5 things to watch as Canada aims to repeat as world champions of women's hockey
Canadians open vs. Finland on Thursday in final major tourney before 2026 Olympics
For players hoping to earn a spot on the Canadian team heading to Italy for the Olympics next February, this world championship is a crucial audition.
It's the last major tournament before the Games, and a key opportunity for the Canadian staff to test things out.
Players will have some games in the PWHL before the Olympics next February, and the league has certainly become a top evaluation tool for Hockey Canada.
"I think [the PWHL is] great for women's hockey," Canadian GM Gina Kingsbury told CBC Sports in an interview last week. "It allows for a true platform to showcase your skill set and potentially play on the national team."
But this tournament, taking place for the first time in the Czech Republic, might be the last and best chance to take a long look at players in different roles and gauge chemistry.
The Canadians begin the tournament on Thursday against Finland at 1 p.m. ET, followed by another preliminary-round game against Switzerland on Friday at 9 a.m.
HOCKEY NORTH | Previewing women's hockey worlds with PWHL's Natalie Spooner:
Then, they'll have back-to-back battles against the United States on Sunday (1 p.m.) and the Czech Republic on Monday (1 p.m.). All games air on TSN.
As a team seeded in Group A, Canada is already guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, which begin on April 17.
The big question, of course, is whether the Canadians can hold off the Americans to repeat as world champions.
But here are five other intriguing story lines to watch for Team Canada throughout the tournament.
An opportunity for Campbell
Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell will start in Canada's preliminary-round game against Finland, The Canadian Press reported on Wednesday.
But Maschmeyer is out of this tournament with an injury and Desbiens is getting up to speed after time away rehabbing an injury of her own. That has created an opening for Campbell to take the reins, at least at the beginning of the world championship.
Desbiens is expected to play during the tournament.
"It's not necessarily injury related. In my mind, it's more preparation to get [Desbiens] sharp," Canadian head coach Troy Ryan told The Canadian Press.
"I don't think this injury has changed our perception of what Ann can bring to this. She's played a lot of the key moments for us and will continue to in this event as well."
Expanded roster
Canada was able to bring 25 players to worlds for the first time. It means the Canadian staff has a chance to take a longer look at more players ahead of next year's Olympics, where Canada can only bring 23 players.
It also means some players who've made the trip to the Czech Republic will have to sit out games, since teams can't dress all 25 players at once.
That could mean veterans scratched in favour of newer players, as Canada takes a deeper look at what it has ahead of the Games.
The competition on defence
Canada has no shortage of good options on defence. It won't be an easy decision for Kingsbury and her staff.
"It's a little bit of a mix of you've got to check some boxes," Kingsbury said. "You've got to have players that can play on the power play. You've got to have players that can kill. You've got to have some chemistry with D partners and how you can be deployed five-on-five."
When it comes to chemistry, Canada deployed a top four of Claire Thompson (Minnesota) with Renata Fast (Toronto) and Ella Shelton (New York) with Erin Ambrose (Montreal) throughout all five Rivalry Series games this season.
If Canada sticks with that mix, then at least one of Jocelyne Larocque (Ottawa) and Micah Zandee-Hart (New York), both shutdown options, seem likely on the third pair.
Hockey Canada will also want to take a look at Sophie Jaques (Minnesota) and 18-year-old Chloe Primerano (University of Minnesota), who are on their first worlds roster.
There's no shortage of puck-moving ability on this blue line, from the PWHL's assist leader, Fast, to the tried-and-true power-play quarterback, Ambrose. But someone like Primerano could also be an intriguing option with the player advantage.
Primerano's role
Speaking of Primerano, she is the youngest defender to make a world championship team since a 17-year-old Cheryl Pounder cracked the squad in 1994.
Primerano was paired with veteran Larocque on the third pair at all three Rivalry Series games she played in the fall. She didn't falter when Ryan called on her in a shootout. Primerano scored the game winner.
In February, Larocque said she was most impressed with Primerano's eagerness to learn, and how she was trying to figure out what she could have done better after each shift.
How Canada deploys her in this tournament will be something to watch.
Depth through the middle
When Hannah Miller (Toronto) was ruled ineligible to play for Canada, the team lost a versatile player who could easily slot in as a top-six centre.
After Poulin, Ryan could turn to Sarah Nurse (Toronto), who has recently worked her way back from an injury, or Sarah Fillier, a natural centre who has mostly played on the wing this season with the New York Sirens. Blayre Turnbull (Toronto) and Kristin O'Neill (Montreal) are likely to round out the bottom six down the middle.
Moving Fillier to centre would take her off Poulin's wing, a combination the Canadian team has experimented with over the last year. But perhaps that problem is solved by having Jennifer Gardiner, Poulin's winger on the Montreal Victoire, on this roster.
Asked about Gardiner at the Rivalry Series in February, Poulin praised her rookie teammate's attitude and enthusiasm.
"She wants to learn," Poulin said.
"She wants to push. And you can see game after game, she gets more confidence."
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With files from The Canadian Press
