Canada’s women’s hockey team for the upcoming Olympics in Italy will be led by sixteen veterans from the gold-winning team in Beijing. Marie-Philip Poulin, the team captain, holds the record for the most Olympic goals in hockey, aiming for her fifth Olympic medal in her fifth Games. Joining her are other notable forwards like Sarah Fillier, Laura Stacey, and Emma Maltais. Seven players will make their Olympic debut, including Daryl Watts and Kristin O’Neill.
The team was selected after three training camps in Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal last fall. The final roster includes experienced players like Renata Fast and newcomers like Kati Tabin. Ann-Renée Desbiens is expected to be the starting goaltender, supported by Emerance Maschmeyer and Kayle Osborne. The team’s GM, Gina Kingsbury, expressed confidence in the selected group’s motivation and passion for representing Canada.
Notable omissions from the roster include 19-year-old Chloe Primerano on defense and Micah Zandee-Hart on offense. The team will face Finland in their opening match on Feb. 5, aiming to add to their five Olympic gold medals. Hockey Canada’s president, Katherine Henderson, commended the selected players and expressed pride in their achievements.