GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. DENMARK (NOV. 9)

Less than 24 hours after finishing off a win over Japan, Canada’s National Women’s Team gets right back to work at the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship as it takes on host Denmark in its penultimate preliminary-round matchup.

Last Game

Canada used a full team effort to improve to 2-0 in Group B, getting goals from nine different players and points from 16 (no one recorded more than two) in a 9-0 win on Sunday. Four defenders found the back of the net—Chloe Primerano (with her first National Women’s Team goal), Erin Ambrose, Kendall Cooper and Sophie Jaques—and Ève Gascon turned aside all 14 shots she faced to record her first win and shutout with the national team.

The Danes found the win column for the first time Saturday night, erasing an early two-goal deficit to beat Japan 3-2 in a shootout. Trailing 2-0 after the first period, Nikita Bergmann got Denmark on the board just 47 seconds into the second and Teresa Christensen tied it with 2:56 left in the third. Frederikke Foss provided the shootout winner in the fifth round in support of goaltender Emma-Sofie Nordström, who made 30 saves in regulation and overtime before turning aside four of five Japanese in the shootout.

Last Meeting

You have to back more than four years to find the last time the Canadians and Danes matched up; playing a pre-tournament game in Rødovre ahead of the 2022 Women’s Worlds, Sarah Fillier and Marie-Philip Poulin made history with the seventh and eighth four-goal games in the annals of Canada’s National Women’s Team as part of a 14-1 win. Fillier added two assists for the first six-point game by a Canadian in more than a decade (and the most recent), one of eight players with multi-point performances.

What to Watch

While any Canadian player could have received Player of Game honours in the well-rounded win over Japan, it was Rosalie Tremblay who got the nod—another feather in the cap for the mature-beyond-her-years 18-year-old. Tremblay has had quite a last 12 months; in November 2025, she captained Quebec to its first-ever gold medal at the U18 Women’s National Championship, taking home the Most Valuable Player award after posting six goals and 10 points in six games. Two months later, she helped Canada to silver at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship with seven points (3-4—7) in six games, and in August she was the youngest member of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for a three-game series against the U.S., scoring a goal as the Canadians won two of three from the Americans. Now she finds herself in Herning at her first IIHF Women’s World Championship, centring the top line as the youngest to play for Canada at the tournament since Captain Canada herself, Marie-Philip Poulin, at the 2009 Women’s Worlds. Oh, and she hasn’t been too bad as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, scoring six goals in as many games for the perennial powerhouse Badgers.

We could highlight Nordström here after making a combined 85 saves against Finland and Japan, but the goaltender—a 2026 fifth-round draft pick of PWHL Hamilton who turned 24 last Thursday—could be due a night off with the Danes in action again Tuesday against Sweden. Veteran captain Nicoline Jensen, 34, is playing in her 16th Women’s Worlds across all divisions, Josephine Asperup, also 34, is playing in her 15th (leading all players in average ice time with 30:48 across two games), and Silke Glud, 30, is in her 12th (second among forwards with a 22:47 TOI average), but they are outliers—the youth movement is strong for the hosts. Both regulation-time goal scorers against the Japanese are still teenagers—Bergmann is 18 and Christensen is 17—and five others have yet to reach 20. And as far as Canadian content goes? In addition to Nordstrom, Foss is skating with the University of New Brunswick, Christensen with the Ontario Hockey Academy in the OWHA U22 Elite League and Freya Ekberg with Purcell Hockey Academy in Kimberley, B.C.

A Look Back

The Canadians and Danes have met only twice in international competition. In addition to the 2022 exhibition game mentioned above, you have to go all the way back to the 1992 IIHF World Women’s Championship for the other meeting.

Angela James and Andria Hunter paced the offence with two goals each, Geraldine Heaney had three assists and Manon Rheaume—who is part of the Canadian contingent in Herning as an assistant GM—recorded the shutout in a 10-0 win.

All-time record: Canada leads 2-0
Canada goals: 24
Denmark goals: 1

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. JAPAN (NOV. 8)

Looking to build off a tournament-opening win, Canada’s National Women’s Team returns to the ice Sunday at the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, facing off against Japan in its second of four prelim games.

Last Game

Canada started strong in Herning, getting two goals and an assist from Jessie Eldridge as part of a 5-1 win over Sweden on Friday. Kendall Cooper added a goal—her first with Team Canada—and a helper, and Emily Clark and Rebecca Leslie (also with her first) rounded out the scoring. The Canadians did most of their damage on the power play, scoring three times on eight times with the player advantage.

The Japanese gave back an early two-goal lead in their opener against host Denmark, falling 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday night. Umeka Odaira provided all the offence with a pair of goals in the first period, while Miyuu Misuhara took the loss with 12 saves for Japan, which outshot the Danes 32-15.

Last Meeting

The most recent meeting between the Canadians and Japanese came at the most recent Women’s Worlds; Canada earned a comfortable 9-1 quarterfinal win at the 2025 tournament in Czechia thanks to three-point efforts from a pair of defenders—Claire Thompson (1-2—3) and Renata Fast (0-3—3). Jenn Gardiner and Sarah Fillier added a pair of goals apiece for the Canadians, who outshot Japan 62-6.

What to Watch

Eldridge waited four years to get back to another IIHF Women’s World Championship and she made that return count against the Swedes. The Barrie native—whose only other Women’s Worlds was also in Denmark—has already improved on her scoring totals from that 2022 tournament, when she posted a goal and an assist in seven games to help Canada win gold. A PWHL nomad, Eldridge will suit up for her fourth team in four seasons when the puck drops on the 2026-27 campaign after signing with the Walter Cup champion Montreal Victoire in the offseason. She finished last season—which she split between Seattle and Boston—as the second-leading Canadian scorer in the league, posting 14 goals and 23 points to finish in the top 10 of PWHL scoring for the second year in a row. Eldridge has actually scored all six of her National Women’s Team goals in Denmark—in addition to two goals Friday and one at the 2022 Women’s Worlds, she found the back of the net three times in two pre-tournament wins in 2022, scoring twice in a victory over the host Danes and netting the game-winner against the United States.

While the Canadians are icing one of their youngest lineups in more than a decade, the Japanese are YOUNG. Of the 23 players on the roster, only one—veteran defender Aoi Shiga (on July 4, 1999)—was born before the turn of the millenium. Odaira, the scoring star against Denmark, is the youngest of the bunch; she won’t turn 18 until Dec. 12, although she is far from an international rookie. She had nine points (4-5—9) in five games to help Japan win gold at the 2024 U18 Women’s Worlds 1A tournament just weeks after turning 15, and made her Women’s Worlds debut in Czechia in 2025, going pointless in five games. Already committed to the University of Maine for next season, Odaira is plying her trade in the OWHA U22 Elite League in Ontario this year, contributing eight goals and 12 points with the North York Storm.

A Look Back

This will be meeting No. 10 between Canada and Japan going all the way back to the inaugural Women’s Worlds in Ottawa in 1990. The Canadians have never lost to the Japanese and had held them without a goal until their quarterfinal meeting 19 months ago in Ceske Budejovice.

That first meeting 36 years ago produced a historic offensive output: Canada scored nine times in the first period of an 18-0 win—both of those are still Women’s Worlds records for most goals in a period and game. In all, 15 Canadians recorded points, led by hat tricks from Vicky Sunohara and Angela James, a four-point efforts from James (3-1—4), Heather Ginzel (2-2—4), Stacy Wilson (1-3—4) and Diane Michaud (0-4—4).

All-time record: Canada leads 9-0
Canada goals: 105
Japan goals: 1

GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWEDEN (NOV. 6)

Let’s go! The IIHF Women’s World Championship has made the move to a new slot in the international hockey calendar and the 2026 edition of the tournament gets underway Friday as Canada’s National Women’s Team opens Group B play against Sweden.

Last Game

Canada finished with a split of its two-game pre-tournament series against the United States with a 4-0 loss to the Americans last Friday in Plymouth, Michigan. Ève Gascon was terrific in a 28-save performance, but the Canadian offence couldn’t build on a 5-3 win over the U.S. in the exhibition opener in Windsor.

Sweden closed out the Lidl Hockey Games with a 2-0 win over rival Finland in Södertälje on Halloween. Mira Hallin broke open a scoreless game late in the second period and Sara Hjalmarsson added insurance midway through the third in support of Ebba Svensson Träff, who posted a 29-save shutout as the Finns outshot the Swedes 29-18.

Last Meeting

The Canadians and Swedes last clashed in the quarterfinals at the 2024 Women’s Worlds in New York, a 5-1 win for Canada. Renata Fast led the charge with a pair of goals and 11 different players recorded points for the Canadians, who held Sweden to just nine shots on goal over the final 40 minutes.

What to Watch

The kids have arrived for Canada. With an average age of 26 years, two months and 22 days, this is the youngest roster Canada has iced at Women’s Worlds since 2013, with more than 1,000 games of international experience gone from the Olympic roster last February. How young are we talking? Of the nine youngest players to represent Canada in the history of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, three are debuting in Denmark—Rosalie Tremblay (fourth-youngest), Hayley McDonald (eighth-youngest) and Sara Manness (ninth-youngest). The oldest player on the roster is 32-year-old goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens, who earned her 46th career victory in the win over the U.S. in Windsor, surpassing Charline Labonté for the third-most in Team Canada history—only Kim St-Pierre (64) and Shannon Szabados (51) have more. And let’s not forget co-captains Renata Fast and Laura Stacey, who bring a combined 261 games of international experience (81 of them at Women’s Worlds) to the lineup. There are plenty of possibilities for new head coach Kori Cheverie, who takes the reins at her first world championship after serving as an assistant under Troy Ryan at five Women’s Worlds from 2021-25.

Sweden burst back onto the international scene in at Milano Cortina 2026, reaching the semifinals at a major event for the first time since the 2014 Olympics and coming agonizingly close to its first medal since the 2007 Women’s Worlds, falling in overtime to Switzerland. Thea Johansson (4-3—7) and Hilda Svensson (1-6—7) both finished in the top 10 of Olympic scoring, and the Scandinavians have a bit of a youth movement of their own—five players (Hallin, Hedqvist, Jungaker, Raunio, Svensson) helped Sweden to its best-ever finish at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, a silver medal in 2023, and 18-year-old Tilde Grillfors had seven points (4-3—7) in six games as the Swedes reached the bronze medal game at the 2026 U18 Women’s Worlds in Nova Scotia. And let’s not forget the experience behind the bench; new head coach Erika Holst was a staple of the Swedish lineup for almost two decades, appearing in four Olympics (including a silver medal at Torino 2006) and 11 Women’s Worlds between 1996 and 2012, and serving as national team captain from 2001-12.

A Look Back

While the faceoffs between the foes haven’t been as frequent in recent years, the Canadians and Swedes have a history. This will be the 84th time they have met, dating back to the inaugural Women’s Worlds in 1990.

The last three meetings have all come in quarterfinals at the world championship, including one in Herning; at the 2022 Women’s Worlds, Jocelyne Larocque, Sarah Potomak and Erin Ambrose provided the offence, Desbiens made nine saves for the shutout and Canada advanced with a 3-0 win.

All-time record: Canada leads 80-2-1 (1-1 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 514
Sweden goals: 71

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has established a new National Teams Advisory Group to provide mentorship, leadership and hockey acumen to the organization’s men’s, women’s and para hockey teams, and hockey operations department.

Joining Bruce Cassidy (Ottawa, ON), who was previously named a special advisor to general manager Danièle Sauvageau (Montréal, QC/Montréal, PWHL) and Canada's National Women’s Team, are four individuals with National Hockey League (NHL) experience in management and executive positions: Steve Yzerman (Nepean, ON/Detroit, NHL), Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, ON/St. Louis, NHL), Brad Treliving (Penticton, BC) and Shane Doan (Halkirk, AB). The group will bring extensive NHL and international hockey experience to Hockey Canada, and will provide mentorship opportunities to staff and feedback to leadership.

“We are excited and grateful that Steve, Doug, Brad, Shane and Bruce will serve on the National Teams Advisory Group and will bring their experience at the NHL and international levels to all aspects of Hockey Canada’s hockey operations,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “All five have extensive knowledge of the game, incredible hockey résumés and leadership abilities, and their winning pedigrees will greatly benefit our national teams as we continue to find ways to improve and strive for excellence on the international stage.”

“Establishing the National Teams Advisory Group reinforces our commitment to investing in our hockey operations departments and all national teams, and we are thrilled that Steve, Doug, Brad, Shane and Bruce will play an important role in our success on the ice,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), president and chief executive officer. “These five bring many years of experience and success in the game. They will greatly benefit our entire organization and provide important leadership towards the success of our men’s, women’s and para hockey teams as they look to win gold medals.”

Yzerman and Armstrong will advise Canada’s National Men’s Team on the selection of management groups for the IIHF World Championship, World Cup of Hockey 2028 and 2030 Olympic Winter Games. 

Yzerman has served over 20 years in various executive roles with the Detroit Red Wings (2006-10, 2019-26) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2010-19), winning the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2008 and earning the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award with Tampa Bay in 2015. He led Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team to two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014) as executive director, won gold (2007) and silver (2008) as GM at the IIHF World Championship and won gold as assistant GM at Men’s Worlds in 2023. As a player, Yzerman played in 1,514 NHL games with the Red Wings, serving 19 seasons as captain and winning the Stanley Cup three times (1997, 1998, 2002). He also won the Ted Lindsay Award in 1989 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2002. Internationally, Yzerman won gold at the 2002 Olympics, silver at the IIHF World Championship twice (1985, 1989) and bronze at the 1983 World Juniors, as well as a Canada Cup championship in 1984. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2014.

Armstrong has held management roles for more than 30 years with the Minnesota North Stars (1992-93), Dallas Stars (1993-2008) and St. Louis Blues (2008-26), winning the Stanley Cup as an assistant GM with Dallas in 1999 and as general manager with St. Louis in 2019. He was also named NHL General Manager of the Year in 2012. Internationally, he won two Olympic gold medals as assistant GM (2010, 2014), and most recently led Canada to a silver medal as GM at the 2026 Olympics. Armstrong has also won gold medals at Men’s Worlds as a senior advisor (2007, 2016) and GM (2023), as well as silver medals as assistant GM (2008) and general manager (2009). He also served as the general manager for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, winning the championship, and built the management group and staff that led Canada to a title at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

Treliving will work with Canada’s National Junior Team on player evaluation, evaluation process and personnel, and will scout NCAA games and attend scouting meetings ahead of the World Juniors while mentoring Hockey Canada staff in Calgary.

Treliving most recently served as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs for three seasons (2023-26) after nine seasons as GM of the Calgary Flames (2014-23). He also spent seven seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes, serving as assistant general manager (2007-14) and vice-president of hockey operations (2010-12), as well as general manager of the San Antonio Rampage/Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL). Treliving won a gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championship as co-GM, was an assistant GM at the 2014 tournament and served on the management group in 2026.

Doan will serve as a player relations and leadership advisor, establishing the Shane Doan Captains’ Club to provide leadership training and support to national team captains while also supporting management and staff with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team.

Doan was special assistant to the general manager with the Toronto Maple Leafs for three seasons (2023-26) following parts of three seasons (2021-23) as chief hockey development officer with the Arizona Coyotes. Internationally, he won a silver medal as general manager at the 2022 IIHF World Championship and gold as assistant GM at the 2021 Men’s Worlds, as well as silver as a consultant in 2019. Doan also served as general manager of Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. He served as general manager at the 2022 Spengler Cup and was part of the championship-winning management staff at the 2019 tournament. As a player, he played in 1,540 NHL games and represented Canada at six IIHF World Championships, winning two gold medals (2003, 2007) and three silver (2005, 2008, 2009). Doan also won the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and wore the Maple Leaf at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. 

Cassidy will continue to work with Canada’s National Women’s Team’s management group and coaching staff through the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, including on-ice support at practices. 

Cassidy last served as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights for parts of four season (2022-26), winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. He joined Vegas after more than five seasons (2017-22) as head coach of the Boston Bruins, leading the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 and winning the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2020. Cassidy served as an assistant coach at the 2026 Olympics, winning a silver medal, and won the championship as an assistant at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. As a player, Cassidy represented Canada at the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championship and suited up for Canada’s National Men’s Team during the 1986-87 season. 

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTo

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the 25 players named to Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, Nov. 6-16 in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark.

Three goaltenders, eight defenders and 14 forwards were selected by general manager Danièle Sauvageau (Montreal, QC/Montreal, PWHL) and head coach Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS/Montréal, PWHL). Assistant coaches Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC/Montréal, PWHL) and Kris Sparre (Mississauga, ON/Hamilton, PWHL), along with goaltending coach Bruno-Pierre Guillemette (Laval, QC/Montréal, PWHL), special advisor Bruce Cassidy (Ottawa, ON), assistant general managers Mike Hirshfeld (Toronto, ON/Ottawa, PWHL) and Manon Rhéaume (Lac-Beauport, QC/Detroit, PWHL), the coaches present at training camp and senior manager of scouting and player development Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON) also provided input.

“We are thankful for all of the athletes who attended training camp last week in Quebec City and provided intense competition ahead of the world championship. Heading into the first international competition of this Olympic quadrennial, we are thrilled to have such amazing talent within our program,” said Sauvageau. “We are excited about the players who have been named to Team Canada as we compete for a gold medal in Denmark, while looking at the long-term success of our program.”

The roster features 13 players who won a silver medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games (Ambrose, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Jaques, Maltais, O’Neill, Osborne, Shelton, Stacey, Tabin, Watts) and 12 who helped Canada to its most recent Women’s Worlds gold medal in 2024 (Ambrose, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Gosling, Jaques, Maltais, O’Neill, Serdachny, Shelton, Stacey).

Seven players will make their debut at the IIHF Women’s World Championship (Cooper, Kraemer, Leslie, Manness, McDonald, Tremblay, Wozniewicz).

It was also announced that Alison Domenico (Ottawa, ON/University of Ottawa, OUA) will join the coaching staff as an assistant coach for Women’s Worlds. Domenico previously won gold as an assistant coach at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

“Following a strong training camp in Quebec City, our coaching staff is excited to continue building toward the world championship with the athletes selected to represent Canada,” said Cheverie. “There is a great sense of energy, hunger and determination within this group. We’re looking forward to building on that momentum as we prepare to compete in Denmark.”

The Canadians will be joined in Group B at Women’s Worlds by host Denmark, Finland, Japan and Sweden, while Group A includes Austria, Czechia, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. 

Canada will be on the ice in Windsor, Ontario (Oct. 28), and Plymouth, Michigan (Oct. 30), for pre-tournament games against the United States. Fans looking to attend the game at the WFCU Centre in Windsor can purchase tickets HERE.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast both pre-tournament games and carry extensive game coverage throughout the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, airing every Team Canada game.

For more information from the International Ice Hockey Federation, please visit the official tournament site HERE.

In 24 appearances at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, Canada has won 13 gold medals (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2021, 2022, 2024), in addition to 10 silver (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2025) and one bronze (2019).

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 invited 48 players to Canada’s National Women’s Team Training Camp, presented by BFL CANADA, Oct. 8-14 at the Centre Vidéotron in Quebec City, Quebec.

Six goaltenders, 16 defenders and 26 forwards were selected by general manager Danièle Sauvageau (Montreal, QC/Montreal, PWHL) and senior manager of scouting and player development Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON).

“We have an incredibly talented group of athletes who have been invited to our October camp, including Olympic gold medallists and world champions alongside some new faces to Canada’s National Women’s Team,” said Sauvageau. “We will begin cultivating our identity as a team during our camp in Quebec City ahead of the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, while looking ahead to prepare for this Olympic quadrennial.”

The roster features 18 players who won a silver medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games (Ambrose, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Gardiner, J. Gosling, Jaques, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Nurse, O’Neill, Osborne, Shelton, Stacey, Tabin, Watts) and 19 who helped Canada to its most recent Women’s Worlds gold medal in 2024 (Ambrose, Bell, Bourbonnais, Clark, Desbiens, Fast, Fillier, Gardiner, J. Gosling, N. Gosling, Jaques, Jenner, Larocque, Maltais, Nurse, O’Neill, Serdachny, Shelton, Stacey).

It also includes nine players attending their first camp with Canada’s National Women’s Team (Caron, Manness, McDonald, Murdoch, Murphy, Outwater, Stonehouse, Tremblay, Venusio).

The players will be split into Red and White teams for practices, fitness testing and a pair of intrasquad games on Oct. 12 and 14 at the Centre Vidéotron. Media wishing to attend must apply for accreditation HERE.

For a complete list of camp support staff, please click here.

Following camp, a roster will be selected for the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, starting Nov. 6 in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark, as well as pre-tournament games in Windsor, Ontario, and Plymouth, Michigan, on Oct. 28 and 30, respectively. Fans looking to attend the pre-tournament game at the WFCU Centre in Windsor can purchase tickets 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.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the coaching staff and management group that will lead Canada’s National Women’s Team through the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship, Nov. 6-16 in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark.

Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS/Montréal, PWHL) will serve as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2026-27 season, joined by assistant coaches Caroline Ouellette (Montréal, QC/ Montréal, PWHL) and Kris Sparre (Mississauga, ON/Hamilton, PWHL).

The staff was selected by general manager Danièle Sauvageau (Montréal, QC/Montréal, PWHL), Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and Dylan Rockwell (Calgary, AB), director of hockey operations.

“I am incredibly proud and honoured to have the opportunity to lead Canada’s National Women’s Team,” said Cheverie. “Growing up playing hockey in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, I had big dreams of one day being part of Team Canada. I didn’t know then that my path would be through coaching, and I am extremely grateful that this journey has now given me the opportunity to lead this program. I am excited to work alongside an amazing group of athletes and staff as we continue building together. With the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship in front of us in November, I cannot wait to get to work, compete for Canada and continue pushing this program forward.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team will gather in Quebec City for selection camp from Oct. 8-14. The camp will feature on- and off-ice training sessions as well as two intrasquad games, Oct. 12 and 14 at the Centre Vidéotron. Ahead of Women’s Worlds, Canada will play host to the United States in pre-tournament action at the WFCU Centre in Windsor on Oct. 28. Fans looking to secure their seats can purchase tickets HERE. The cross-border rivals will also face off Oct. 30 in Plymouth, Michigan, before departing for Denmark.

Cheverie has served as head coach of the PWHL’s Montréal Victoire for all three seasons of the league’s existence, winning the Walter Cup last season and earning PWHL Coach of the Year honours in 2024-25 after guiding the Victoire to first place in the regular-season standings. She won gold medals as an assistant coach at the IIHF Women’s World Championship in 2021, 2022 and 2024, in addition to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, and silver medals at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, and Women’s Worlds in 2023 and 2025. In 2022, Cheverie became the first woman to serve on the coaching staff with one of Canada’s national men’s teams at the IIHF U18 World Championship. Nationally, she won a silver medal as head coach of Nova Scotia at the 2023 Canada Winter Games, the province’s first-ever medal in women’s hockey. She was also the first woman hired as a full-time assistant coach in U SPORTS, spending five seasons (2016-21) with the Ryerson University men’s hockey team.

Ouellette has been the associate head coach at Concordia University since 2021, and recently completed her second season as an assistant coach with the Victoire, helping the team to a Walter Cup championship. As an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team, she won gold medals at the IIHF Women’s World Championship in 2022 and 2024, in addition to silver medals in 2023 and 2025, and bronze in 2019, as well as an Olympic silver medal at Milano Cortina 2026. A Team Canada legend during her 17-year playing career, Ouellette won four Olympic gold medals and six world championships and recorded 242 points (87-155—242) in 220 games, the third-most in National Women’s Team history. She was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and IIHF Hall of Fame in 2023.

Sparre was recently named the inaugural head coach of PWHL Hamilton after serving the 2025-26 season as head coach of the Boston Fleet, earning PWHL Coach of the Year honours. Prior to joining the Fleet, Sparre spent time with the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL) as an assistant coach (2021-25), the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Flint Firebirds as an associate coach (2021-22) and as an assistant coach with the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs (2016-19).

In addition, Bruce Cassidy (Ottawa, ON) will serve as special advisor to Sauvageau, who will be joined by assistant general managers Michael Hirshfeld (Toronto, ON/Ottawa, PWHL) and Manon Rhéaume (Lac-Beauport, QC/Detroit, PWHL) for the 2026-27 season.

Reporting to Sauvageau, Cassidy will support the management group and coaching staff through selection camp, pre-tournament games in Windsor and Plymouth, and during the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

“This elite coaching staff brings the passion, grit and experience we need to launch a new Olympic quadrennial, as it is crucial to build an environment that will foster growth and opportunity," said Sauvageau. "We did not just assemble a coaching staff—we built a leadership force. Starting in Quebec City, we are laying a championship foundation. This team will represent Canada with fierce pride and power in Denmark and the years ahead.

"Bringing Bruce onto our staff is a win for our program. His wealth of elite hockey experience and deep-rooted legacy with Hockey Canada make him an invaluable asset. We are fortunate to have his leadership guiding our coaches and support staff as we establish a standard.”

Cassidy served as an assistant coach with Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team in 2026 and with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. He last served as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights for four years (2022-26), winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. He joined Vegas after more than five seasons (2017-22) as head coach of the Boston Bruins, leading the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 and winning the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2019-20. As a player, Cassidy represented Canada at the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championship and suited up for Canada’s National Men’s Team during the 1986-87 season.

Hirshfeld is entering his fourth season with the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge after being named the organization’s first general manager in 2023, helping guide the Charge to the Walter Cup Finals in each of the past two seasons. Prior to joining Ottawa, he served as executive director of the NHL Coaches’ Association from 2016 to 2023.

Rhéaume was recently named the inaugural general manager of PWHL Detroit. Previously, she spent four seasons (2022-26) as a hockey operations and prospects advisor for the Los Angeles Kings. As a player, Rhéaume helped Canada win a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games and captured gold at the IIHF Women’s World Championship in 1992 and 1994.

Hockey Canada has also announced the support staff that will work with Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2026-27 season:

• Video coach Stefanie Thomson (Port Perry, ON/Toronto, PWHL)
• Strength and conditioning coach Vicki Bendus (Wasaga Beach, ON/Hamilton, PWHL)
• Equipment managers Trevor Black (Flesherton, ON/University of Waterloo, OUA) and Matina Landstad (North Vancouver, BC/Vancouver, PWHL)
• Team physician Dr. Laura Bennion (Vancouver, BC)
• Therapists Christine Atkins (Fort Macleod, AB), Jennifer Love (Windsor, ON/Windsor, OHL) and Danielle McNally (Wolfville, NS)
• Massage therapist Meagan Cowell (London, ON)
• Senior manager of scouting and player development Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON)
  
• Hockey operations manager Cassidy Wait (North Vancouver, BC)
• Hockey operations coordinator Cameron Lattemore (Bracebridge, ON)
• Media relations manager Jacob Wolfenden (Hamilton, ON)

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 that Canada’s National Women’s Team will face the United States ahead of the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT in Windsor, Ontario.

A second pre-tournament game will be played in the United States with details to follow in the coming days. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the game live from the WFCU Centre. The 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship will be played from Nov. 6-16 in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark.

Fans looking to secure their seats and support Canada on its journey to gold at Women’s Worlds can purchase tickets starting at $68—with limited group seating available starting at $56—beginning Sept. 10 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

“We are thrilled to bring together two of the top countries in women’s hockey, who will showcase their incredible talent and passion in Windsor,” said D’Arcy Hutcheson, director of events with Hockey Canada. “Windsor has played host to a number of Hockey Canada events and continues to deliver an excellent experience for staff, players and fans who will be cheering on Team Canada as it prepares for the IIHF Women’s World Championship.”

Canada opens the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship on Friday, Nov. 6, facing Sweden at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT. Canada will also play Japan, Denmark and Finland in the preliminary round.

“Windsor is proud to once again partner with Hockey Canada and the Windsor Spitfires to bring Canada's National Women's Team to our community for this exciting international matchup against the United States,” said Drew Dilkens, the mayor of Windsor. “Events like this reflect our community's passion for hockey and its unique ability to bring people together. Hosting world-class competition inspires young athletes to strive for excellence, engages residents, creates community pride and generates positive economic growth for local businesses. It also provides an opportunity to showcase outstanding facilities like the WFCU Centre, which continues to attract premier sporting events to our city. We look forward to welcoming players, coaches, fans and visitors to Windsor and demonstrating why our community remains a premier destination for national and international sport.”

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 that Canada’s National Women’s Team will face the United States ahead of the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship on Oct. 28at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT in Windsor, Ontario.

A second pre-tournament game will be played in the United States with details to follow in the coming days. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the game live from the WFCU Centre. The 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship will be played from Nov. 6-16 in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark.

Fans looking to secure their seats and support Canada on its journey to gold at Women’s Worlds can purchase tickets starting at $68—with limited group seating available starting at $56—beginning Sept. 10 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

“We are thrilled to bring together two of the top countries in women’s hockey, who will showcase their incredible talent and passion in Windsor,” said D’Arcy Hutcheson, director of events with Hockey Canada. “Windsor has played host to a number of Hockey Canada events and continues to deliver an excellent experience for staff, players and fans who will be cheering on Team Canada as it prepares for the IIHF Women’s World Championship.”

Canada opens the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship on Friday, Nov. 6, facing Sweden at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT. Canada will also play Japan, Denmark and Finland in the preliminary round.

“Windsor is proud to once again partner with Hockey Canada and the Windsor Spitfires to bring Canada's National Women's Team to our community for this exciting international matchup against the United States,” said Drew Dilkens, the mayor of Windsor. “Events like this reflect our community's passion for hockey and its unique ability to bring people together. Hosting world-class competition inspires young athletes to strive for excellence, engages residents, creates community pride and generates positive economic growth for local businesses. It also provides an opportunity to showcase outstanding facilities like the WFCU Centre, which continues to attract premier sporting events to our city. We look forward to welcoming players, coaches, fans and visitors to Windsor and demonstrating why our community remains a premier destination for national and international sport.”

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, Instagramand TikTok

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Danièle Sauvageau (Montréal, QC/Montréal, PWHL) will serve as general manager of Canada’s National Women’s Program through the 2030 Olympic Winter Games, effective immediately.

Sauvageau will also maintain her position as general manager of the Montréal Victoire in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) during the 2026-27 season, with the expectation of joining Hockey Canada full-time as vice-president of hockey operations and general manager of Canada’s National Women’s Program for the remaining three years ahead of the 2030 Olympics in the French Alps.

In her role, Sauvageau will serve as general manager of Canada’s National Women’s Team while helping guide the National Women’s Under-18 Team and National Women’s Development Team.

The selection process was led by a search committee, including three National Women’s Team alumnae—committee chair and Hockey Canada board member Gillian Apps (Toronto, ON), Therese Brisson (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC) and Cassie Campbell-Pascall (Brampton, ON)—as well as president and chief executive officer Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), vice-president of hockey operations Misha Donskov (London, ON), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Own The Podium high performance advisor Cara Thibault (Calgary, AB) and Brad Treliving (Penticton, BC).

“We are thrilled to announce Danièle Sauvageau’s return to Hockey Canada as general manager of the National Women’s Program. Danièle brings a wealth of experience in professional and international hockey, including as the first Canadian head coach and general manager to win an Olympic gold medal and the only Canadian general manager to win a Walter Cup,” Salmond said. “We are confident in Danièle’s vision to develop our athletes on and off the ice and we are excited for her to implement her strategy with the National Women’s Program during the 2026-27 season and throughout this Olympic quadrennial.”

“Throughout her career, Danièle has enjoyed tremendous success, and while we know there is a lot of work ahead for our National Women’s Program, we have a leader in place who is a proven winner and knows what it will take to be successful at the 2030 Olympic Winter Games,” Henderson said. “Danièle will also be empowered to ensure our elite development pathway is producing exceptional athletes and people in a system that is innovative, proactive and uniquely Canadian.

“The explosion of women’s and girls’ hockey has created a need to be more aggressive with elite player development, and Hockey Canada is committed to being a leading organization that provides opportunities for more participants to develop in our system and hopefully wear the Maple Leaf as they represent our country.”

Sauvageau was the first woman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Builder Category as an Honoured Member in 2025. She has served as general manager of the Victoire since the team’s inception in 2023 and led the team to a Walter Cup championship in 2026. She also spent time as the associate head coach and general manager of Team Harvey’s with the PWHPA (2022-23), associate coach with the Canadiennes de Montréal in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (2018-19), and general manager and initiator of the University of Montréal women’s hockey program (2010-16, 2017).

Internationally, Sauvageau was an assistant coach (1996-97) and head coach (2000-02) of Canada’s National Women’s Team, capturing gold at the 2001 IIHF World Women’s Championship and 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the latter of which she also served as general manager. She was named to the Order of Canada in 2012 for her extraordinary contributions to the game of hockey and has been involved in the game for over 30 years.

“Joining Hockey Canada as general manager of the National Women’s Program is a privilege,” said Sauvageau. “Working alongside the country’s best women’s hockey players and staff as we prepare for the 2030 Olympic Winter Games is an incredible opportunity and we have our sights set on showing the very best performance at every opportunity along the way. I have incredible memories of representing Team Canada and understand the preparation and collaboration required to achieve success at the international level.”

The National Women’s Team coaching staff for the 2026-27 season will be announced in the coming weeks.

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 that the organization, alongside National Women’s Team general manager Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, QC/Toronto, PWHL) and head coach Troy Ryan (Spryfield, NS/San Jose, PWHL), have mutually agreed that the pair will not return to the National Women’s Program for the 2026-27 season. A search committee has been established to identify the next general manager of Canada’s National Women’s Team. 

The search committee will include three National Women’s Team alumnae—committee chair and Hockey Canada board member Gillian Apps (Toronto, ON), Therese Brisson (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC) and Cassie Campbell-Pascall (Brampton, ON)—as well as vice-president of hockey operations Misha Donskov (London, ON), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Own The Podium’s high performance advisor Cara Thibault (Calgary, AB) and a current member of Canada's National Men's Team management group, Brad Treliving (Penticton, BC).

“Gina and Troy were instrumental to tremendous success with our women’s team in their respective roles and we are grateful for the time and effort that was given to Canada’s National Women’s Team,” said Salmond. “Moving forward, Hockey Canada is looking to bring in the best available candidate for the general manager position with the National Women’s Team who will focus on implementing the strategy and vision of the program heading into the 2026-27 season and our next quad.”

Under contract through the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Kingsbury and Ryan were instrumental in the preparation of Canada’s National Women’s Team through multiple IIHF Women’s World Championships, Rivalry Series and Olympic Winter Games, including Canada’s gold medal victory in Beijing in 2022, back-to-back gold medals at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championships and gold at the 2024 Women’s Worlds.

“Hockey Canada is extremely grateful for the commitment, passion and expertise that Gina and Troy displayed each time they represented Canada with our National Women’s Team,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), president and chief executive officer. “We cannot thank them both enough for providing world-class treatment to our women’s hockey program and exemplifying what it means to be a leader on the international stage.”

The successful candidate will be in charge of hiring the next head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team, along with the coaching staff, management group and support staff.

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