Hockey Canada names roster for Brampton 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship

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Published March 10, 2023 at 12:23 pm

Marie-Philip Poulin (29) of Canada celebrates with teammate Brianne Jenner (19) after scoring against the USA during second period Rivalry Series hockey action in Laval, Que., Wednesday, February 22, 2023. Poulin will lead an experienced squad when Canada seeks its third straight women's world hockey title next month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Hockey Canada has released its 23-player roster for the 2023 Women’s World Championship in Brampton next month.

Captain Marie-Philip Poulin will lead an experienced Canadian squad when they take on the world at Brampton’s CAA Centre in April.

Eighteen players selected to the roster were part of Canada’s championship team last year in Denmark, and all players except forward Danielle Serdachny have previously appeared in a world championship.

Canada will open its quest for a third straight gold medal when the tournament kicks off on April 5. The 10-country tournament at Brampton’s CAA Centre will see Canada take on some different opponents early because of a shakeup in the standings at last year’s world championship.

“Our staff had some very difficult decisions selecting this roster and that speaks to the depth that we have within our program,” said head coach Troy Ryan in a statement. “We are confident that we have assembled a talented roster with a great deal of character and leadership. Our entire staff is excited to have the opportunity to work with each of these athletes as we begin this journey toward a World Championship.”

Canada is in Group A with Czechia, Japan, Switzerland and the United States, while Group B includes Finland, France, Germany, Hungary and Sweden.

All games will be played in Brampton and this year marks the first time since 2000 that the Women’s Worlds will come to the Greater Toronto Area.

Sarah Fillier, who led Canada with 11 points last year in Denmark and was named to the all-tournament team, is among the forwards that will help Canada seek a third straight title for the first time since it won the first eight world championships between 1990 and 2004.

The other returnees from the 2022 tournament are defender Erin Ambrose; goaltender Kristen Campbell; forward Emily Clark; goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens; defender Renata Fast; forward Brianne Jenner; defender Jocelyne Larocque; forward Emma Maltais; goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer; forward Sarah Nurse; forward Kristin O’Neill; forward Jamie Lee Rattray; defender Ella Shelton; forward Laura Stacey; forward Blayre Turnbull; and defender Micah Zandee-Hart.

Canada has defeated archrival United States in the last two world championship finals, with a 3-2 overtime win in Calgary in 2021 and 2-1 victory last year in Herning and Frederikshavn, Denmark.

Canada also downed the U.S. 3-2 in the 2022 Olympic final as part of an impressive run by the women’s national team.

Canada will open against Switzerland on April 5.

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