Alison Izzi, in her new role as general manager of the Vancouver Goldeneyes, successfully secured a significant deal with American defender Caroline “KK” Harvey early on. This move marks just the beginning of Izzi’s strategic planning for the upcoming season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League team. She is focused on upcoming training camps and the highly anticipated home opener against Seattle, aiming to ensure a thrilling start for fans, players, and staff.
With a background in law and extensive experience in hockey operations, Izzi is embracing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Her journey in the hockey industry began with ticketing and events at the Providence Bruins, leading to a role as the vice-president of hockey operations/governance in the American Hockey League. Transitioning to the NHL’s legal department, she gained expertise in hockey operations and player safety before being approached by Jayna Hefford, the PWHL’s executive vice-president of hockey operations, for the GM position at the Goldeneyes.
One unique aspect of Izzi’s new role is that she will be collaborating with her predecessor, Cara Gardner Morey, who transitioned to become the team’s head coach after crafting the roster for the inaugural season. The Goldeneyes are focused on making strides in their second season following a close miss of the playoffs last spring. The team’s strong finish secured them the first overall pick in the PWHL draft, leading to the selection of Caroline Harvey, a standout player with impressive accomplishments in college hockey and the Olympics.
Despite losing star defender Claire Thompson, who chose to retire and pursue a career in medicine, the Goldeneyes have maintained the core of their roster. The team currently has 19 players under contract, including starting goalie Emerance Maschmeyer, who declined an invitation to Hockey Canada’s training camp for the upcoming women’s world championships. Izzi remains in discussions with Maschmeyer regarding her participation in the Goldeneyes’ training camp in mid-November, emphasizing the team’s commitment to moving forward with their preparations.