Vancouver’s professional women’s hockey team has officially inked deals with their draft selections Nina Jobst-Smith, Brianna Brooks, and Madison Samoskevich, as announced by the franchise on Tuesday. Jobst-Smith, hailing from North Vancouver, B.C., was chosen in the third round, 19th overall, during the 2025 PWHL Draft. The 24-year-old defenseman served as captain for the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the 2024-25 season, tallying 18 points with three goals and 15 assists, earning recognition on the All-WCHA Second Team.
Brooks, a 23-year-old player from Whitby, Ontario, was the fourth-round selection (32nd overall) from Penn State. The forward achieved a career-best 32 points with the Nittany Lions and secured a spot on the All-CHA Second Team during the 2023-24 campaign. Meanwhile, Samoskevich, picked in the fifth round (39th overall), accumulated 84 points, including 19 goals and 65 assists, across 168 games while at Quinnipiac University. The 22-year-old native of Sandy Hook, Connecticut, transitioned from defense to forward in her final NCAA season.
Jobst-Smith has signed a two-year contract, while Brooks and Samoskevich have each secured one-year deals. Vancouver and Seattle are set to make their debut in the PWHL as expansion teams for the upcoming 2025-26 season.