Vancouver’s Women’s Professional Hockey League franchise has officially inked contracts with their draft selections Nina Jobst-Smith, Brianna Brooks, and Madison Samoskevich, as confirmed by the team 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, who captained the University of Minnesota-Duluth team in 2024-25, recorded 18 points, including three goals and 15 assists, earning recognition on the All-WCHA Second Team.
Brooks, a 23-year-old forward from Whitby, Ont., was the fourth-round selection (32nd overall) from Penn State. She achieved a career-best 32 points with the Nittany Lions and secured a spot on the All-CHA Second Team in the 2023-24 season. Samoskevich, picked in the fifth round (39th overall), amassed 84 points, comprising 19 goals and 65 assists, over 168 games while playing for Quinnipiac University. The 22-year-old athlete from Sandy Hook, Conn., transitioned from defense to forward in her final year of NCAA competition.
Jobst-Smith signed a two-year contract, whereas Brooks and Samoskevich agreed to one-year deals with the team. Vancouver, along with Seattle, is set to become new additions to the PWHL as expansion franchises for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
