ST. PAUL, MN (August 2, 2024) – PWHL Minnesota today announced that the team has signed defender Claire Thompson to a Standard Player Agreement through the 2025-26 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season.
Thompson was selected by Minnesota in the first round, third overall, at the 2024 PWHL Draft. The 26-year-old from Toronto is set to return to the ice for the first time since the 2022-23 season, where she played with Team Sonnet of the PWHPA, as well as with Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Thompson spent the 2023-24 pursuing her medical degree.
“I am thrilled to join the PWHL this upcoming season,” said Thompson. “It is an honor to sign with PWHL Minnesota, and I can’t wait to get started to continue to build upon their most impressive first season.”
The defender played collegiately at Princeton University from 2016-20, captaining the team in her senior year. At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Thompson helped Team Canada win a gold medal, where she broke the Olympic record for most points by a defender in a single tournament with 13 points (2G, 11A) in seven games—she was also named to the tournament all-star team. In addition to her Olympic gold medal, Thompson has won IIHF World Championship gold (2021) and silver (2023) with Team Canada.
Thompson is the third member of Minnesota’s 2024 draft class to sign with the team, joining Britta Curl and Klára Hymlárová. The trio joins thirteen players, all of whom were part of PWHL Minnesota’s 2024 Walter Cup championship team, including Playoff MVP Taylor Heise, PWHL Rookie of the Year Grace Zumwinkle, Captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, Alternate Captain Kelly Pannek, Michela Cava, Denisa Křížová, and Liz Schepers. Thompson will join a defense corps that features Lee Stecklein (Alternate Captain), Sophie Jaques, Maggie Flaherty, and Natalie Buchbinder. Goaltenders Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney are also set to return.
Per the Players Association, salary terms of contracts will not be disclosed.
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