Marie-Philip Poulin, Ann-Renee Desbiens highlight Canada’s roster for 2025 Women’s World Championship

Canada has put together a very intriguing roster for Czechia in hopes of bringing home the gold once again.

On Friday, Hockey Canada announced the roster that will be donning the maple leaf at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

This year’s team will include many of the usual suspects, headlined by captain Marie-Philip Poulin, defender Erin Ambrose and all-world goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens. Desbiens’ status was uncertain after she had to be helped off the ice in the Montreal Victoire’s shootout loss to the Boston Fleet on Tuesday, but any injury clearly isn’t severe enough to keep her out of action.

We’ll also see the reuniting of longtime d-partners Renata Fast and Jocelyne Larocque. The duo was separated when Larocque was traded from the Toronto Sceptres to the Ottawa Charge in late December.

Forward Sarah Nurse was named to the roster despite being out of action since suffering an injury in Game 4 of the Rivalry Series. The Hamilton, Ontario native has been skating in recent weeks, but it’s unknown if she’ll play with the Sceptres before the international break.

There are some notable changes from the Rivalry Series and last year’s Women’s Worlds roster. With goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer injured, it opened a spot for Kristen Campbell to rejoin the team. The Sceptres goaltender hasn’t played for Canada since she was lit up in the Rivalry Series opener in November.

Also, the team followed what USA Hockey did and added a collegiate netminder to its roster. Minnesota Duluth sophomore, and WCHA Goaltender of the Year Eve Gascon impressed as a member of the National Development Team during the Euro Hockey Tour in December.

Also, Julia Gosling, who was a key rookie on last year’s gold medal team, is off the roster. Daryl Watts, Sophie Jaques and Claire Thompson will be in the lineup as well. Watts has never played for the senior national team but has played her way onto the roster thanks to her efforts in the PWHL. This will be Thompson’s first Women’s Worlds appearance since the 2023 edition of the tournament.

Hannah Miller, who previously played for China at the 2022 Winter Olympics, has been given special approval to play for Canada in the tournament.

One of the more peculiar names on this year’s roster is that of defender Chloe Primerano. The freshman at the University of Minnesota made her senior national team debut during the first leg of the Rivalry Series in November, scoring a winner in the shootout. She also helped Canada’s U-18 team win gold in January, finishing tied with Poulin for the most career points by a Canadian in the tournament’s history.

Canada begins tournament play on Thursday, April 10, against Finland. They will once again be in Group A along with the U.S., Switzerland and host Czechia.

For the full Team Canada roster, click here.

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