VANCOUVER (January 7, 2026) – Vancouver Goldeneyes rookie defender Nina Jobst-Smith has been named to Germany’s 2026 Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team. This will be Jobst-Smith’s Olympic debut, with the Milano Cortina 2026 Women's Ice Hockey Tournament scheduled for Feb. 5-19.
The 24-year-old German-Canadian from North Vancouver, BC was selected by Vancouver in the third round, 19th overall, in the 2025 PWHL Draft following her collegiate career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. She was activated from long-term injured reserve (LTIR) on Friday, Jan. 2, having sustained a lower-body injury prior to the start of the season.
Milano Cortina 2026 will mark Germany’s first appearance in the Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey tournament since 2014. Jobst-Smith played a key role in Germany’s Olympic qualification, assisting on both of Germany’s goals in a crucial 2-1 win over Hungary in the 2025 Final Olympic Qualification Group I tournament.
Jobst-Smith has played in five World Championships and was named a Top 3 Player on the Team for Germany in 2022 and 2025. At the 2025 tournament, she was one of just two German players to score more than one goal (2G) and has led the German team in ice time at five consecutive World Championship tournaments.
The Goldeneyes continue their 2025-26 season this Friday, Jan. 9 at 4:00 p.m. PT against the Ottawa Charge at TD Place in Ottawa. Vancouver plays once more at Pacific Coliseum prior to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, hosting the Toronto Sceptres for the first time on January 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available here.