When the Vancouver Goldeneyes make their highly anticipated debut this Friday at a sold-out Pacific Coliseum, goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer will create a special family milestone, becoming the second member of her family to wear jersey number 38 while competing at the historic arena.
A Brother's Legacy
The 31-year-old netminder for the Professional Women's Hockey League expansion team is the younger sister of Bronson Maschmeyer, a former Vancouver Giants defenceman who wore the same digits during his Western Hockey League tenure at the Coliseum back in the 2008-09 season. Bronson continued playing at the venue for three additional seasons as a member of the Kamloops Blazers.
Emerance never had the opportunity to watch her older brother play live at the Coliseum during his junior career, as she was busy with her own minor hockey commitments in Bruderheim, Alberta. She followed his games through television broadcasts, making her upcoming appearance at the rink particularly meaningful.
Historic Homecoming
Friday's matchup between the Goldeneyes and their expansion cousins, the Seattle Torrent, marks the beginning of Year 3 for the PWHL. The Goldeneyes' website indicated no available tickets remained for the game as of Thursday morning, with the Pacific Coliseum capable of hosting 15,041 spectators.
The Goldeneyes become the first full-time hockey tenant for the venue since the Giants relocated to Langley Events Centre for the 2016-17 campaign. The Giants made a brief return to the Coliseum for two games during the 2018-19 season, including their popular Teddy Bear Toss event.
"It's a unique situation, an interesting tie with him," Maschmeyer commented about her brother Bronson, now 34, and their shared connection through the jersey number and arena. "This is where his junior career started. I'm excited to make him proud and live up to the standard of his name."
Family of Athletes and Personal Brand
Bronson concluded his professional career in Europe five years ago and currently resides in New Brunswick. Emerance comes from a highly athletic family, with three other siblings who also excelled in hockey. Brittaney, 36, and Brock, 33, both played in the NCAA and continued their careers in Europe, while Kache, 29, competed at the Under-18 level in Alberta.
As Emerance herself notes, she remains "the last one standing" when it comes to active competitive play. She's among six Goldeneyes players who recently represented Team Canada in the Rivalry Series against the United States. She has consistently worn number 38 throughout her career, including with the national team, during her two seasons with the Ottawa Charge, and throughout her time at Harvard University.
In a PWHL website Q&A last March, she revealed she chose the number because she admired how it looked when Bronson wore it. She provided additional insight, explaining: "I wanted a number that was — somewhat — symmetrical. I never liked No. 1, too, because my ponytail covered it almost entirely. I wanted to be seen."
This thoughtful approach characterizes much of Maschmeyer's public persona. She maintains an active and authentic presence on social media, particularly Instagram, where she shares content ranging from daily life to more serious topics. She is married to former national team goalie Geneviève Lacasse, 36, and the couple welcomed their son, Beckham, in September 2024.
"It's a platform to express who I am authentically, but also to relate to fans and hopefully inspire and start conversations," Maschmeyer said regarding her social media use. "I have some serious content but I like to show my personality as well."
Her growing profile recently led to a partnership with Oikos Yogurt. The company approached her, and as she was already a regular consumer of Greek yogurt, she considered the collaboration a "no-brainer."
"Now that we have the platform that we do, there's a lot more opportunity with brands," explained Maschmeyer, who holds a degree in sociology. "As female athletes, we're not necessarily making as much as the men's side. There's an opportunity now to utilize that (profile) and to monetize our brand as well. It's exciting and it's great when it's an organic fit. I have yogurt every day. I love it. It's something my son eats every morning. It's an exciting partnership."
League Expansion and Competitive Outlook
The addition of Vancouver and Seattle brings the PWHL to eight teams total. The league implemented expansion rules designed to make both new franchises immediately competitive. Original six teams could protect only three players initially, while the expansion clubs received an exclusive five-day signing period ahead of the expansion draft to secure deals with unprotected players or free agents.
Maschmeyer signed a two-year contract with Vancouver during that exclusive window. The Goldeneyes further strengthened their goaltending by acquiring netminder Kristen Campbell, 27, from the Toronto Sceptres in an off-season trade. Campbell earned the PWHL's goalie-of-the-year honors during the league's inaugural season.
Goldeneyes coach Brian Idalski remained strategic about his plans for dividing netminding duties this season, stating: "We have two goalies with a ton of experience in this league who can win us a hockey game on any given day."
