PWHL expansion signings: Seattle adds Barnes, Serdachny; Vancouver adds Nurse, Maschmeyer, Gardiner

Sport

PWHL expansion signings: Seattle adds Barnes, Serdachny; Vancouver adds Nurse, Maschmeyer, Gardiner

2025-06-06 06:29 Last Updated At：06:31

Hilary Knight has company in Seattle, with the new PWHL team adding two 2024 first-round draft picks — Ottawa Charge forward Danielle Serdachny and Montreal Victoire defenseman Cayla Barnes — on Thursday during the league’s expansion signing period.

The league announced Serdachny agreed to sign a two-year contract and Barnes reached a three-year deal to join Knight as the yet-to-be-named franchise’s first three players.

The other expansion team, Vancouver, continued stocking up on Canadian national team stars with the additions of Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse and Ottawa goalie Emerance Maschmeyer. Nurse agreed to sign for one year and Maschmeyer for two.

Vancouver reached its five-player signing limit by agreeing to a one-year contract with Montreal Victoire forward and rookie of the year finalist Jenn Gardiner, who grew up in the city's suburbs.

Vancouver opened the signing period on Wednesday by reaching agreements with defensemen Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, Canada teammates who played together for the Minnesota Frost.

Seattle has two of a five maximum slots open during the signing period, which ends Sunday. The expansion draft is Monday, after which Seattle and Vancouver will have 12-woman rosters. Each of the league's six existing teams will lose four players, before all eight teams take part in the PWHL draft on June 24.

After losing two players, the Charge added forward Gabbie Hughes to their protected list, which already included forward Emily Clark, goalie Gwyneth Philips and defenseman Ronja Savolainen. The Victoire have also lost two players, and added defenseman Erin Ambrose to their protected list of goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens and forwards Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey.

The New York Sirens, who finished last in both seasons, are the only team to not yet lose a player in the expansion process.

The 24-year-old Serdachny was the second pick in last year's draft, while Barnes went fifth overall.

The 26-year-old Barnes, from Southern California, led PWHL rookie defensemen with 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) last season. She is a two-time U.S. Olympian who won a gold medal in 2018 and silver in 2022. Barnes also won an NCAA title with Ohio State last year.

"She’s a dynamic defender who moves the puck well and consistently contributes offensively,” Seattle general manager Meghan Turner said. “Even as a rookie last season, she played with the poise and presence of a veteran, and we see her playing a key role on our blue line.”

Serdachny finished with two goals and six assists in 30 regular-season games. She had two assists to help the Charge reach the Walter Cup Finals, which they lost in four games to defending champion Minnesota.

Serdachny is from Edmonton, Alberta, and played collegiately at Colgate. She scored the 2024 world championships gold-medal clinching goal in Canada’s 6-5 overtime win over the United States.

“She’s strong, plays through contact, and she’s only beginning to tap into her full potential,” Turner said.

Nurse is a two-time Olympian and finished tied for second with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 24 games during the PWHL's inaugural season last year. This season, she had six goals and eight assists in 21 games while battling injuries.

From Burlington, Ontario, the 30-year-old Nurse led the high-scoring and gold-medal-winning Canadians with an Olympic women's tournament record 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) at the 2022 Beijing Games.

The following summer, she became the first woman to be included on the cover of EA Sports' NHL video game. Nurse, who is biracial and the cousin of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, has also advocated for inclusivity in hockey.

“Sarah is one of the sport’s biggest stars, both on and off the ice, and she will play a significant role in growing professional women’s hockey in Vancouver,” said Cara Gardner Morey, the expansion team's general manager. “Her outstanding on-ice abilities will help establish our foundation at forward, and her unwavering commitment to building an inclusive hockey community makes her a fan favorite everywhere she goes.”

Maschmeyer is from Edmonton, and joins Vancouver after two seasons as Ottawa’s starter. This year, she became the league’s first goalie to register 1,000 career saves. He season was cut short when she suffered a lower-body injury in March.

Philips took over as the Charge's starter through the playoffs, and that contributed to the team's decision to make Maschmeyer available in the expansion process.

In 2024, Maschmeyer led PWHL goalies in games played (23) and finished second in wins with a 9-9-4 record.

The 30-year-old has been mostly a backup while representing Canada. She won an Olympic gold medal in 2022 and has medaled in eight world championships.

The 23-year-old Gardiner was selected by Montreal with the 11th overall pick following her career at Ohio State, where she won an NCAA title in 2024. She finished this season second among PWHL rookies with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 30 games.

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.