Vancouver Goldeneyes players embrace mentoring role at girls’ hockey camps

Vancouver Goldeneyes captain Ashton Bell is using the off-season to help young girls see a future in professional hockey. Bell was on the ice Monday at the team’s youth summer camp in Surrey, saying she had few comparable opportunities growing up to play alongside professional women athletes and coaches.

Bell also ran a camp near her hometown of Deloraine, Man., last week, bringing 80 girls together for skating, skills, team-building and mental-performance sessions. Vancouver forward Katie Chan, who grew up in nearby Richmond, said working with young players in the local hockey community was especially meaningful.

Forward Jenn Gardiner said the sport is more accessible to young girls than it was for many current players. She said children beginning hockey now have regular exposure to women’s professional hockey rather than waiting for Olympic competition.

The PWHL has not yet released its 2026-27 schedule. Play will not resume until after the IIHF women’s world championship in Denmark ends Nov. 16. Vancouver finished sixth in its inaugural PWHL season and missed the playoffs, an outcome players said will motivate the group.

The league will expand with teams in Las Vegas, San Jose, Detroit and Hamilton. Vancouver retained most of its key players, including Sarah Nurse and goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer, but will have Cara Gardner Morey behind the bench after the club parted ways with head coach Brian Idalski. Gardner Morey also selected American defender Caroline “KK” Harvey first overall in June’s draft.