What Team Canada's Roster Could Look Like at the 2026 Women's World Championship

Team Canada Training Camp is underway in Quebec as the countdown to Women’s Worlds continues, starting with a pre-comp matchup against the USA in Windsor (Oct 28) and Plymouth (Oct 30). 

This year’s invites include a lot of fresh faces which may be a good sign as Canada has continued to struggle against the USA with their veteran core leading to a change in leadership for the National Team. While the veterans have been a major part of Canada’s past success and welcoming in this new age of women’s hockey, the National program has fallen behind in development in comparison to countries like the USA who still feature veterans but have a strong youthful presence. We’ve even seen Canadian players change to represent other countries they have roots to, like Nina-Jobst Smith a defender out of British Columbia who represents Germany on the National stage. 

If Canada hopes to get ahead they are going to need to make major changes to their lineups and that starts with the youth. So here’s a potential look at some new options for Team Canada as they look to get back in the win column against the USA. 

Starting in net Canada already has strong goaltenders in Ann-Renee Desbiens and Kayle Osborne, but the future of the program looks like it’s going to Eve Gascon, while she will likely be the third goalie at Worlds this year, expect to see her step into a bigger role with Team Canada in coming years. Another exciting invite is Hannah Murphy from the Seattle Torrent who came in and took the starting role from Corrine Schroeder. 

Then on defence, I think this is where we should see the biggest shakeup, returning on defence I think should be Sophie Jaques, Renata Fast and Erin Ambrose, while bringing in some new faces with Kendall Cooper, Sara Swiderski, Chloe Primerano, and Kati Tabin. 

Well, Primerano has been part of the National program and she has been underutilized, I think with the new leadership coming in they see the importance of infusing youth in their roster and building the future of the program. In yesterday's Red and White matchup Primerano was paired with 2026 first-round pick for the Minnesota Frost, Sara Swiderski out of Ohio State where she was d-pairing alongside Emma Peschel. 

Another exciting invite on the defensive end is Kendall Cooper who wrapped up an incredible rookie season with the Minnesota Frost before signing with Vegas in expansion. This past year we got to see Cooper take on her own line with the Frost and I think she would make a strong pairing with someone like Erin Ambrose who also happens to be heading to Vegas. Another defender at camp I hope to see make the cut is Kati Tabin from the Montreal Victoire, who just wrapped an incredible year with the first-ever Canadian Walter Cup, her alongside her d-partner Maggie Flaherty were a key part of the Victoire roster becoming their top d-pairing.

On offence we will most likely see the return of veterans Laura Stacey, Kristen O’Neill, Brianne Jenner, alongside newer additions, Sarah Fillier, Jenn Gardiner, Daryl Watts and Julia Gosling. These players have all continued to prove themselves in the PWHL and with the National Team, at the Olympics Kristen O’Neill, Jenn Gardiner, and Julia Gosling were on a line together that didn’t get much playing time but continued to produce, hopefully we get to see this line together again in a much bigger role. Another player likely to make the final cut is Emma Maltais who is gearing up for her first season with the Montreal Victoire after signing as a free-agent in the off-season. Another possible returner is Emily Clark who signed with Hamilton this off-season in expansion. 

Those 7 spots, still leaves lots of opportunities with it normally being 13 forwards. One person I would love to see make the roster is 18-year old Rosalie Tremblay, who is currently playing for the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA. Last year Tremblay represented Canada at the U18 Championship last year, where she put up 7 points in 6 games. She has been a major offensive threat throughout her career, last year putting up117 points in 57 games in her senior year of high school with Stanstead College Varsity. So far this season in the NCAA she is averaging a point per game. She is another player that is going to have a major part in Canada’s future, so why not start her now and give her the experience even if it’s in a smaller role. 

Beyond that Rebecca Leslie should be making the roster after being a late cut for the 2026 Olympics, which fans weren’t a huge fan of. Leslie didn’t let it stop her absolutely lighting up for the Charge through the last stretch of the season and the playoffs. Honestly, it would be a major shock if she was once again left off the roster. Another player who didn’t make the Olympic roster that I would love to see back on Canada’s National Team is Danielle Serdachny, well she did fall into a little bit of a slump her first year in the PWHL, the move to Seattle helped her get that spark back once she settled in, with several multi-point games. 

Another player I think would be a good addition is Sara Manness from Colgate University. She is again a player that is going to be a part of the future, so getting that experience alongside veterans and being able to learn I think is important. And Manness can hold her own; last year with the Golden Knights she had 52 points in 25 games, and is already averaging more than a point per game in her first four appearances this season. Beyond that she had an incredible career in the juniors with the Burlington Barracudas out of the U22 Elite League with 53 points in 29 games her final year. She also represented Canada at the U18 Championship last year where she had 9 points in 6 games. She is a consistent producer on offence which is what Canada needs. 

Then out of the PWHL Abby Newhook with the Boston Fleet and Sara Wozniewicz from the Ottawa Charge were invited to camp. These are exciting invites especially after their rookie seasons. Newhook got to remain in Boston after an amazing career with the Eagles, which really helped ease that transition into the pros, with 15 points in her rookie season through the playoffs with a +16, that also includes two-game winning goals. Then you have Wizniewucz who made a statement with the Ottawa Charge with 17 points through the playoffs including 4 game winning goals. 

Other camp invites not listed above that are attending camp: 

Jocelyn Amos, Eloise Caron, Jessie Eldridge, Caitlin Kraemer, Hayley McDonald, Hannah Miller, Claire Murdoch, Grace Outwater, Emma Pais, Abby Stonehouse, Ashton Bell, Jamie Bourbonnais, Brooke Disher, Nicole Gosling, Jocelyn Larocque, Ava Murphy, Ella Shelton, Emma Venusio, Raygan Kirk, and Corrine Schroeder