Indigenous women design Player of the Game sticks
Four Ontario women got the call to design a unique keepsake for players at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship
It was May 2022 and Angela Jason found herself working at a corporate job in Thunder Bay. “I just kind of stopped having my heart in it,” Jason recalls. That’s when the Ojibwe woman from Sheshegwaning First Nation, who had been painting and creating art in her free time for years, began having serious thoughts about life outside of the corporate world. “It got to a point where I needed to ask myself … at what point am I kind of doing a disservice with my mental health by trying to hang on and at what point is the company not really benefiting from my time trying to hang on?” says Jason. Eventually, she decided to quit her job and become a full-time artist. “I put in my two-week notice and I’ve been doing art since. It’s tough. Of course, anything worth doing tends to be a little bit scary,” says Jason, who works in a range of mediums that includes acrylic painting, stained glass, digital artwork and mural work. Fast-forward nearly a year and the artist’s decision is paying off. Jason is one of four Indigenous women from Ontario chosen to design the Player of the Game sticks, which will be handed out over the course of 31 games at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Brampton. “It’s humbling,” says Jason, “It is acknowledging that my talent and skill is being recognized on such a stage, which is a huge honour.”
Cree Ojibwa artist Shawna Grapentine of Rainy River, Ont., Anishinaabe artist Cathie Jamieson and Shenoa Simon of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation were also selected to create Player of the Game stick designs.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” says Jamieson, who is from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation but lives on Manitoulin Island. “I wasn’t expecting to be selected because I have never entered into anything like this before.”
This is not the first time Player of the Game sticks have featured Indigenous designs at Hockey Canada-hosted events.
Alberta-based artist Jason Carter created designs on the sticks handed out at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton and four Indigenous artists from Atlantic Canada were called on to design the sticks at the 2023 World Juniors in Halifax and Moncton.
However, the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship will be the first time that all the participating artists, many of whom are self-taught, are women.
“This truly is an honour,” says Grapentine, who owns Moon & Back Custom Arts. “To be on such a worldwide scale with Hockey Canada and the IIHF Women’s World Championship, representing not just Indigenous women but women as a whole and as an artist, to have my piece seen and represented in that way, it truly means a lot to me.”
Symbolic designs inspired by women
Called “Free Spirit,” Grapentine’s design is of a woman’s face with multicoloured hair flowing across the blade. The colours represent different races, challenges, strengths and weaknesses of the female experience.
“When I sat down to design the piece that was chosen, it was thinking about the shape of the stick, the blade, and what it represents to be a female in sports and just thinking about women and their walks of life,” says Grapentine. “From race to being a mom to being a business owner, all these different hats and journeys that so many women experience.”
Inspired by the movement that hockey players make, Jamieson opted for a large eagle at the end of the blade facing towards the shaft of the stick.
“It's highly regarded for being a messenger, but also because of its strengths and qualities of speed, agility, sight, you know, swift, meticulous, moves in action,” says Jamieson, who works with a variety of mediums that includes acrylics. “These women in this championship, they're just as swift and meticulous and as elegant as these birds, these eagles, our messengers.”
In front of the eagle is a series of colourful circles and a floral arrangement, which represents the life cycle.
“Those colour nodes reflect … those stages of life, those life cycles when you're growing from a baby, a youth an adult to an elder and that you'll have your family always around you and with you,” says Jamieson. “I took that concept is our women are carriers of messages.”
Meanwhile, Simon’s design features a snapping turtle surrounded by water.
“I want other individuals to be inspired and curious when they see my art, and to create their path in the world that will lead them to achieve great things and to do the same for others,” says the 21-year-old.
Jason also opted for a woman in her design, creating a stylized profile of an Indigenous woman’s face at the base of the blade looking upwards.
“With Hockey Canada and it being a kind of a celebration of the women that make up these teams, I did want to feature a profile of a woman, not so much with detailed features that you can look at and go ‘Oh that’s so and so’ but more something that anyone can kind of see in themselves,” explains Jason.
Above the woman’s face and running up the shaft of the stick are the provincial and territorial flowers of Canada in a stylized Ojibwe floral pattern.
“This tournament has players from all over the world but just with it being held in Canada, I wanted to kind of focus on that side,” says Jason. “The reason why I chose flowers is just their versatility, it's not just their physical beauty, but also their resilience."
The position of the woman’s face is symbolic because it represents the idea of women being the foundation of a community, according to Jason.
“Whether that community is kind of on the larger scale, like something with Hockey Canada or something smaller,” she says. “Whether it's your hometown or if your community is your group of friends or just even at home, women do have a very, very strong foundational role in those communities.”
Road to the 2025 Esso Cup: North York Storm
The Ontario champions took home silver a year ago, but they are back with their sights on gold in Lloydminster
The North York Storm went home with silver at the 2024 Esso Cup. Now they’re back hungry for gold.
The Ontario Region champions have been a top team in the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) for several years—the Storm narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2023 Esso Cup, losing in the gold medal game at the OWHA provincial championship to the eventual national champions, the Stoney Creek Sabres.
Last year in their Esso Cup debut, the Storm sat fourth after the preliminary round (2-3) but defeated the Edmonton Jr. Oilers 4-1 to advance to the gold medal game. North York had edged the Regina Rebels 7-6 in overtime during the prelims, but the Rebels came away with a 2-1 win to claim Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship.
This season, the Storm went19-1-2 during the regular season to finish first in the OWHL Southern standings. The momentum from the league playoffs carried into the provincial tournament, where for the second year in a row, the Storm allowed only four goals to punch their ticket back to the Esso Cup.
North York has a wealth of experience, with 16 players returning from Vernon. It will look to continue a run of success by Ontario teams; the region has put a team in the gold medal game in three consecutive years and has not finished lower than fourth place in the 14 editions of the tournament.
HOW THEY GOT TO LLOYDMINSTER
Ontario Women’s Hockey Association Playdowns: 2-0-0 – 2nd place in Region Q (defeated Toronto Aeros 2-0; defeated Scarborough Sharks 3-0) Preliminary round: 2-0-1 – 1st place in Group A (tied North Halton Twisters 1-1; defeated Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 5-2; defeated Central York Panthers 2-0) Quarterfinal: defeated Clarington Flames 2-0 Semifinal: defeated Peterborough Ice Kats 1-0 Final: defeated Stratford Aces 2-1
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-T): 19-1-2 (1st in OWHL Southern) Goals for: 86 (2nd in OWHL Southern) Goals against: 16 (1st in OWHL Southern) Longest winning streak: 9 (Oct. 5-Dec. 15)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 8-0-2 Goals for: 34 Goals against: 7
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2024 – North York Storm | silver medal | 3-4 | 23GF 21GA
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Chevaliers de Lévis
Simply dominant from start to finish, the Quebec Region champions hope to cap a historic season with a national title
Let’s start with the obvious. The Chevaliers de Lévis are good. Very, very good.
The Ligue de hockey M18 AAA du Québec (LHM18AAAQ) has sent a team to the gold medal game at the TELUS Cup in nine of the last 11 tournaments. It’s home to the last two national champions – the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François in 2023 and Cantonniers de Magog in 2024 – and La Belle Province has produced 14 national titles, second most of any province behind only Saskatchewan (15).
But the Chevaliers did something this season that no team in LHM18AAAQ history has ever done. It went through the regular season without a defeat in regulation time – 38 wins, an overtime loss and three shootout defeats.
Lévis didn’t suffer a 60-minute setback until Game 3 of its second-round series against the Blizzard, and that was its lone postseason loss, meaning the Chevaliers will bring a combined record of 49-1-4 to Chilliwack for their second appearance at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship.
The offence was terrific – the Chevaliers’ 195 goals ranked second in the LHM18AAAQ – but the defence was historic. Lévis allowed just 67 goals in 42 games, the fewest in a season in league history, bettering the mark of 71 set by the 2018-19 Chevaliers.
Antoine Proulx – who won gold with Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge – and Ryan Gagné were lights out between the pipes; the duo tied for the LHM18AAAQ lead with 19 wins each, and were one-two in goals-against average (1.49 and 1.53, respectively) and save percentage (.939 and .940, respectively).
For all the success Quebec teams have had at the TELUS Cup, it has never produced three-consecutive national champions. In fact, no province has three-peated since Saskatchewan (Saskatoon Contacts once, Prince Albert Mintos twice) from 2005-07.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
Ligue de hockey M18 AAA du Québec Division semifinal: defeated Albatros du Collège Notre-Dame 2-0 (4-2, 6-3) Division final: defeated Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François 3-1 (6-3, 3-0, 1-5, 7-3) Semifinal: defeated Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-0 (6-1, 5-1, 5-0) Final: defeated Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal 3-0 (4-3, 3-2, 5-3)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 38-0-4 (1st in LHM18AAAQ) Goals for: 195 (2nd in LHM18AAAQ) Goals against: 67 (1st in LHM18AAAQ) Longest winning streak: 14 (Sept. 6-Oct. 23) Top 3 scorers: - Charles-Antoine Dubé – 27G 29A 56P (6th in LHM18AAAQ) - Charles-Albert Pouliot – 21G 31A 52P (12th in LHM18AAAQ) - Alex Desruisseaux – 20G 26A 46P (20th in LHM18AAAQ)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 11-1 Goals for: 55 Goals against: 26 Top 3 scorers: - Samuel Thibault – 9G 7A 16P - Alex Desruisseaux – 5G 10A 15P - Charles-Antoine Dubé – 7G 7A 14P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2005 – Commandeurs de Lévis | bronze medal | 4-2-1 | 24GF 20GA
QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Antoine Proulx – Titan d’Acadie-Bathurst 2024 (2nd round, 23rd overall) Brandon Delarosbil – Phoenix de Sherbrooke 2024 (2nd round, 31st overall) Josh Demers – Foreurs de Val-d’Or 2024 (3rd round, 51st overall) Jacob Boucher – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (3rd round, 55th overall) Elliot Lacroix – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (4th round, 59th overall) Ludovic Paradis – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (4th round, 73rd overall) Charles-Albert Pouliot – Charlottetown Islanders 2024 (5th round, 78th overall) Charles-Antoine Dubé – Remparts de Québec 2024 (6th round, 94th overall) Malyk Côté – Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand 2024 (7th round, 117th overall) Cohen Paquet – Tigres de Victoriaville 2024 (7th round, 124th overall) Ryan Gagné – Olympiques de Gatineau 2024 (8th round, 133rd overall) Felix Grenier – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2024 (8th round, 144th overall) Émerik Paris – Voltigeurs de Drummondville 2023 (10th round, 168th overall)
Road to the 2025 Esso Cup: Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière
The Quebec Region champions are ready to make another Esso Cup appearance after just missing out in 2024
The Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière were one game away from representing Quebec at consecutive Esso Cups in 2024.
A 4-3 overtime win over the Intrépide de l’Outaouais sent the Étoiles to the Esso Cup in 2023—their second appearance at Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship. The Intrépide bounced back and shut out the Étoiles 2-0 in the 2024 Coupe Chevrolet provincial championship .
The Étoiles and Intrépide were top two in the Ligue de hockey d'excellence du Québec (LHEQ) again this season, with Outaouais edging Laurentides-Lanaudière by three points to top the standings. However, the Étoiles scored more goals (125) and allowed fewer (37), collecting a 23-5-0 record.
To return to the Esso Cup this year, the Étoiles would need to get past their provincial rivals; they defeated the Intrépide in the preliminary round and semifinals to book their spot in the provincial final. With the Coupe Chevrolet’s consolation-style bracket, the Intrépide downed the Stars 55 de Mauricie-CDQ to join the Étoiles in the final, where Laurentides-Lanaudière scored a 4-3 win to earn a spot at the 2025 Esso Cup.
Elli Allard helped to lead the Étoiles back to the national stage; the 16-year-old was second in LHEQ scoring with 18 goals and 47 points before adding three goals and 12 points in the playoffs.
HOW THEY GOT TO LLOYDMINSTER
Coupe Chevrolet Preliminary round: defeated Intrépide de l’Outaouais 4-2, defeated Amazones de Laval-Montréal 4-1 Quarterfinal: defeated Stars 55 de Mauricie-CDQ 4-0 Semifinal: defeated Intrépide de l’Outaouais 3-2 Final: defeated Intrépide de l’Outaouais 4-3
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 23-5-0 (2nd in LHEQ) Goals for: 125 (1st in LHEQ) Goals against: 37 (1st in LHEQ) Longest winning streak: 8 (Nov. 9-Jan. 11)
Top 3 scorers: - Elli Allard – 18G 29A 47P (2nd in LHEQ) - Maika Gauthier – 25G 18A 43P (3rd in LHEQ) - Abigaël Blais – 12G 17A 29P (6th in LHEQ)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 5-0 Goals for: 19 Goals against: 8
Top 3 scorers: - Elli Allard – 3G 9A 12P - Maika Gauthier – 6G 1A 7P - Abigaël Blais – 2G 3A 5P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2018 – Pionnières de Lanaudière | bronze medal | 2-3 | 11GF 17GA 2023 – Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière | fifth place | 2-3 | 8GF 9GA
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Moncton Flyers
After a stunning national title three years ago, the Atlantic Region champions are back in search of an encore
The 2025 edition of the Moncton Flyers sure has a tough act to follow.
In 2022, as hockey came out of the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to some semblance of normal, the Flyers earned one of the most unlikely national championships ever, going undefeated to win just the second TELUS Cup by an Atlantic Region team.
The seven wins Moncton earned in Okotoks, Alberta, were almost exactly half of their combined total from their first eight appearances at Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship (15).
Now comes the return engagement, again in Western Canada.
Moncton outlasted a balanced field at the Atlantic Regional, edging the host – and defending champion – Kensington Wild in the final. The regional run came after an 8-2 playoffs in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Major U18 Hockey League (NBPEIMU18HL) and a 26-8-3 finish in the regular season, good for second in the NBPEIMU18HL.
In all, the Flyers haven’t lost a game by more than one goal since Feb. 18.
Moncton spread around the scoring – captain Nathan Weber topped the scoring chart during the regular season (19-33—52), Jaxon Somers paced the offence in the NBPEIMU18HL playoffs (9-5—14) and Marc MacPhee did the honours at the Atlantic Regional (3-6—9).
The defence wasn’t too bad, either – goaltenders Simon Cormier (2.67) and Luca Leger-Andrade (2.68) posted the top two goals-against averages in the regular season, and Cormier had a 2.11 mark in the playoffs.
With their trip to Chilliwack, the Flyers become one of just seven teams to reach double digits in TELUS Cup appearances (the Regina Pat Canadians will also make their 10th this year), and their 10 trips get them within one of St. John’s for the most by an Atlantic team.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major U18 Hockey League N.B. semifinal: defeated Saint John Vitos 4-1 (5-2, 5-0, 2-3, 5-2, 3-2) N.B. final: defeated Fredericton Caps 4-1 (2-3, 5-1, 4-3 OT, 3-2, 4-3)
Atlantic Regional Preliminary round: 1st place (3-1) – defeated Charlottetown Knights 6-3, lost to Halifax Macs 3-2 SO, defeated East Coast Blizzard 10-1, defeated Kensington Wild 6-1 Final: defeated Kensington Wild 5-3
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 26-8-0 (2nd in NBPEIMU18HL) Goals for: 167 (1st in NBPEIMU18HL) Goals against: 101 (1st in NBPEIMU18HL) Longest winning streak: 9 (Nov. 9-Jan. 4) Top 3 scorers: - Nathan Weber – 19G 33A 52P (4th in NBPEIMU18HL) - Jacob Pineau – 19G 30A 49P (5th in NBPEIMU18HL) - Jaxon Somers – 17G 25A 42P (11th in NBPEIMU18HL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 12-3 Goals for: 67 Goals against: 32 Top 3 scorers: - Jaxon Somers – 13G 8A 21P - Nathan Weber – 6G 15A 21P - Marc MacPhee – 7G 12A 19P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
1977 – Moncton Flyers | fourth place | 4-2-1 | 24GF 19GA 1978 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 4-2-0 | 19GF 13GA 1979 – Moncton Flyers | ninth place | 1-3-1 | 15GF 21GA 1980 – Moncton Flyers | eighth place | 2-3-0 | 17GF 20GA 1986 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-4-0 | 24GF 34GA 2009 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-4-0 | 15GF 32GA 2012 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-3-1 | 17GF 22GA 2018 – Moncton Flyers | fifth place | 1-4-0 | 8GF 17GA 2022 – Moncton Flyers | gold medal | 7-0-0 | 42GF 26GA
QMJHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Jacob Pineau – Cape Breton Eagles 2024 (6th round, 100th overall) Simon Cormier – Moncton Wildcats 2023 (8th round, 141st overall) Jaxon Somers – Olympiques de Gatineau 2024 (9th round, 151st overall) Liam Daigle – Olympiques de Gatineau 2024 (10th round, 170th overall) Luc Morais – Moncton Wildcats 2023 (10th round, 178th overall) Nathan Weber – Charlottetown Islanders 2023 (11th round, 189th overall) Malik Bourque-Vigneault –Océanic de Rimouski 2024 (14th round, 247th overall)
Road to the 2025 Esso Cup: Eastern Stars
The Atlantic champions dominated this season and are ready to represent the East Coast at the Esso Cup for the first time
After eight years, Prince Edward Island will have a team represented at the Esso Cup and the Eastern Stars are ready to make the most of playing on a national stage.
The Stars come to Lloydminster on a hot streak that has lasted for five months—they have not lost a game since Nov. 10. They won the remaining 18 games in the Maritime Major Female Hockey League (MMFHL) regular season and went undefeated in the playoffs, sweeping their provincial rivals, the Western Wolves, to reach the Atlantic Regional .
Eastern carried its momentum into the regional tournament in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, going unbeaten in four preliminary-round games and setting up a battle against the host Northern Selects for a spot at the Esso Cup. After falling 5-2 in the regional final a year ago, the Stars got their revenge by defeating the Selects 3-1 to claim a spot at Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship.
Emily Gardiner has led the Stars’ offence this season with 26 goals and 51 points in 32 regular-season games. In the playoffs, rookie Avery MacPhee took the spotlight, leading the way with five goals and two helpers. In addition, defender Taylor Hunter represented Team Atlantic earlier this season at the 2024 U18 Women’s National Championship in Quispamsis, New Brunswick.
The Stars are thethird team to represent Prince Edward Island at the Esso Cup, following the Mid-Isle Wildcats (2017) and Kings County Kings (2011). They’re also in search of the first-ever medal for an Atlantic team; just three times in the first 14 editions of the tournament has an East Coast team reached the semifinals, and all three fell short in the bronze medal game.
HOW THEY GOT TO LLOYDMINSTER
Maritime Major Female Hockey League Prince Edward Island final: defeated Western Wolves 4-0 (2-1, 1-0, 3-2, 2-1)
Atlantic Regional Preliminary round: 4-0 – 1st place (defeated Halifax Capitals 2-1, defeated Northern Selects 2-1, defeated Moncton Rockets 3-0, defeated Eastern Ice Breakers 6-0) Final: defeated Northern Selects 3-1
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-T): 27-5-0 (1st in MMFHL) Goals for: 127 (2nd in MMFHL) Goals against: 52 (1st in MMFHL) Longest winning streak: 18 (Nov. 16-Feb. 11)
Top 3 scorers: - Emily Gardiner – 26G 25A 51P (3rd in MMFHL) - Ellie Mullins – 19G 17A 36P (9th in MMFHL) - Emily Lutley – 12G 22A 34P (11th in MMFHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 9-0 Goals for: 24 Goals against: 7
Top 3 scorers: - Avery MacPhee – 5G 2A 7P - Emily Lutley – 2G 5A 7P - Cadence Player – 3G 3A 6P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS
Emily Gardiner - Dalhousie University Taylor Hunter - Mount Allison University Olivia Lowe - Holland College Kali MacDonald - University of Prince Edward Island
Road to the 2025 TELUS Cup: Fraser Valley Thunderbirds
After six weeks on the sidelines, the hosts are ready to resume their quest for a home-ice national title
The long wait is almost over for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.
A season of anticipation is into its final days as the Thunderbirds prepare to welcome the country’s best to the Fraser Valley for the 2025 edition of the TELUS Cup.
When the puck finally drops on Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship on April 21 – Fraser Valley opens against the West Region champions, the Regina Pat Canadians – it’ll end a 44-day layoff for the hosts, who haven’t seen the ice since they were swept from the first round of the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) playoffs by the Vancouver NW Hawks on March 8.
The Thunderbirds ran hot and cold during the regular season, never winning more than three in a row while never dropping more than four straight. They finished with an 18-16-1-1 (W-L-OTL-T) record, good for fifth in the eight-team BCEHL, with goals for (151) and goals against (163) totals that placed them fourth and seventh, respectively.
Cole Brown was the offensive star for Fraser Valley, pacing the BCEHL with 65 points (24-41—65) – meaning he was involved in 43.1% of the goals the Thunderbirds scored during the regular season. But it was a balanced offence behind Brown, with five players – Marco De Pedrina, Manwinder Sandhu, Simon Ward, Parker MacDougall (who left the team midseason to join the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels) and Noah Lawless – all finishing with 40+ points.
The Thunderbirds are looking to end a very long drought for host teams; not since the Calgary Northstars in 1991 has the hometown side been the last team standing, and only six in the 31 tournaments since then (most recently the Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe in 2023) have reached the gold medal game.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
B.C. Elite Hockey League Quarterfinal: lost to Vancouver NW Hawks 2-0 (2-4, 2-6)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL-T): 18-6-1-1 (5th in BCEHL) Goals for: 151 (4th in BCEHL) Goals against: 163 (7th in BCEHL) Longest winning streak: 3 (Oct. 13-27) Top 3 scorers: - Cole Brown – 24G 41A 65P (1st in BCEHL) - Marco De Pedrina – 19G 28A 47P (12th in BCEHL) - Manwinder Sandhu – 10G 36A 46P (14th in BCEHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 0-2 Goals for: 4 Goals against: 10 Top 3 scorers: - Noah Lawless – 1G 2A 3P - Jeremy Kraft – 2G 0A 2P - Manwinder Sandhu – 0G 2A 2P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
WHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Koltin Herfst – Victoria Royals 2024 (2nd round, 37th overall) Riley Charlton – Vancouver Giants 2024 (5th round, 94th overall) Lucas Wiercioch – Everett Silvertips 2024 (6th round, 125th overall) Simon Ward – Vancouver Giants 2022 (9th round, 180th overall)
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Czechia
Monday, April 14 | 1 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (APRIL 14)
After a loss against the United States yesterday, Canada’s National Women's Team returns to the ice on Monday to face host Czechia in the final game of the preliminary round at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
Last Game
Always the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, Canada dropped a 2-1 decision to the United States for its first loss of the tournament. The Americans held a 2-0 lead after two periods before Laura Stacey scored on a breakaway to cut the lead in half. Ann-Renée Desbiens made 26 saves in goal.
The Czechs dropped their second game in Group A on Saturday, losing 4-2 to Finland. Tereza Vanisova gave Czechia a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes, but Finland responded with four unanswered goals before Kristyna Kaltounkova scored with just over two minutes remaining. Klara Peslarova made 24 saves.
Last Meeting
Canada and Czechia last met in the 2024 Women’s Worlds semifinals, with the Canadians blanking the Czechs 4-0 on their way to a 13th gold medal. Blayre Turnbull kicked off the scoring 4:32 into the game, with Jocelyne Larocque giving Canada a 2-0 lead after the first period. Emily Clark and Sarah Fillier rounded out the scoring, while Ann-Renée Desbiens made nine saves for the shutout.
What to Watch
Line chemistry in short international tournaments is important, and the Canadians have the benefit of utilizing the Montréal Victoire’s top line on an international stage. Jenn Gardiner, Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey are the top three scorers for the first-place Victoire, combining for31 goals and 59 points. In three games in Ceske Budejovice, all three are top-10 in scoring and have combined for five goals and 14 points with a combined +17. Poulin has a goal and five assists, putting her atop the tournament scoring list and within shouting distance of a trio of all-time scoring records (more on that below).
The Czechs have some young talent emerging this season. Natalie Mlynkova—Chloe Primerano’s teammate at the University of Minnesota—notched 16 goals and 34 points in her fifth NCAA season, while 18-year-old Adela Sapovalivova recorded 15 goals and 36 points with MoDo in the Swedish women’s league. Kristyna Kaltounkova is making her debut on the senior team after becoming the first Czech player to be named a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award and leads the Czechs in the tournament with two goals.
Milestone Watch
Poulin has a few major marks in her sights. She needs five more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and three more assists and four more points to take over from Hayley Wickenheiser atop those categories.
In goal, Desbiens is even with Swiss netminder Florence Schelling for the most in Women’s Worlds history (21).
And keep an eye on a few more games-played milestones on the blue line; Erin Ambrose is set to reach 100 appearances in her Team Canada career when she takes the ice today, while Jocelyne Larocque is four shy of becoming the first defender to reach 200 games.
A Look Back
These two teams have a relatively new history at the IIHF Women’s World Championship. They have only met three times— once in Brampton in 2023 and twice at last year’s championship.
All-time record: Canada leads 3-0-0 Canada goals: 14 Czechia goals: 1
Road to the 2025 Esso Cup: Lloydminster Steelers
The anticipation has been building all season, and the hosts are ready to welcome the best U18 club teams in Canada to the Border City
The Lloydminster Steelers have been counting down to the 2025 Esso Cup all season, and now the hosts are ready to use home ice to their advantage.
The Steelers finished in the top half of the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL), ending the regular season with a 17-10-1 record.
Strong defence and goaltending have been crucial for the Steelers. Lloydminster allowed only 48 goals, the second-best goals-against mark in the AFHL behind the juggernaut Edmonton Jr. Oilers. In net, the Steelers have a dynamic duo in Grace Deveau and rookie Harlee Houle. Deveau sported a 1.13 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage, while Houle registered a 1.87 goals-against average and .926 save percentage during the regular season.
This will be Lloydminster’s first appearance at Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship, but the hosts are already familiar with one opponent: the Jr. Oilers. Edmonton lost just one AFHL game this season, and it came at the hands of the Steelers—a 2-1 overtime decision on Jan. 26.
Historically, the Esso Cup hosts have never won the tournament, but the Steelers are hoping to change that. Two host teams have previously reached the gold medal game—the Red Deer Chiefs (2015) and Sudbury Lady Wolves (2019).
HOW THEY GOT TO LLOYDMINSTER
Alberta Female Hockey League Quarterfinal: lost to Calgary Fire Red 2-0 (2-3, 1-2)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-L-OTL): 17-10-1 (4th in AFHL) Goals for: 61 (4th in AFHL) Goals against: 48 (2nd in AFHL) Longest winning streak: 5 (Nov. 22-Dec. 20)
Top 3 scorers: - Raevyn Neahr – 10G 11A 21P (12th in AFHL) - Skylar Heinrichs – 10G 10A 20P (15th in AFHL) - Taryn Leighton – 6G 8A 14P (36th in AFHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 0-2 Goals for: 3 Goals against: 5
Top 3 scorers: - Ashlyn Hinton – 2G 0A 2P - Sydney Klebanosky – 0G 2A 2P - Raevyn Neahr – 0G 2A 2P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS
Grace Deveau – Trinity Western University Skylar Heinrichs - Mount Royal University Ashlyn Hinton – Lakeland College Kennedy McQuade - St. Thomas University Ryann Rekimowich – Lakeland College Natalie Tychkowsky – Red Deer Polytechnic
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. United States
Sunday, April 13 | 1 p.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. UNITED STATES (APRIL 13)
Always the marquee matchup of the preliminary round, Canada’s National Women's Team is back in action Sunday at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship to take on the United States in a first-place showdown in Group A.
Last Game
Canada made it two wins – and two shutouts – in as many games with a 4-0 blanking of Switzerland on Friday. Marie-Philip Poulin had three assists, Micah Zandee-Hart scored her first Team Canada goal in her 69th international game and the Canadians got three goals in 2:32 midway through the second period – from Natalie Spooner, Laura Stacey and Daryl Watts (also her first international marker) – to pull away. Ann-Renée Desbiens’ return from injury was a success as she turned aside all 17 shots she faced for the shutout.
The Americans also improved to 2-0 on Friday, shutting out host Czechia by a 4-0 score. Abbey Murphy scored in each of the first two periods before veterans Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter added insurance in the third for the U.S., which outshot the Czechs 48-10. Megan Keller added three assists in the win, while Gwyneth Philips recorded the shutout.
Last Meeting
The forever rivals closed out the Rivalry Series in Summerside, P.E.I., on Feb. 8, with the Canadians claiming the series for the third year in a row thanks to a 3-1 victory in the deciding Game 5. Jenn Gardiner netted her first international goal as the game-winner with less than seven minutes to go for the Canadians, who also got goals from Brianne Jenner and Stacey.
What to Watch
While young guns like Gardiner, Watts and Chloe Primerano have been making their presences felt through the first two games, the Canadians continue to go as Poulin goes. As the captain approaches 200 career games (she’s three away from becoming just the fourth player to reach the milestone), she shows no signs of slowing down. Poulin has a goal and four assists through the first two games, putting her atop the tournament scoring list and within shouting distance of a trio of all-time scoring records (more on that below). The 34-year-old has found tremendous chemistry with Victoire de Montréal teammates Gardiner and Stacey; they have combined for four goals and 11 points in two games and are a combined +14.
The Americans have gone with a scoring-by-committee approach in their first two games, getting at least three points from five different players (Carpenter, Keller, Knight, Murphy, Pannek). Knight continues to play at a high level in her 15th Women’s Worlds; the U.S. captain is already the all-time leader in goals (67) and points (114) in tournament history, and she’s two back of the assists record (she’s at 47), although teammate Kendall Coyne Schofield also sits at 47 and Poulin is up to 46, so any or all of the three should likely pass the legendary Hayley Wickenheiser and her 49 assists before the end of the gold medal is awarded in Ceske Budejovice.
Milestone Watch
As mentioned above, Poulin has a few major marks in her sights. She needs five more goals to surpass Jayna Hefford as Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, and four more assists and five more points to take over from Wickenheiser atop those categories.
In goal, Desbiens’ win brought her even with Swiss netminder Florence Schelling for the most in Women’s Worlds history (21). While the starter against the U.S. won’t be known until closer to puck drop, Desbiens is 19-8 with a 2.28 GAA and .908 save percentage all-time against the Americans.
And keep an eye on a few more games-played milestones on the blue line; Erin Ambrose is two appearances away from 100 in her Team Canada career, while Jocelyne Larocque is five shy of becoming the first defender to reach 200 games.
A Look Back
It’s Chapter 191 in the story of Canada vs. United States, with the Canadians in search of win No. 109 in the rivalry.
This is the first-ever meeting in Czechia, making it the 11th different country to have hosted the North American rivals (in order of countries played in: Canada, Finland, United States, Japan, Sweden, Italy, China, Russia, South Korea, Denmark and Czechia).
All-time record: Canada leads 108-81-1 (25-21 in OT/SO) Canada goals: 529 United States goals: 465
Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Switzerland
Friday, April 11 | 9 a.m. ET | Ceske Budejovice, Czechia | Preliminary Round
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (APRIL 11)
Less than 18 hours after Canada’s National Women's Team opened with a win at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, the team is back on the ice to face Switzerland as the preliminary round continues at Budvar Arena.
Last Game
Canada got off to a strong start with a 5-0 shutout of Finland on Thursday. Jennifer Gardiner led the Canadians with two goals and an assist in her first Women’s Worlds game. Ella Shelton, Marie-Philip Poulin and Emma Maltais also scored and Kristen Campbell made 24 saves to record the shutout in her tournament debut.
Switzerland opened Wednesday with a 3-0 loss to the host Czechs. The Swiss threw 26 shots on Klara Peslarova and had six power-play opportunities, but were unable to convert. Andrea Brändli made 26 saves.
Last Meeting
The Canadians faced Switzerland in the preliminary round at last year’s Women’s Worlds, earning a 3-0 shutout win. Emma Maltais got Canada on the board 70 seconds into the game and Sarah Nurse doubled the lead just over six minutes later. Sarah Fillier added an empty-netter, while Emerance Maschmeyer made 17 saves for the shutout.
What to Watch
When Maschmeyer and Ann-Renée Desbiens both sustained lower-body injuries in March, it provided a chance for Campbell and Ève Gascon to shine on the international stage. In 19 games with the Toronto Sceptres this season, Campbell has a 2.23 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. Gascon just finished her sophomore year at University of Minnesota Duluth, posting a 1.83 GAA and.942 save percentage while earning First Team All-American honours.
Switzerland’s offence is powered by three-time Olympians Lara Stalder and Alina Müller. Stalder, the Swiss captain, has 27 goals and 50 points in 22 games with EV Zug in the Women’s League, while Müller is in her second PWHL season, registering seven goals and 19 points with the Boston Fleet. Brändli had a strong performance at last year’s Women’s Worlds in Utica, facing 173 shots in five games and recording a .921 save percentage.
Milestone Watch
Jenner is just one goal away from 50 for her Team Canada career, which would make her the 14th player to reach that mark. Stacey is three points from 50 in her career. Marie-Philip Poulin has the potential to break several Canadian records at this Women’s Worlds: the captain is within striking distance of the records for career goals (needs five), assists (needs seven) and points (needs eight) by a Canadian at the tournament. She’s also four games from 200 in her Team Canada career, while stalwart defender Jocelyne Larocque needs six appearances to become the first blue-liner to get to 200.
A Look Back
Surprisingly, Canada and Switzerland have only faced off 20 times since 1997, but they have been frequent foes at the last four Women’s Worlds.
They last faced off in Europe in the semifinals of the 2022 tournament in Denmark, with the Canadians earning a 8-1 win. Poulin (2-1—3) and Fillier (1-2—3) each recorded three-point performances.
All-time record: Canada leads 20-0-0 Canada goals: 155 Switzerland goals: 9
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