GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWEDEN (JAN. 13)

It’s a battle of two undefeated teams in Group A as Canada’s National Women's Under-18 Team closes out the preliminary round against Sweden with first place on the line Tuesday at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

Last Game

Canada made it two wins in two games in Membertou, outshooting Hungary 74-11 in a 14-0 victory on Monday evening. Hayley McDonald and Adrianna Milani both recorded hat tricks, with McDonald adding on an assist for a four-point performance. Megan Mossey scored twice and had two helpers, and Rowan Houweling made 11 saves for her first international win and shutout.

Sweden earned its second win of the tournament with a 3-0 blanking of Switzerland on Monday. Inez Nygren scored early in the first period, with captain Ebba Westerlind and Ebba Hesselvall rounding out the scoring. Thea Holmberg made 16 saves for the shutout.

Last Meeting

Canada and Sweden last met in the gold medal game of the 2023 U18 Women’s Worlds, with the Canadians riding a five-goal first period a 10-0 win over the hosts to earn their seventh world title. Caitlin Kraemer led the way with four goals (giving her a Canadian record of 10 in the tournament), Alexia Aubin scored twice and Ava Murphy recorded three helpers. Hannah Clark made 21 saves for the shutout.

What to Watch

How about Milani and McDonald? The duo lead Canada with four goals apiece in Cape Breton, putting them in a four-way tie for second in the tournament goal-scoring race, two behind U.S. forward Jane Daley. Milani is no stranger to scoring goals, and lots of them. The Oakville product has 12 in 17 games with the Etobicoke Dolphins this season in the OWHA U22 Elite league, after scoring 35 in 36 games a year ago. McDonald, the Canadian captain, has already equalled her goal-scoring output from the 2025 U18 Women’s Worlds, and her five points put her just two back of her total from Finland.

Hesselvall is the lone Swede with multiple goals, scoring twice and adding an assist through two games, one point off her total from last year’s tournament. Westerlind is wearing the ‘C’ in Cape Breton after finishing as Sweden’s co-leader in scoring last year with a goal and six points. The Swedes also have three 15-year-olds making their debuts: defender Elsa Blarand and forwards Tilia Lindgren and Moa Stridh.

A Look Back

Canada owns a perfect record against Sweden at U18 Women’s Worlds, with 12 wins in as many meetings.

The first meeting back in 2008 was the only time Canada has played Sweden on home ice; the Canadians had a 7-1 semifinal win over Sweden in Calgary. Marie-Philip Poulin opened the scoring on the power play, Catherine White scored twice and Camille Dumais had a goal and two assists.

All-time record: Canada leads 12-0
Canada goals: 69
Sweden goals: 11

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. HUNGARY (JAN. 12)

The preliminary round continues Monday at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship as Canada’s National Women's Under-18 Team takes on Hungary at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre.

Last Game

Canada took the ice for the first time Saturday night, shutting out Switzerland 9-0 to begin their tournament. Eight different players found the back of the net, including Alida Korte, who had two goals and an assist. Rachel Piggott scored and added two helpers, while Kendall Doiron and Laurie Aubin each recorded their first international goal. Léa-Rose Charrois made 11 saves for her first international shutout.

Hungary opened its tournament with a 4-1 loss to Sweden on Saturday. Captain Reka Hiezl scored midway through the second period to temporarily cut the deficit to one. Noemi Zoe Takacs made 30 saves in the Hungarian goal.

Last Meeting

Let’s go back all the way to 2013 for the last—and only—meeting between these teams. Canada earned a 4-1 win over Hungary in the preliminary round in Finland. Ashleigh Brykaliuk opened the scoring, Cassidy Carels got the game-winner shorthanded, and Karly Heffernan and Eden Murray rounded out the scoring as the Canadians outshot the Hungarians 39-12.

What to Watch

An alternate captain for the Canadians, Korte was plus-four in the tournament opener. A year ago in Finland, the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native got into just two games and earned a single assist as Canada won gold. It took her just 30 minutes to surpass those numbers in Cape Breton. An Ohio State University commit in the fall, Korte has recorded 30 points (16-14—30) with powerhouse RHA Kelowna in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, second only to national team teammate Kennedy Sisson (19-16—35). Another plus-four player in the opener: Piggott. The Richmond Hill product—also a gold medal-winning returnee from 2025—has also improved on her numbers from Finland, where she posted one goal in six games. Piggott, who will play for the University of Minnesota next season, was a standout in November at the U18 Women’s National Championship, recording seven points (2-5—7) in six games for Ontario Red to finish tied for seventh in tournament scoring.

Hungary has a few players that are currently playing in North America. Hiezl attends Shattuck-St. Mary’s alongside Doiron and Canadian goaltender Rowan Houweling, and has 32 goals and 61 points in 29 games this season. Krisztina Weiler plays at the Ontario Hockey Academy in Cornwall, registering 14 goals and 32 points in 33 games with their U22 AA team. Between the pipes, Noemi Zoe Takacs is one of eight returning 2008-born veterans. In the Division 1A tournament last year, Takacs posted a 0.67 goals-against average and .969 save percentage to backstop the Hungarians to promotion.

Home Ice Advantage

Canada has hosted U18 Women’s Worlds twice before: 2008 in Calgary and 2016 in St. Catharines. So far on home ice, it has a 8-0-1-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record and has outscored the opposition 79-18, winning two silver medals.

A Look Back

As mentioned above, this marks just the second meeting between the Canadians and Hungarians.

All-time record: Canada leads 1-0
Canada goals: 4
Hungary goals: 1

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (JAN. 10)

Canada’s National Women's Under-18 Team starts defence of its gold medal on home ice as it faces off against Switzerland to open the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre on Saturday night.

Last Game

Canada had a pre-tournament tune-up in Halifax, shutting out Finland 11-0 on Wednesday. Hayley McDonald led the way with a hat trick and an assist on her birthday, while Sofia Ismael and Rachel Piggott chipped in with a goal and two assists each. Overall, eight players scored as Canada piled up 57 shots on goal, with Léa-Rose Charrois making three saves in the opening 40 minutes before Rowan Houweling entered the game to make five saves and secure the combined shutout.

Switzerland played its lone pre-tournament game at Cape Breton University in Sydney on Tuesday night, falling 2-1 to Sweden in overtime. Jill Baker scored the lone goal for the Swiss, who were outshot 37-17.

Last Meeting

These two teams last met in the preliminary round of last year’s tournament in Finland, with Canada beating Switzerland 5-1. Dorothy Copetti led the charge with a pair of goals as the Canadians took control with a four-goal second period. Sara Manness scored and added an assist, while Maxine Cimoroni chipped in with two helpers.

What to Watch

Nine players who won gold in Finland last year are back to play for Team Canada (Ismael, Alida Korte, Anaïs Leprohon, Maddie McCullough, McDonald, Piggott, Caileigh Tiller, Rosalie Tremblay and Kate Viel), which is tied with the 2024 team for the most returnees in a single year. And the bulk of that group weren’t fringe contributors to gold a year ago in Vantaa; Tiller—who will play with her twin sister Chelsea in Cape Breton—finished tied for second in Canadian scoring with 10 points (4-6—10) and scored the game-winning goal in the gold medal game, McDonald, who will wear the ‘C’, had seven points (4-3—7) and Viel chipped in five (1-4—5) from the back end. And not to look too far ahead, but Canada could have as many as seven players back for the 2027 tournament.

Laure Meriguet is set to become the 23rd player to appear in four U18 Women’s Worlds—and the 13th from Switzerland. The defender was a minute-muncher last year, playing 25:44 a game—second-most among all players behind only teammate Sonja Inkamp—to help the Swiss to a fifth-place finish—their best-ever placement at the tournament. Meriguet recorded a goal and an assist in four games in 2025. The 17-year-old also made her IIHF Women’s World Championship debut last spring, tallying an assist in six games. And she has more international duty on tap for February—Meriguet was named to the Swiss women’s Olympic team on Wednesday.

A Pod of Dolphins

For the second year in a row, there are six members of the Etobicoke Dolphins U22 Elite team representing Canada: Ismael, McCullough, Adrianna Milani, Megan Mossey, Piggott and Maija St-Pierre. Since the inaugural U18 Women’s Worlds in 2008, no team has been represented more than Etobicoke, with 31 players on Team Canada in tournament history. This is the seventh consecutive tournament that a Dolphin has competed at the tournament (2019-2026), two off the all-time record of nine (Mississauga, 2011-2019).

A Look Back

This is only the sixth meeting between the Canadians and Swiss, and the fifth to come in the prelims. Canada is perfect through the first five, outscoring Switzerland 49-4.

The first matchup came at the 2009 tournament in Germany; Casandra Langan made history in that one, becoming the first Canadian to score four goals in a game as part of a 16-1 win. Jamie Lee Rattray added a hat trick of her own, while Jessica Wong chipped in with two goals and an assist.

All-time record: Canada leads 5-0
Canada goals: 49
Switzerland goals: 4

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the pre-tournament schedule ahead of the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, set for Jan. 10-18 in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia.

Five games will take place in four communities over three days ahead of the U18 Women’s Worlds. Slovakia and Hungary will play a pair of games on Jan. 5-6 at Canlan Sports in North York, Ontario, while the Nova Scotia portion of the pre-tournament schedule kicks off with Sweden and Switzerland facing off at the Kehoe Forum in Sydney on Jan. 6. On Jan. 7, Czechia will match up against the United States at the RBC Centre in Dartmouth, and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team will wrap up the final day of pre-tournament action against Finland at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.

In partnership with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Province of Nova Scotia, Hockey Canada has also announced that fans will have the chance to experience the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship through several different community initiatives, with a focus on growing and sustaining participation in women’s and girls’ hockey, as well as Indigenous engagement.

“The IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship is quickly approaching, and we are excited to unveil the pre-tournament schedule and continue to build excitement for the event before the competing teams kick off the tournament on Jan. 10,” said D’Arcy Hutcheson, director of events for Hockey Canada. “We are also thrilled that fans in the community and throughout the province will have the opportunity to get involved in the event through several impactful initiatives that will leave a lasting legacy on women’s and girls’ hockey, and the community as a whole.”

Women’s and girls’ hockey initiatives

Hockey Canada, in collaboration with Hockey Nova Scotia, will also host several development activities for women and girls in the lead up to and during the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

Coaching developments clinics will be hosted Jan. 4 in Halifax and Jan. 5 in Sydney in partnership with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which are open to Hockey Nova Scotia-registered coaches.

In collaboration with local Indigenous communities, Hockey Canada and Hockey Nova Scotia will offer an experiential opportunity to a select number of identified emerging high-performance Indigenous coaches, who will receive practical coaching experience by shadowing coaching staffs of competing teams during the pre-tournament phase.

A Signature Esso Fun Day will take place in Eskasoni First Nation on Jan. 14, in partnership with the Cape Breton Blizzard, providing new-to-hockey participants a chance to learn basic skills in a fun and positive environment at no cost to girls of all ages who are playing the game for the first time. Bauer, the official equipment provider to Team Canada, will donate equipment to participants, while National Women’s Team alumna Victoria Bach will be a special guest.

On Jan. 16, Cape Breton University will host the Equity in Coaching Conference, which features research and academic presentations, as well as presentations from Hockey Canada and the IIHF, with a keynote address from Bach.

Indigenous engagement

Hockey Canada has partnered with the Membertou First Nation to integrate Indigenous elements into all facets of the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

Through the Membertou First Nation, 1,000 tickets will be made available to local Indigenous community organizations, schools, councils and more, to provide community members the opportunity to attend games.

The players of the game will be presented with a handmade beaded mayflower, Nova Scotia’s provincial flower, designed by local Indigenous artisans Andrea Dennis and Rosalee Doucette. Additionally, a special flag designed by Kierra Marshall that represents the Membertou First Nation will be featured in all pre-game ceremonies.

There will also be a one-of-a-kind Team Canada jersey featured throughout the event that was designed in collaboration with the Membertou First Nation, Michael MacMillan of the Ability Collective and Deana Lloy of Red Label Kilts, and celebrates the Mi’kmaq community, Cape Breton’s nature and culture, and the classic tartan of Nova Scotia.

First-game program for New Canadians

Two-hundred tickets for games throughout the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship will be donated to local settlement agencies to encourage new Canadians to attend their first hockey game as a way to introduce them to the sport. Tickets will be donated to new Canadians through the Cape Breton Partnership, Cape Breton Island Centre for Immigration, YMCA Immigrant Services and the Multicultural Association of Cape Breton.

In addition, the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship will feature a clothing and toiletries drive at all Team Canada games in support of Nadine’s Comfort Closet, a program that provides students at local schools with essentials such as socks, winter attire and personal hygiene products. The event will also feature an expanded recycling and food recovery program to support sustainability in the local community.

The 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship was awarded to Sydney and Membertou in April 2025 following a successful bid between Hockey Nova Scotia, the Province of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Membertou First Nation and Cape Breton Blizzard Female Hockey Association.

Fans looking to secure their seats and SEE THEE RISE can purchase a variety of ticket options at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

For more information on the IIHF, please visit the official tournament site, or follow the IIHF on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the 25 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, Jan. 10-18 in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia.

Three goaltenders, eight defence and 14 forwards were selected by Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON), senior manager of player development and scouting, along with head coach Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON/University of Toronto, OUA) and assistant coaches Marc-André Côté (Montreal, QC/University of Moncton, AUS) and Amanda Benoit-Wark (Welland, ON/Ridley College, OWHA U22 Elite). Goaltending coach Sheldon Goertzen (Saskatoon, SK/University of Saskatchewan, CW) also provided input, in addition to seven regional scouts.

Included among the 25 players are nine who won gold at the 2025 U18 Women’s Worlds (Ismael, Korte, Leprohon, McCullough, McDonald, Piggott, Caileigh Tiller, Tremblay, Viel) and 21 who wore the Maple Leaf during a three-game series against the United States in August (Charrois, Doiron, Houweling, Hughson, Ismael, Jones, Korte, Leprohon, MacKinnon, Maechtel, Matt, McCullough, McDonald, Mossey, Milani, Piggott, Sisson, Caileigh Tiller, Chelsea Tiller, Tremblay, Viel).

“The coaching staff is incredibly excited to work with this committed group of young athletes. We will continue to build on the qualities we feel necessary to be successful on the international stage,” Sunohara said. “With a strong mix of returning veterans and new additions, we have a team ready to represent Canada with pride as we prepare to compete for gold on home ice.”

Canada is in Group A with Hungary, Sweden and Switzerland, while Group B includes Czechia, Finland, Slovakia and the United States. Canada opens the tournament against Switzerland on Jan. 10 at 8:30 p.m. AT and will face Hungary on Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. AT before its preliminary-round finale against Sweden on Jan. 13 at 5 p.m. AT. Prior to the tournament, Canada will gather in Halifax for a brief training camp, details of which will follow in the coming weeks.

“We are incredibly proud of all 25 athletes named to Canada’s National Under-18 Women’s Team for the upcoming world championship,” Piper said. “These players represent the immense talent in Canada and are the building blocks for Canada’s National Women’s Team. We are confident in this group’s ability to represent Canada with our goal of defending gold in Cape Breton in January.”

Canada will look capture back-to-back gold medals at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship for the first time since 2022 and 2023; it has won eight gold medals (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025), seven silver (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020) and two bronze (2018, 2024).|

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will provide exclusive live coverage of the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, delivering all Team Canada games, in addition to both semifinals and medal games; please check local listings for details.

Fans looking to secure their seats and SEE THEE RISE can purchase medal-round ticket packages and single-game tickets at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

SYDNEY & MEMBERTOU, Nova Scotia – Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) have announced the schedule for the 2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship, set for Jan. 10-18 in Sydney and Membertou.

“We are excited to announce the schedule for the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship as Cape Breton prepares to welcome the world,” said D’Arcy Hutcheson, director of events with Hockey Canada. “This tournament will be a remarkable celebration of women’s hockey, and we are committed to ensuring that the impact of hosting a world championship will benefit the local communities leading up to, during and after the action on the ice.”

Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team will begin defence of its 2025 gold medal against Switzerland on Jan. 10 at 8:30 p.m. AT before playing Hungary and Sweden on Jan. 12 and 13, respectively, to close out the preliminary round.

The 1,250-seat Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre will host all preliminary-round games, while playoff games, including the gold medal game set for Sunday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. AT, will be played at the 5,000-seat Centre 200, home of the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will provide exclusive live coverage of the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, delivering all Team Canada games in addition to both semifinals and medal games; please check local listings for details.

“With the tournament schedule now released, the excitement is really starting to build in Cape Breton and across our province,” said Leijsa Wilton, chair of Hockey Nova Scotia’s Female Council. “Fans can now start circling game dates in anticipation of this world-class women’s hockey tournament this January. We know this event will inspire the next generation of young players here in Nova Scotia.”

Fans looking to secure their seats and SEE THEE RISE can purchase medal-round ticket packages starting Sept. 18 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the roster for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 13-16 at the Lake Placid Olympic Centre.

Twenty-five players—three goaltenders, eight defence and 14 forwards—will represent Canada, including nine who won gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship (Ismael, Korte, Leprohon, McCullough, McDonald, Piggott, Caileigh Tiller, Tremblay, Viel).

The team was selected by Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON), senior manager of scouting and player development. Head coach Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON/University of Toronto, OUA), assistant coaches Amanda Benoit-Wark (Welland, ON/Ridley College, OWHA U22 Elite) and Marc-André Côté (Montreal, QC/University of Moncton, AUS), as well as goaltending coach Sheldon Goertzen (Saskatoon, SK/University of Saskatchewan, CW) also provided input, in addition to the seven regional scouts.

“We are extremely proud of the group selected to wear the Maple Leaf in Lake Placid,” said Sunohara. “This team brings a strong mix of new faces to our program and returning experience. The selection camp was tremendously competitive; each player has earned the opportunity to represent Canada this summer. This series against the U.S. is an important step in our journey to further develop our players and continue the selection process as we prepare to host the world championship in January.”

Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will face the United States on Aug. 13, Aug. 14 and Aug. 16 with games starting at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT and 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT. Click here for the full U18 schedule and here for the full Development schedule.

All games will be livestreamed at USAHockeyTV.com (subscription required).

Canada will defend its gold medal on home ice at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, Jan. 8-18 in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia. Fans have until Aug. 17 sign up for the Priority List to get early access to tickets.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the rosters for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, presented by BFL CANADA, and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for its three-game series against the United States.

Forty-six players – six goaltenders, 14 defence and 26 forwards – have been invited to U18 selection camp, scheduled for Aug. 6-9 at the WinSport Event Centre in Calgary. The roster includes nine players who won a gold medal at the 2025 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship (Ismael, Korte, Leprohon, McCullough, McDonald, Piggott, Caileigh Tiller, Tremblay, Viel).

The selection camp will feature on- and off-ice training sessions and practices, as well as three Red-White games on Aug. 7-9. Once selected, Team Canada will play a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 13-16 at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.

Canada will defend its gold medal on home ice at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, Jan. 8-18 in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia. Fans have until Aug. 17 sign up for the Priority List to get early access to tickets.

“The selection camp is an important starting point in our journey, and I’m thrilled to return for a second-straight year with this incredible program,” said Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON/University of Toronto, OUA), head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team. “Coming off a gold medal performance last year, there is a strong sense of pride and purpose as we evaluate and work with this next group of talented athletes. The competition will be intense, and we are excited to begin shaping the team that will wear the Maple Leaf as we prepare to welcome the world's best to Canada in January.”

Twenty-three players – three goaltenders, seven defence and 13 forwards – have been named to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for its three-game series against the United States from Aug. 13-16 at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid.

The roster includes nine players who won gold at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship (Adam, Amos, Baxter, Grober, Henderson, MacLeod, Murphy, Regalado, Swiderski), nine who won gold at the 2023 U18 Women’s Worlds (Alexander, Amos, Baxter, Caron, Clark, Grober, Murphy, Pais, Venusio) and 12 who claimed silver at the 2024 Women’s Euro Hockey Tour (Adam, Amos, Baxter, Henderson, MacLeod, Murdoch, Murphy, Pais, Palumbo, Paul, Swiderski, Venusio).

“We are excited to return to the international stage with a strong group of athletes who bring both experience and fresh energy to our development team,” said Alison Domenico (Ottawa, ON/University of Ottawa, OUA), head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team. “It is an honour to be back behind the bench, and our staff is eager to continue guiding our talented athletes as they take the next steps in their growth within our program.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the coaching and support staffs that will lead Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team during the 2025-26 season.

Team Canada legend Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON/University of Toronto, OUA) and Alison Domenico (Ottawa, ON/University of Ottawa, OUA) return to lead the U18 and development teams, respectively, as head coaches for the second-consecutive year.

“Vicky and Alison have displayed incredible passion for our women’s program, and we are thrilled to have both return to our under-18 and development teams this year,” said Dylan Rockwell (Calgary, AB), senior manager of hockey operations. “These teams are crucial steps in our women’s program and demand a high-level of dedication from the coaching staffs who will assist our athletes in their development. We are excited to announce the coaches and support staff who will provide the necessary skills and guidance to our teams on the international stage this season.”

Sunohara returns to the bench after guiding Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team to a gold medal at the 2025 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. She will be joined by assistant coaches Amanda Benoit-Wark (Welland, ON/Ridley College, OWHA U22 Elite) and Marc-André Côté (Montreal, QC/University of Moncton, AUS), as well as goaltending coach Sheldon Goertzen (Saskatoon, SK/University of Saskatchewan, CW) and video coach Carlee Campbell (Oakville, ON/University of Toronto, OUA).

Sunohara is entering her 15th season as head coach of the University of Toronto women’s hockey team, winning Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and U SPORTS Coach of the Year honours in three-consecutive seasons (2020-23) and leading the Blues to the U SPORTS national championship tournament the past three seasons (2023-25). In addition to last year’s U18 Women’s Worlds gold medal, she won gold (2022) and bronze (2024) as an assistant coach at the tournament. As a player, Sunohara won two Olympic gold medals and seven IIHF World Women’s Championship gold medals. She ranks 10th all-time in National Women’s Team scoring with 119 points (56-63—119) in 164 games, and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2025.

Benoit-Wark has served as head coach of the women's hockey program at Ridley College since 2008. Internationally, she won a bronze medal as an assistant coach with Canada's National Women's Under-18 Team at the 2018 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. Benoit-Wark also served as an assistant with Canada's National Women's Development Team, winning silver at the 2017 Nations Cup and gold at the 2015 Nations Cup. As a player, she won two gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championship (1999, 2000) and three gold at the 4 Nations Cup (1996, 1998, 2000).

Côté returns after winning gold as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s U18 Team at the 2025 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. He is entering his 14th season with the University of Moncton women’s hockey team, serving the last seven seasons as head coach and the previous six as an assistant. He has also served as an assistant coach for a pair of three-game series against the United States, once with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team (2022) and once with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team (2023). As a player, Côté won a gold medal at the 2004 Junior World Cup with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team and bronze at the 2004 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with Quebec.

Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, presented by BFL CANADA, will take place Aug. 6-9 at the WinSport Event Centre in Calgary. Once selected, the team will play a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 13-16 at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.

Canada will defend its gold medal on home ice at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, Jan. 8-18 in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia. Fans have until Aug. 17 sign up for the Priority List to get early access to tickets.

For a full list of staff for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and a list of camp support staff, please click here.

Domenico returns to lead Canada’s National Women’s Development Team alongside assistant coaches Matt Desrosiers (Fort Erie, ON/Clarkson University, ECAC) and Chris MacKenzie (Niagara Falls, ON/University of Connecticut, HE), as well as goaltending coach Brad Fogal (North York, ON) and video coach Josh Bell (Kingston, ON).

Domenico is entering her second year as head coach of the University of Ottawa women’s hockey team after over a decade as an assistant coach in the NCAA with Ohio State University (2010-11), Syracuse University (2011-18) and Providence College (2018-21). Internationally, she has won gold medals as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship, as well as a silver medal as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team at the 2024 Women’s Euro Hockey Tour. As a player, she won gold with Ontario Red at the 2005 National Women’s Under-18 Championship and with Ontario at the 2003 Canada Winter Games.

Desrosiers has served as head coach of the Clarkson University women’s hockey team for the past 17 seasons, leading the team to three NCAA national championships (2014, 2017, 2018) and earning Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Coach of the Year honours three times (2013-14, 2014-15, 2017-18). Internationally, he won a bronze medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

MacKenzie is set to make his international coaching debut. He is entering his 13th season as head coach of the University of Connecticut’s women’s hockey team, earning Hockey East Coach of the Year honours the past two seasons and winning NCAA National Coach of the Year in 2023-24. MacKenzie led the Huskies to their first national championship in 2024 and is the winningest coach in program history. Prior to joining the University of Connecticut, MacKenzie served as an assistant coach with Ohio State University (2012-13), head coach of Niagara University (2009-11) and as an assistant with the men’s hockey team at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (2001-09).

Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will gather in Montréal, Québec for a pair of practices before heading to Lake Placid for a three-game series against the United States from Aug. 13-16.

For a full list of staff for Canada’s National Women’s Development Team, please click here.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.