place when they announced that it was going to be there, and it's just a dream come true at this point." - Jobst-Smith
Current Roster
(listed with the amount of years remaining on their current contract)
Forwards:
Hannah Miller - 3
Tereza Vanišová - 2
Michaela Cava - 2
Sarah Nurse - 1
Jenn Gardiner - 1
Izzy Daniel - 1
Gabby Rosenthal - 1
Denisa Křížová - 1
*Brooke McQuigge is a currently unsigned restricted free agent
Defenders:
Sophie Jaques - 3
Emma Greco - 2
Claire Thompson - 1
Ashton Bell - 1
Mellissa Channell-Watkins - 1
Sydney Bard - 1
Goalies:
Emerance Maschmeyer - 2
Kristen Campbell - 1
(Photo: PWHL)
