Projecting the Canadian women’s Olympic hockey roster, one year from Milan 2026

Best-on-best hockey in the NHL is finally back with the 4 Nations Face-Off starting on Feb. 12. But for women’s hockey, elite international competition has never left the spotlight.

Less than one year ago, Canada beat the U.S. in one of the most entertaining gold medal games at the 2024 women’s world championship. At the 2022 Olympics, Canada put together one of the most dominant tournaments ever, going undefeated and breaking several records en route to a gold medal.

With an established core of players either still in their prime or close to it, it’s fair to expect a roster of familiar faces at the 2026 Milan Olympics — which are now only one year away.

The biggest question about Canada’s roster isn’t about who will be at the top of the lineup. We can write plenty of names in permanent ink. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin will certainly be there, even if she will only say “hopefully I can make it.”

The big debates are focused on the bottom half of the lineup. Should Canada opt for youth or experience? Skill or a steady veteran? Who will make their Olympic debut? And who might be the final cuts?

There’s always an element of guesswork in an exercise like this, especially when there’s much to learn about the young and aging players on the bubble at the 2025 women’s world championships, and the February Rivalry Series games. And with the PWHL, we have a bigger pool of players to potentially keep an eye on.

Still, we’re exactly one year out from puck drop in Milano Cortina, and we can’t let the NHL steal all the international spotlight, can we?

With that, here’s ’s best projection for a 23-player roster, which is what the IOC permitted for Beijing in 2022. The IIHF has increased roster sizes for women’s worlds to 25 players, but as of Wednesday, the Milan Olympic rules state women’s teams consist of 23 players. We’ll stick with that for now.

Projected Canadian Olympic roster

Forwards (13)

Locks (8): Marie-Philip Poulin, Sarah Fillier, Sarah Nurse, Blayre Turnbull, Laura Stacey, Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, Emma Maltais

It’s safe to say this group has secure spots on Canada’s roster. Poulin is still the best player in the world, and Fillier might be the second-best forward in the PWHL right now. Nurse set the record for points at a single Olympics in Beijing (18) and is healthy heading into the final year of the Olympic cycle — which is something she couldn’t say in 2022.

Turnbull is an incredibly valuable leader and a true 200-foot player. She can be relied on in key moments in the defensive zone or penalty kill, but also has the offensive skill to get on the scoresheet. Stacey has really found her game in recent years as a quick and skilled north-south player. She can play up on Poulin’s wing, like she does in Montreal, or be a valuable depth player for Canada.

Now, Jenner hasn’t really been putting up points for the Ottawa Charge, but it would be outlandish to suggest she won’t be in Canada’s plans for 2026. She has been a critical player in two Canadian Olympic gold medals in her career. First, starting the comeback against Team USA in 2014 and winning MVP in 2022.

Clark has been in the Hockey Canada fold long enough — with two Olympic appearances — to be an easy choice for Milan. So is Maltais, who made her Olympic debut in Beijing and has become a staple depth forward, who has shown flashes of offensive ability in the PWHL, finishing top-10 in league scoring in 2024.

Safe bets (3): Kristin O’Neill, Natalie Spooner, Danielle Serdachny

O’Neill was cut from the 2022 Olympic team, but was in Beijing as part of the “taxi squad” of players who would be able to jump into games if anyone tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, she’s been on three straight world championship rosters and was among Canada’s top-scoring forwards at last year’s tournament. She’s small in stature (5-foot-4), but relentless in pursuit of pucks. O’Neill has become a steady depth center for Canada, and I don’t see that changing by 2026.

Spooner has yet to return from offseason surgery, otherwise, she would be in the roster lock tier. She’s a three-time Olympian and won nearly every individual award (PWHL MVP, the league’s best forward and IIHF Female Player of the Year) last season before she tore her ACL. If Spooner can make a safe and healthy comeback, it seems obvious she’d be back on the national team.

I debated having Serdachny in this tier, given she’s only played in two women’s worlds for Canada. But she did score the game-winner in overtime at last year’s tournament, and went No. 2 in the 2024 PWHL Draft. Serdachny has worked her way into the Team Canada fold, and I don’t foresee that changing.

Inside track (2): Daryl Watts, Julia Gosling

This is where things start to get interesting, with two spots left for (by my count) four players: Watts, Gosling, Jamie Lee Rattray and Jennifer Gardiner.

Watts (finally) cracked her first senior national team roster for the November Rivalry Series games and really popped in Game 3.

She’s still unproven on the international stage, but Watts has a lengthy resume — she was the first freshman to ever win the Patty Kazmaier Award and twice led the NCAA in scoring — and so much offensive skill that it might be hard to deny her a spot on the Olympic team. She still needs to perform at February Rivalry Series and worlds — if she makes the team — but that feels like a safe bet.

Right now, Gosling feels like the last woman in. She was Toronto’s first-round pick in the June PWHL draft, brings size (5-foot-10) to the bottom of the lineup, and scored two goals at last year’s women’s worlds.

Personally, I’ve liked Gardiner’s game more in the PWHL, particularly her chemistry with Poulin. But it might be premature to add her to the Olympic team when Gosling has previously gotten the nod for international competition

On the bubble (2): Jamie Lee Rattray, Jennifer Gardiner

We just discussed Gardiner, which leaves us with probably the most difficult cut.

Rattray is a popular player who won gold in 2022 and has always been willing and able to play an extra forward role for her team. If Canada wants a 13th forward who will play well in limited minutes, Rattray has checked that box on the biggest stage.

But, if they want players who might grow into a more meaningful role on the team over the next five years, Gosling — or maybe Gardiner — is the more likely choice.

Defenders (7)

Locks (4): Renata Fast, Erin Ambrose, Claire Thompson, Ella Shelton

Back to the easy picks. Fast is one of the best defenders in the world and has gotten even better offensively since the PWHL launched in January 2024. She led Canada in scoring at last year’s worlds and is an absolute pain to play against.

Ambrose made her Olympic debut in 2022 and has remained a staple for Canada. She eats big minutes for Montreal in the PWHL and has chemistry with both Thompson and Shelton, giving the coaching staff a few dangerous combos within the top four. Shelton has developed from a depth defender to a top-pair calibre player — even a No. 1 for her New York Sirens team.

Thompson might be the most exciting inclusion for Canada. She set the record for points by a defender at a single tournament (13) in 2022, then took a break from hockey to study medicine at NYU, and is now taking a break from medical school with the hope of making another Olympic roster.

She’s a really fun offensive player, who takes calculated risks and has the speed to make up for any mistakes on the offensive blue line. Her 14 points in the PWHL is tied for second league-wide and tied for first on Minnesota.

Safe bets (1): Jocelyne Larocque

It’s not a great sign that Larocque was traded by Toronto last month by Team Canada and Toronto GM Gina Kingsbury. But there’s a difference between trading one quality player for another in a massive blockbuster and cutting a highly qualified, still steady veteran from an Olympic roster.

Larocque will be 37 next year, but until she retires or someone steals her spot, I’m pencilling her in for Milan.

Inside track (1): Ashton Bell

Bell won gold at the 2022 Olympics. She was cut from the 2023 worlds roster, but has found her way back in the mix in the last year. She’s a natural right-shot with decent size (5-foot-9), which makes Bell a fine depth option for Canada.

The teen phenom (1): Chloe Primerano

This is where I’m projecting into the future, because Primerano will only be 19 by the 2026 Olympics, and she has yet to play against top international competition at the senior level.

She did make the November Rivalry Series roster, over some of the other bubble candidates such as Micah Zandee-Hart and Nicole Gosling, which makes me feel OK about this selection.

Still, for Primerano to make the Olympic team, she will need to make the upcoming worlds roster and show she’s capable of playing at this level. I don’t think either is an unrealistic or unfair expectation. There’s been an adjustment to the NCAA, but it’s been the kind of challenge Primerano needed when she graduated high school a year early to join the University of Minnesota.

She’s one of the most exciting prospects in women’s hockey and could be the future face of the Canadian national team by the 2030 Olympics. If she’s good enough to be (at worst) the 7D at the 2026 Olympics, Canada should bring her along for the learning experience and get ready to hand her the keys for the future.

On the bubble (3): Micah Zandee-Hart, Nicole Gosling, Sophie Jaques

Zandee-Hart had a difficult 2024 season in the PWHL — largely due to injury — and was left off Canada’s roster for world championships. She is having a better year in New York this season and is back on the national team for February Rivalry Series.

But, could Nicole Gosling — who Canada took to last year’s worlds — bump her out of a spot again? Gosling is younger (22) and is a point-per-game, top-pair defender at Clarkson University. She will likely be one of the top picks in the PWHL draft this summer and will only continue to develop against top competition.

By 2026, if Primerano hasn’t proven she can play at the international level, Gosling may very well be the easy choice. And as great as Jaques has been this season, it’s hard to imagine her cracking the Olympic team, given how few National team reps she’s been given, despite her consistently solid play for her NCAA or pro team throughout her career.

Goalies (3)

Locks (2): Ann-Renée Desbiens, Emerance Maschmeyer

Desbiens has lost one gold medal game (2023 worlds) in her last four years as Canada’s starter. Not to mention she currently leads all PWHL goalies in goals-against average, save percentage and wins. Maschmeyer has been her backup in all four of those tournaments. We don’t need to overthink this one!

Inside track (1): Corinne Schroeder

If rosters were chosen today, Schroeder would absolutely be one of the top three Canadian goalies. She’s one of the top netminders in the PWHL with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage through 10 starts. Schroeder has made among the most saves in the league and has consistently posted solid results despite what defensive mishaps may happen in front of her. She’s got good size (5-foot-11), athleticism and technique, making Schroeder a complete package in the crease.

On the bubble (1): Kristen Campbell

Campbell — who was the No. 3 in 2022 — is the wild card here. She was the PWHL’s Goaltender of the Year in 2024, but has had a tough start to the 2024-25 season and was left off the Rivalry roster in favor of Schroeder. If she can find her game again, maybe she will take her spot back.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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