Before they hit the ice for Team Canada, the future of women’s hockey debuts on the national stage at the National Women’s Under-18 Championship, playing for a gold medal and national bragging rights. Eight provincial and regional teams – Alberta, Atlantic, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario Blue, Ontario Red, Quebec and Saskatchewan – gather for the national championship for a five-games-in-five-days sprint to gold.

Since the tournament’s inception in 2001, it has often been a first step towards international gold; 14 players who helped Canada’s National Women’s Team win its fourth-consecutive gold medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games were alumnae of the U18 nationals. Two-time Olympic gold medallist Marie-Philip Poulin ranks as the all-time leading scorer in tournament history, racking up 30 points (12G 18A) over three appearances with Quebec.