Vancouver Goldeneyes defender Sophie Jaques is one of the three finalists for the 2026 PWHL Defender of the Year, the league announced Wednesday (May 20).
Jaques is a finalist alongside Boston Fleet defenders Megan Keller and Haley Winn.
The Toronto native scored 20 points in 30 games for the Goldeneyes, ranking second among defenders in the PWHL for most points in a single season for the second straight season and becoming the first defender in the PWHL to have “multiple 20-point campaigns,” noted a PWHL news release on Wednesday (May 20).
She also set a number of records this season, scoring nine goals on 110 shots on net.
“The 25-year-old became the first defender to reach the half-century mark for career points, is the only defender to ever lead a team in scoring during the regular season and finished with four multi-point performances to co-lead her position,” noted the release.
This is the second year that Jaques has been a finalist, but the previous award went to Toronto’s Renata Fast.
Boston’s Megan Keller was also a finalist and had a “career-best season” this year, including 22 points.
As for Winn, she had 19 points this season, which is the third-highest among PWHL defenders.
The winner will be announced at the PWHL awards in Detroit.
“A selection committee cast their votes for six regular-season PWHL awards, including Defender of the Year, along with the league’s First and Second All-Star Teams and an All-Rookie Team, between the conclusion of the regular season and the commencement of playoffs,” notes the release. The three players that receive the most votes have been named finalists.
The league announced Tuesday (May 19) that the finalists for the PWHL Forward of the Year award are Taylor Heise of the Minnesota Frost, Brianne Jenner of the Ottawa Charge, and Kelly Pannek of the Minnesota Frost.