Claire Thompson has retired from hockey after playing one season with the Vancouver Goldeneyes, saying she will pursue a medical career as an orthopedic surgeon.
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Claire Thompson, the first player to ever sign with the Vancouver Goldeneyes, has retired from hockey after one season with the club.
Thompson, 28, played 28 games for the Goldeneyes in their inaugural season, recording 17 points as a key defender. She made the transition after what the Goldeneyes described as one last Olympics in 2026 and said she is stepping away from the sport to pursue medicine.
“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,” Thompson said. “I have achieved far more than I could have ever hoped for, and I feel like I’m ready to step away and continue on the long road ahead of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.”
Thompson also previously produced for Team Canada, including leading all defenders in scoring at the 2022 Olympics.
Her retirement was marked with a social media message that included: “Hockey, [I love you] forever.” In the same post, she wrote, “24 seasons later, I’m officially retired.”
Goldeneyes and Team Canada teammates posted tributes online after the announcement. Among the messages were comments from Sarah Nurse, Jennifer Gardiner, Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Natalie Spooner that referred to Thompson by the nickname “doctor.”
With Thompson’s departure, Vancouver has added a new defender in Caroline “KK” Harvey, the team’s first-overall pick. The Goldeneyes signed Harvey to a three-year contract this week.
Harvey, a left-side defender, tied for the most points by a defender at the 2026 Olympics, where she won gold with Team USA. She was named both Best Defender and Most Valuable Player at the tournament.
The Goldeneyes’ blue line for the 2026-27 season also includes Sophie Jaques, who led the team in scoring last season with 9 goals and 20 points in 30 games. Captain Ashton Bell is also returning for 2026-27.
In addition, Vancouver signed veteran Czech defender Dominika Lásková to a one-year contract in June. The club also selected Jules Constantinople and Ashley Messier in the draft along with Harvey.
The Goldeneyes’ season opener is scheduled for Dec. 5 against the Seattle Torrent at the Pacific Coliseum.
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