Vancouver Goldeneyes Defender Claire Thompson Announces Her Retirement

On Thursday, Oct. 1, Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) defender Claire Thompson of the Vancouver Goldeneyes announced her retirement from professional hockey via her personal Instagram account.

Thompson was selected third overall by the Minnesota Frost in the 2024 PWHL Draft and signed a two-year contract with the team. She spent the first year of her career in Minnesota, playing all 30 games in 2024-25 and scoring four goals and 14 assists. In the playoffs that season, she recorded six assists and helped the Frost win their second straight Walter Cup championship.

When the Vancouver Goldeneyes joined the league ahead of the 2025-26 season, she signed their first-ever contract. Thompson played in 28 games with the Goldeneyes, recording 17 points via four goals and 13 assists.

Thompson is also an accomplished international player, helping Team Canada win gold at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. She led all defenders in scoring, with 13 points via two goals and 11 assists, setting the Olympic record for points by a defender and was named to the Olympic All-Star Team. She also won the silver medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games last February.

Thompson has also participated in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournament several times. She helped Canada win the gold medal once and silver twice.

A decorated athlete, Thompson’s presence in the PWHL will be missed, but she is about to begin a new chapter in her career. She is set to begin medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon. When she spoke to The Athletic, she said, “A career in medicine has always been an overarching goal of mine, and I feel that now is the best time in my life to step away from hockey.”

Congratulations to Thompson on a successful hockey career and her future career in medicine.