PWHL stars Hilary Knight, Sarah Nurse sign with expansion teams

A little over 24 hours after the window opened for the general managers of the PWHL Vancouver and Seattle to start building their rosters, a clear picture has started to emerge of what the league's first two expansion teams will look like.

Vancouver already has a starting goaltender in Emerance Maschmeyer, formerly of the Ottawa Charge, and two of the best young puck-moving defenders in the league. Both Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson won the Walter Cup with the Minnesota Frost only a few days ago, and will now take their talents west. 

They also added forward Sarah Nurse on Thursday from the Toronto Sceptres, bringing in one of the biggest stars in women's hockey.

"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 favourite everywhere she goes," Vancouver GM Cara Gardner Morey said when Nurse's one-year contract was announced.

Seattle, meanwhile, likely has its first captain in Hilary Knight, an MVP nominee who's been the face of hockey in the United States for more than a decade. She signed a one-year deal with the team on Wednesday, becoming the first player under contract for Seattle.

"She's the heartbeat of any team she joins," said PWHL Seattle GM Meghan Turner, who spent the last two seasons as the assistant GM with the Boston Fleet, where Knight was the captain.

"Her proven leadership and drive, the way she elevates everyone around her, those are qualities you can't teach. Hilary's not just a game-changer on the ice, she's the kind of person who defines a culture, and we're incredibly proud to have her as the first-ever player to join PWHL Seattle." 

The team also added defender Cayla Barnes and