Led by Marie-Philip Poulin, a.k.a. “Captain Clutch,” defending Olympic gold medal-winning Canada is leaning heavily on experience in unveiling its 23-player women’s hockey roster on Friday for the Milan Cortina Games next month.
Team Canada returns 16 players from the team that set numerous scoring records and finished 7-0 in dominating the 2022 Beijing Games.
The 34-year-old Poulin will be making her fifth Olympic appearance. And she earned her nickname for scoring three Olympic gold-medal-winning goals, including Canada’s 3-2 win over the United States four years ago.
“We are confident we have selected a highly motivated and eager group who take great pride an passion in wearing the Maple Leaf,” Team Canada general manager Gina Kingsbury said. “It has been a long four-year journey for the entire team, and we are excited for the opportunity to compete for a gold medal.”
Other notable returning forwards include Sarah Nurse, who in 2022 set the women’s Olympic tournament record for most points (18) and assists (13), as well as Sarah Fillier, Blayre Turnbull and Natalie Spooner. On defense, the Canadians bring back 37-year-old Jocelyn Laroque, Renata Fast and Claire Thompson.
And Canada will have experience in net with Ann-Renee Desbiens set to make her third Olympic appearance. The projected starter allowed just five goals on 150 shots in winning five games at Beijing.
The third-year Professional Women’s Hockey League is well-represented, with all 23 Canadians competing in the eight-team league.
The expectation was for the Troy Ryan-coached Canadians to go with experience in preparing to face a much younger U.S. squad. The Americans spent the past four years retooling and, last week, unveiled a 23-player roster featuring just 11 returnees from 2022, with seven players still competing in the college ranks.
The Americans are favored to win what would be their third gold since women’s hockey began Olympic competition at the 1998 Nagano Games. Canada has won the tournament five times.
The U.S. put its skill on display in sweeping Canada in a four-game exhibition Rivalry Series late last year, in which they outscored their cross-border rivals by a combined 24-7.
Though Rivalry Series results don’t generally reflect the outcomes in international competition, the four losses led to questions regarding Canada’s ability to keep up with the speedier Americans.
“These are important games. We didn’t show up. It’s unacceptable. And we’re all aware of it,” Poulin said following a 10-4 loss in Game 3, which marked the most goals the Canadian women have ever allowed.
The global powers have split the past four world championships, with the Americans most recently winning gold following a 3-2 overtime victory over the Canadians in April.
Canada opens the Games against Finland on Feb. 5. And their preliminary round showdown against the U.S. will take place five days later.
Among the Canadian newcomers are defender Sophie Jaques and forwards Daryl Watts and Kristin O’Neill.
Among the snubs were forward Danielle Serdachny and defender Micah Zandee-Hart, captain of the PWHL New York Sirens. Serdachny, most notably, scored the decisive goal in Canada’s 6-5 overtime win over the U.S. in the gold-medal game at the 2024 world championships.
It’s unclear if Canada was barred by the International Ice Hockey Federation from including Hannah Miller, because the forward previously represented China at the 2022 Games.
AP Olympic coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Montreal Victoire's Marie-Philip Poulin (29) celebrates with teammates Laura Stacey (7) and Kati Tabin (9) after scoring against the Minnesota Frost during overtime in a PWHL hockey game in Laval, Quebec, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Victoire Captain Marie-Philip Poulin donates a jersey from her personal collection during the launch of the Great Canadian Jersey initiative in Montreal, Canada, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)
