Report: PWHL Vancouver signs Tereza Vanisova
The rich keep getting richer.
According to Ian Kennedy of The Hockey News, PWHL Vancouver has signed free-agent forward Tereza Vanisova.
The terms of the contract have yet to be announced.
There’s no question Vanisova was one of the bigger names heading into free agency, which opened up on Monday morning. Over the past season, it was hard to find a player who stood out and made a bigger difference on the Ottawa Charge than the Czech star.
Vanisova originally began her PWHL career with Montreal but was dealt to Ottawa prior to the trade deadline. While she wasn’t able to push the team into the playoffs in year one, her efforts in the league’s second season were more than enough.
The 29-year-old’s ability to rise to the occasion and score huge goals became a part of the Charge’s success in 2024-25. Her tenacity around the puck and in the offensive zone made her one of the toughest players to stop. Vanisova ended up leading Ottawa with 22 points in 30 games, tied for eighth in the league in points. Her 15 goals placed her tied for second with former Boston Fleet captain and current PWHL Seattle forward Hilary Knight.
Vanisova also led the league in penalty minutes with 38, as she has garnered a reputation as being one of the league’s more physical assets.
While she was snubbed from being a finalist for the Billie Jean King MVP Award, there was little doubt that Vanisova played at an MVP level this year, helping Ottawa make it to the playoffs for the first time, ultimately losing to the Minnesota Frost in the PWHL Final.
Across two seasons in the PWHL, the Strakonice native has appeared in 53 games, scoring 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points. Along with her professional career, which saw her win three Isobel Cups in the old Premier Hockey Federation, Vanisova has been a mainstay on the Czech National Team for over a decade, helping the country win a bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
Vanisova adds on to a deep roster in Vancouver. The expansion team utilized its exclusive signing period and draft to its advantage. General manager Cara Gardner Morey went out and signed big names like Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques, as well as Nurse and Emerance Maschmeyer, before drafting players like Ashton Bell and Abby Boreen last week.
Morey also signed former Toronto Sceptres forward Hannah Miller on Monday. Vanisova’s signing gives Vancouver 14 of a possible 23 players on its current roster.