Hilary Knight is so interested in the fierce women's hockey competition between the United States and Canada that the 34-year-old realizes that the decades-long era of North American dominance may finally be coming to an end. , has overseen the international growth of her sport.
Whether it's this year's 10-nation world championships, which begin Wednesday in Utica, New York, or the 2026 Winter Olympics, the U.S. captain said he can imagine a time when Americans and Canadians won't be held back. Ta. I met a gold medal on the line.
“This speaks to the increased attention and investment in this sport. More countries can come and play and I think that's great,” said the nine-time world champion. said Knight, who is preparing to play in his 14th tournament. “That's why we have to take this tournament one match at a time, because nothing is guaranteed.”
Similar expectations have been raised in Canada, and two-time Olympian Renata Fast welcomes the challenge of countries bridging the competitive gap, though she wouldn't say it's a concern.
“As a high-performance athlete, you want to play your best and give other teams a tough fight,” Fast said. “All of our goals are to grow the game. And the more challenges, the better.”
Make no mistake, the defending champion Americans and Canadians will likely play for gold for the 22nd time in 23 tournaments on April 14th. The only exception was in 2019, when host team Finland defeated Canada in the semifinals and then lost to the United States in a penalty shootout.
While Finland remain the favorites, the fast-rising Czech and young Swedish teams, who have won the last two bronze medals, are showing signs of being ready to take on the challenge.
“We're by no means resting on our laurels,” Czech coach and former Canadian Olympian Carla MacLeod said of her team, which played in the IIHF's second division until 2015. .
“The mission is clear. Everyone is trying their best to give their team the best chance to win gold, and we are no exception,” she added. “Is it now or will it come later? We'll never know. …But I think the gap will close.”
The Swede, who hasn't won a medal since 2007, is full of confidence.
They are supported by a young roster of 14 players under the age of 22, including nine players who won silver medals with the U-18 team in 2018 and 2023. And Sweden returns the majority of the team that nearly beat Canada in the final. In last year's world quarterfinals, they lost 3-2 in overtime.
“We don't respect them as much as we did a few years ago,” said 18-year-old Mira Jungaker, referring to the United States and Canada. “Obviously, we still respect them, but we just don’t have the confidence that we can actually beat them on the ice.”
The competitive landscape for women's hockey is changing, with more European countries turning to U.S. universities to develop players. The launch of a six-team women's professional hockey league this year is expected to further increase the level of parity by attracting more international players to North America.
Currently, the majority of players in the PWHL are Canadian and American, but the league is keen to expand its base. Five Czech players have competed in the PWHL, and MacLeod said it's remarkable how much their confidence has grown by showing they can play with the best players.
“They're learning that they're not just players in the league, they're players that have an impact on the league,” said PWHL Ottawa, which has two Czech players, including tie-breaker Katerina Murazova. said MacLeod, who also serves as a coach. He finished third in the scoring race with 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists).
Czech defenseman Aneta Tejralova, who also plays in Ottawa, will take over as captain following the retirement of Alina Mills, while the team will be without Dominika Raskova of PWHL Montreal, who is out with an injury.
The Czech national team has brought back goalkeeper Klara Peslarova, who missed last year's World Championship due to injury. Peslarova finished seventh in Beijing 2022, her first Olympic appearance, with two wins and three losses, while allowing just seven goals.
The Americans are looking to rejuvenate their team, and third-year coach John Roblewski is interested in developing the player base, while also focusing on forward Amanda Kessel, who was lost to retirement, and this year's PWHL Minnesota He will replace top defenseman Lee Steklein, who is concentrating on playing in the field.
Forward Kirsten Sims, who was last season's college hockey leading scorer at age 19, Laila Edwards, 20, Joy Dunn, 18, and defenseman Sydney Morrow, 19, will make their world debuts for the national team.
“The idea is we can wait until they're ready or they get there and we just work to expedite that process,” Wroblewski said.
The Americans will welcome the return of Kendall Coyne Schofield, who missed 2023 to give birth to her son Drew.
Canada returns many of its experienced core players from Marie-Philippe Poulain's team, which won gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics. And coach Troy Ryan expects this group to stay together until the 2026 Olympics.
“We beat them with our experience and our ability to know how to win,” Ryan said of the team that also won world championships in 2021 and 22 and lost to the Americans 6-3 last year for silver. .
“I don't think we need to redo anything. I think we're in a good position,” Ryan said. “Our group has not been swept away by any stretch of the imagination.”
___
AP Women's Hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
