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Ashton Bell was selected first overall by the Vancouver Goldeneyes in the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft and has been named the franchise's first captain. She signed a two-year extension and played a significant role in establishing the team's identity.
(Nancy Shields-THN)
When the Vancouver Goldeneyes selected defender Ashton Bell first-overall in the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft, they ultimately made a decision that would impact the trajectory of their locker room. Their first selection turned out to be none-other than their franchise’s first captain.
In the months that followed, Bell signed a two-year extension that will keep her in Vancouver for two seasons after this one, helped present the team’s inaugural-season jerseys, and played a key role in revealing the Goldeneyes identity as a whole at their name and logo reveal.
In some ways, the signs pointing towards Bell becoming the team’s first captain were always there. The team’s first pick. A multi-year extension signed early on. Public association with the franchise’s identity.
Those barely scratch the surface of what it means to be a captain.
There are intangibles on-and-off the ice that define the best leaders. Stepping up for the team when they need it most. Keeping things steady in the locker room. Taking care of their teammates. Bell may not be the most prominent presence on the scoresheet, but in her role, making sure things are settled on the back-end takes priority.
In Tuesday night’s high-stakes matchup, the Goldeneyes defeated the Seattle Torrent by a score of 4–1, extending Vancouver’s playoff hopes for another day. While Hannah Miller notched her 50th-career point in the PWHL and Maddy Samoskevich scored her first PWHL goal, it was Bell who coolly flew under the radar with a two-point effort that earned her third-star honours.
“Ashton’s a great leader. She’s everything that you ask for. She’s team-first. She’s very caring and nurturing to her other teammates, and she’s always doing what’s best for the group,” Goldeneyes Head Coach Brian Idalski said of the team’s captain on Tuesday night. “Obviously, going through the trials and tribulations of an expansion year, Ashton just continues to grow as a player and a person. I think this year has presented a lot of challenges, and I think she’s just grown a ton, because having to deal with some of these things and lead when things aren’t going great, just speaks to her character and what the future holds for her as a person.”
“Ashton shows up every day and is so consistent, both on and off the ice. We know exactly what we’re going to get from her,” Goldeneyes goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer said of her teammate on Tuesday. “She happened to get a couple assists tonight, but there’s no surprise there. She shows up every single day and definitely earns her points, but it’s about the stuff that’s not on the scoreboard that you don’t see. She’s a great leader and a great human being, and we’re just proud of her.”
Ashton Bell's leadership qualities are highlighted by her team-first mentality, early selection as the first overall pick, and her public association with the franchise's identity.
Ashton Bell signed a two-year extension that will keep her with the Vancouver Goldeneyes for two seasons after the current one.
Ashton Bell helped present the team's inaugural-season jerseys and was instrumental in revealing the Goldeneyes' identity during the name and logo reveal.
Ashton Bell was chosen first overall due to her potential impact on the team's locker room and her demonstrated leadership qualities.

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Those off-the-scoreboard factors include things like adding that extra bite to her game — something that came up impressively on Tuesday night. The defender made her physical presence known in Tuesday night’s effort, stepping up to the plate to fend off a big hit when needed.
Tuesday also marked the sixth game of the 2025–26 season in which Bell registered three or more blocked shots. The defender is now up to 46 total blocks on the season, a stat that ranks third throughout the entire PWHL and first on the Goldeneyes. Two of these games have seen Bell block five shots. While blocks aren’t always the best stat to record, as it indicates underlying issues within the defensive structure, the act itself still indicates a determination to try and a willingness to put oneself out there for their team. That team-first mentality is a trait she carries regardless of whether she’s on the ice or off it.
“It’s definitely been a learning year for me, lots of growth and just leaning on others, experienced veteran players, and our staff as well, just using them as an outlet and a source to ask questions, to kind of navigate what the best way to go about this, and taking in everyone’s opinions,” Bell said earlier this week regardin how she’s approached her first year as a captain in the PWHL. “I value everyone’s input. It’s been a learning year for me, and it’s been hard at times, but I’m just super grateful for the opportunity.”
If you look back at when Bell was first announced as Vancouver’s captain, Goldeneyes General Manager Cara Gardner Morey made a specific comment about the defender that once again hammers home those very qualities that have made her such a strong leader in Vancouver’s locker room.
“She was our first selection in the expansion draft, and her leadership abilities were a big reason for this. She is a professional, one that leads by example while taking care of her teammates.”
In a season full of changes, Bell remains a strong team-first leader. With playoffs on the line in the coming games, it'll be the strength of Bell and the rest of the team's leaders that help Vancouver maintain their momentum — wherever it ends up taking them.