Vancouver’s professional women’s hockey team recently announced the signing of their draft picks Nina Jobst-Smith, Brianna Brooks, and Madison Samoskevich. Jobst-Smith, a 24-year-old defender from North Vancouver, B.C., was chosen in the third round, 19th overall, during the 2025 PWHL Draft. She served as captain for the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the 2024-25 season, tallying 18 points with three goals and 15 assists, and earned All-WCHA Second Team recognition.
Brooks, a 23-year-old forward from Whitby, Ont., was selected in the fourth round as the 32nd overall pick from Penn State. She achieved a career-high 32 points while playing for the Nittany Lions and was honored with a spot on the All-CHA Second Team in the 2023-24 season.
Samoskevich, a 22-year-old from Sandy Hook, Conn., was chosen in the fifth round as the 39th overall pick. Throughout her 168 games at Quinnipiac University, she accumulated 84 points with 19 goals and 65 assists. Notably, she transitioned from defense to forward during her final NCAA season.
Jobst-Smith signed a two-year contract, while Brooks and Samoskevich inked one-year deals. These signings come ahead of Vancouver and Seattle’s entry into the PWHL as expansion teams for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
