Vancouver’s Women’s Professional Hockey League franchise recently announced the signing of their draft selections Nina Jobst-Smith, Brianna Brooks, and Madison Samoskevich. 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, serving as captain for the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the 2024-25 season, accumulated 18 points with three goals and 15 assists. She also received recognition as part of the All-WCHA Second Team.
Brooks, a 23-year-old native of Whitby, Ont., was the fourth-round pick (32nd overall) from Penn State. The forward achieved a career-best of 32 points while playing for the Nittany Lions and secured a spot on the All-CHA Second Team in the 2023-24 season.
Samoskevich, chosen in the fifth round (39th overall), amassed 84 points, including 19 goals and 65 assists, over 168 games at Quinnipiac University. The 22-year-old from Sandy Hook, Conn., transitioned from defense to forward in her final NCAA season.
Jobst-Smith inked a two-year deal, while Brooks and Samoskevich each signed one-year contracts. Vancouver and Seattle are set to become expansion teams in the PWHL for the upcoming 2025-26 season.