Sarah Nurse appears to be heading to the West Coast.
The Toronto Sceptres forward will be signing with PWHL Vancouver, The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian reported on Wednesday.
Nurse, 30, recorded six goals and eight assists in 21 contests last season for Toronto. She potted 11 goals and added 12 helpers in 24 games during the 2023-24 season.
But the Hamilton, Ont., native has failed to replicate her production in the post-season, registering just two assists – one each year – in nine games.
Nurse becomes another player to reportedly join the PWHL’s newest Canadian franchise, joining Frost defenders Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson and Ottawa goalie Emerance Maschmeyer.
Ian Kennedy of The Hockey News was the first to report the signings of the Frost blue-liners and Maschmeyer.
The two-time Walter Cup champions left the 27-year-old Thompson exposed and Vancouver inked her to a one-year contract when the exclusive signing window opened to expansion teams on Wednesday.
“I’m incredibly excited to join PWHL Vancouver and be a part of this new chapter of women’s ice hockey,” Thompson said in a release. “The opportunity to help build something special from the ground up is truly meaningful. I can’t wait to connect with the fans and represent this city.”
Thompson, who hails from Toronto, had four goals and 14 assists in 30 games for Minnesota last season and is a finalist for the PWHL’s defender of the year honour.
She added another six helpers in eight playoff appearances as the Frost captured the league championship for a second straight year.
Thompson has ample international experience, helping Canada to gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The move to Vancouver will reunite the five-foot-eight blueliner with general manager Cara Gardner Morey, who was her coach at Princeton.
“Claire is one of the best defenders in the world and a phenomenal leader who will help create a culture of excellence in Vancouver,” Gardner Morey said in a release. “Having had the privilege of coaching Claire at Princeton, I know how exceptional she is as a player and as a person and couldn’t be prouder to build our foundation with her contributions both on and off the ice.”
Jacques, a Toronto native, played 25 games for the Frost, amassing seven goals and 22 points with 10 PIMs.
Kennedy further reported that the signings of the two Frost defenders triggered a fourth protected player for the Frost, which could be Britta Curl-Salemme.
Maschmeyer made 18 appearances last season for the Charge, posting a 2.58 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. In 2023-24, the now 30-year-old netminder boasted a 2.30 GAA and .915 save percentage.
The six franchises submitted their three-player protection lists on Tuesday as the PWHL Expansion Draft for Vancouver and Seattle takes place on June 9.
– With files from the Associated Press