2025 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship Preview: Players to watch on every team
Now that all the presents have been handed out and the confetti from the New Year’s Eve parties has been cleaned up, it’s time for the annual showcase of the rising stars in women’s hockey.
The 2025 IIHF Women’s Under-18 World Championship is set to get underway in Vaanta, Finland on Saturday, the second time the nation has hosted the tournament.
The United States is once again a favorite to win gold, especially since they are the defending champions after beating upstart Czechia last year. Canada, who won bronze for the second time ever, is one of the teams looking to get back to the championship game.
Here’s a look at every team in the tournament:
For the full schedule, visit IIHF.com
GROUP A
Finland
Suomi made it to the bronze medal for the fifth straight tournament last year. However, they ultimately lost to the overpowering Canadians, finishing fourth for the second straight tournament.
Like last year’s team, there are a lot of players on the roster who are playing in Auroraliiga, the top women’s league in Finland. There is also some notable experience, with 11 players returning from the 2024 tournament.
Offense was scarce for Finland last year. Emma Ekoluoma, who led the team with 11 points in Zug, has aged out. That will put pressure on three-time U-18 national star Abigail Byskata, who is the top returning scorer from 2024. Nelly Anderson is back to give some experience on the blue line, while 16-year-old defender Oona Hämäläinen is one player to keep an eye on.
They bring back their starting goaltender, Kerttu Kuja-Halkola, who played in six of the Finns’ seven contests last year and is back at the U-18s for a third time. She is off to a great start with Team Kuortane, posting a 1.63 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage in 17 games.
Japan
Japan is making its return to the top division after being relegated to D1A following a last-place finish in 2023. Following a 5-0 finish last year, the Japanese are trying to avoid relegation for the first time since their back-to-back appearances in 2014 and 2015.
Unfortunately, it will not be easy. Defender Kohane Sato, who was a key player in getting the Japanese team promoted to the top division, has aged out. Thankfully, Umeka Odaira and Azumi Numabe are back in the lineup.
Odaira led Japan in the D1A tournament last year, finishing second in the tournament with nine points, scoring four goals and five assists in five games. Numabe finished right behind Odaira in team scoring, potting two goals and seven points. Both players were exceptional despite only being 15 years old in 2024.
Sweden
One year after a surprising run to the gold medal game, Sweden stumbled in Switzerland, falling to the eventual silver medalists, Czechia.
Similar to what we’ve seen in the past, Tre Kronor has plenty of domestic talent coming out of the SDHL. Unfortunately, they don’t have Ebba Hedqvist and Hilda Svensson, excellent scoring threats who have aged out. In fact, the Swedes lost their top eight scorers from last year’s tournament.
They have a solid amount of experience on the back end, with Nelle Svensson, Wilma Georgny and Elsa Åberg expected to log the big minutes against the opponent’s top players. Players such has Ebba Esterlind and Edit Danielsson are expected to be some of the biggest scoring threats for Tre Kronor.
Frölunda’s Maja Helge is back between the pipes for Sweden. In Switzerland, she went 1-2, taking the loss in the quarterfinals. She’ll most likely be backed up by Linköping’s Jordine Heller.
United States
The reigning gold medalists are hungry to win the world championship in consecutive years for the first time since they won four straight tournaments from 2015 to 2018. Looking at this year’s roster, there is little reason to doubt that it can happen again.
Eight players return from last year’s team, with the likes of Maggie Scannell, Rose Dwyer and Josie St. Martin heading to the collegiate ranks.
Mary Derrenbacher is the returning leading scorer for the Americans, having scored two goals and eight points as a 15-year-old in Switzerland last year. The Raleigh, North Carolina native has been making a name for herself at Shattuck St. Mary’s over the last few years, and is one of seven Shattuck products on this year’s U.S. roster.
Sisters Maggie and Caroline Averill are back on the roster. Caroline, who is committed to Princeton, is expected to help carry the offense, with Maggie anchoring a stout blue line.
Natalia Dilbone is the only netminder from the team that won gold last January, picking up the win in the quarterfinals against Germany. However, the Little Caesars product will be challenged by Shattuck’s netminder and WHL draft pick Morgan Stickney.
GROUP B
Canada
The Canadians are hoping to bounce back after their stunning loss in the semifinals last year, leading to a bronze medal finish.
However, this is a much different-looking team compared to 2024. Only five players are back from the team that played in Zug, with Caitlin Kraemer and Abby Stonehouse both taking their talents to the NCAA ranks.
However, they are getting Chloe Primerano back. The North Vancouver native set a tournament record in points by a defender in last year’s tournament, scoring eight goals and eight assists in Switzerland. She’s had a great start to 2024-25 with the University of Minnesota, even making her senior national team debut during the Rivalry Series in November.
The Canadians also have a heavy presence from the OWHL’s Etobicoke Dolphins. Six players are representing the U-22 team, including scoring threats Ava Wood and Lexie Bertelsen.
Canada is bringing in three new goaltenders. Ava Drabyk of RHA Kelowna leads the CSSHL in goals-against average (0.72) and save percentage (.963), while Barrie Sharks netminder Amelia Wilkinson is one of the best backstops in the OWHL.
Czechia
The rise of women’s hockey in Czechia has been incredible since the pandemic. Not only has there been success with the senior national team, but the U-18 team has been impressive, knocking off Canada to get to the gold medal game last year.
There is some notable changeover to this year’s team, with Adela Sapvalivova and Tereza Plosova both aging out. In fact, there are only nine skaters from last year’s silver-medal-winning roster. That said, the Czechs have a strong “veteran” presence on the blue line.
Defenders Aneta Paroubková, Adéla Fromová and Veronika Hujová are back after being key contributors in 2024. Paroubková finished fourth on the team in scoring last year and is having a great year with HC Baník Příbram in the top women’s league in Czechia.
Another player to keep an eye on is Linda Vocetková. The 17-year-old is entering her third Under-18s and is hoping to bounce back after scoring just one goal in last year’s tournament. Vocetková is in her second season with Djurgårdens IF of the SDHL and has looked good for Czechia in international matchups leading up to the tournament.
Slovakia
Slovakia was handed a heavy dose of reality in last year’s tournament. With the U.S. in their group, the Slovaks struggled to find the same success they had in the “tiered group” format, and some believe their lack of depth will hurt them again.
Yet, the team has some spark to turn heads, especially with Nela Lopušanová back in the lineup for a third time. After making a name for herself as a 14-year-old, she struggled last year in Switzerland but is still considered one of the best 2008 birth years. Lopušanová has already committed to Wisconsin, though she won’t join the Badgers until the fall of 2026. Lopušanová is leading Slovakia’s charge in trying to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics. In just three games, she has scored 11 goals and 18 points.
Along with Lopušanová, Ohio State commit Ema Tothova is making her fourth appearance at the U-18s. The 17-year-old has been tearing it up with HK PSRZ Bratislava in the EWHL and has also been playing well for the senior national team during the Olympic qualifiers, scoring seven points in the first three games.
Switzerland
Outside of 2019, the Swiss have finished seventh at the U-18s every year since they were last promoted to the top division in 2014. Even when hosting the event last January, they only picked an overtime loss prior to be knocked out by Canada in the quarters.
Even though it will be tough playing in a group with Czechia and Canada, Switzerland has a couple of players looking to show they have senior national team potential. Naemi Herzig is already on that level, having played for Switzerland at last year’s IIHF Women’s World Championship. The EVZ product was the captain for the Under-18 team in Zug last year, and is hoping to be a little more productive in Finland.
Norina Müller potted a goal during last year’s tournament for the Swiss, and is expected to be an important asset this time around. The 16-year-old has been very productive for HC Fribourg-Gottéron in the top Swiss Women’s Hockey League, scoring nine goals and 13 points in 18 games.
The action begins on Jan. 4 with every team in action. The U.S. kicks things off against Japan, while a Scandinavian battle between rivals Finland and Sweden follows. Czechia and Switzerland meet before the Canadians face Slovakia.