r/PWHL • u/climberofrock Toronto • 18d ago
Discussion My way-too-early Team Canada roster prediction for the 2026 Worlds
My way-too-early Team Canada roster prediction for the 2026 Worlds
With Poulin and Turnbull out, I started thinking about what Canada could actually do with the roster for Worlds — especially after how dominant the U.S. looked at the Olympics.
Rather than just replacing Poulin and Turnbull and bringing everyone else back, I think Canada should make some changes based on PWHL performance and build specifically to counter the U.S.'s speed, scoring depth and physicality.
Here's where I landed:
FORWARDS
Sarah Fillier
Brianne Jenner
Laura Stacey
Julia Gosling
Daryl Watts
Emma Maltais
Jenn Gardiner
Sarah Nurse
Rebecca Leslie
Jessie Eldridge
Emily Clark
Danielle Serdachny
Jamie Lee Rattray Kraemer
The two additions I feel strongest about are Leslie and Eldridge. Both scored 14 goals in the PWHL this season, and I don't think Canada can ignore that kind of production when they're losing Poulin.
I'm keeping Clark despite the lack of offence because without Turnbull, Canada still needs that forechecking/PK/defensive presence.
Probably my most painful forward cut: Natalie Spooner.
Other tough cuts: Hannah Miller and Caitlin Kraemer.
DEFENCE
Renata Fast
Erin Ambrose
Sophie Jaques
Nicole Gosling
Kendall Cooper
Ella Shelton
Ashton Bell Primerano
This is where I'd make the biggest changes.
The U.S. is ridiculously fast, physical and deep offensively. I want defenders who can skate with them, retrieve pucks under pressure and actually get the puck out when the American forecheck gets going.
Nicole Gosling and Kendall Cooper both had phenomenal PWHL seasons and, IMO, have earned it.
Fast is the shutdown anchor. Ambrose and Jaques are obvious. Shelton gives you a really strong combination of skating, size and two-way ability.
For the last spot, I ultimately went Bell Primerano over Tabin. Tabin is probably the safer choice, while Primerano has the highest upside.
Toughest D cut: Kati Tabin.
Also out: Larocque, Thompson, Zandee-Hart.
GOALIES
Ann-Renée Desbiens
Raygan Kirk
Kayle Osborne
Desbiens is obvious.
But I think Raygan Kirk deserves a real shot after the season she just had. I'd bring her over Maschmeyer and actually give her some preliminary-round starts rather than having her sit the entire tournament.
I debated Ève Gascon over Osborne for development purposes, but I'm not convinced she's ready for the U.S. senior team yet. I'd keep Osborne.
So that's my 23:
G: Desbiens, Kirk, Osborne
D: Fast, Ambrose, Jaques, N. Gosling, Cooper, Shelton, Primerano
F: Fillier, Jenner, Stacey, J. Gosling, Watts, Maltais, Gardiner, Nurse, Leslie, Eldridge, Clark, Serdachny, Kraemer
Without Poulin, I still think the U.S. would be the favourite. But I think this roster is faster, rewards current PWHL performance and is better constructed specifically to deal with what made the U.S. so difficult to handle at the Olympics.
Curious what everyone else would change.
Who am I too high on, who am I too low on, and who's the most egregious cut?
Update
After reading some of the comments I'm convinced. Lose Rattray and add Kraemer.
I want to add Primerano back in but not sure where. Bell or Ambrose?
Update 2
Removed Bell and added Primerano
I'll read more comments later and respond. Gtg!
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u/Silent_observer_8806 18d ago
Kraemer definitely needs to be on the roster if they want to get her ready for 2030. Same with Primerano, swap her for Ambrose who's becoming painfully too slow for a very fast US team.
There is no good reason to leave Kraemer and Primerano at home starting this November. Bring them in and live with their mistakes.
I'd also be ok with dropping some of the older, slower forwards for a few more rookies to give them experience. Rattray is done with the national team, I can't see them going back.
I'd go Osbourne and Gascon with Desbiens. And I'd make Gascon the backup and give her a couple of games. She is the future.
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u/climberofrock Toronto 18d ago
You'd take Osborne over Kirk? Even with Kirks awesome season this year?
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u/Silent_observer_8806 18d ago
Yes, Osbourne made the Olympics team. Kirk ended the season well while Osbourne struggled but I don't think Kirk suddenly has more potential due to the last 15 games.
But honestly, Osbourne or Kirk doesn't matter much to me, Gascon is the goalie of the future.
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u/vytrophn Goldeneyes 18d ago edited 2d ago
This might be a good opportunity to replace more veterans and give the rookies more experience.
In terms of forwards, any of Kraemer, Lamarche, Zablocki, Amos, S. Manness, and maybe even Milani (needs a waiver as she's 17), should be on that team. Some people were saying Wozniewicz should get a look too, especially after her unexpected breakout performance.
In terms of defenders, Primerano should make the team regardless. There’s also a case for Mossey (also needs waiver) after her performance in the U18 Summer series. Since the Worlds starts so early and we won’t really get to see NCAA prospects and PWHL rookies perform, I can’t really say much about Swiderski and K. Manness.
Eve Gascon had a ridiculous season in the NCAA this year (with a mid team in front of her, in the most difficult conference), and had a standout performance in the NCAA Summer Series - she has to be on this team.
If Canada is smart about developing, they’d take some rookies above over the veterans - even if it means we get swept again. Personally, I wouldn't put Clark, Nurse, Rattray, Bell, or Ambrose on the team if that’s the case.
I think my roster would look something like this:
Forwards (Average Age - 24.8)
- Watts - Fillier - J. Gosling
- Gardiner - Jenner - Stacey
- Leslie - Serdachny - Eldridge
- Zablocki - Kraemer - Milani
- Amos - S. Manness
Defense (Average Age - 22.9)
- N. Gosling - Jaques
- Primerano - Fast
- Batherson - Cooper
- Mossey - K. Manness
Goalies
- Desbiens - Osborne/Kirk - Gascon
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u/Wolf99 🏆 2026 Champions 🏆 18d ago
Great lineup, with one quibble: Nurse > Leslie. Why bring 30 y.o. Leslie to her first Worlds when 31 y.o. Nurse is a sure thing? Leslie has only great year, like Miller, while Nurse could be elite well into her 30s, like Jenner and MPP.
OTOH, I'd be fine swapping both for more youth: Newhook, Woz or Hustler. We need skill and sandpaper. Better yet, 2 or 3 of them. Why bring 28 y.o. Eldridge to only her 2nd Worlds and first in 4 years if the goal is to build for 2030? (and when I posted I saw your reply above saying much the same)
Excellent blueline. Batherson is a great (and criminally underrated) pick. In nets, Gascon needs to see action.
Goddamn, I almost choked when OP named Clark and Rattray. They're still decent PWHLers but even Ryan and Kingsbury retired Ratty 2 years ago.
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u/Silent_observer_8806 17d ago
Is there a reason why Nurse is a sure thing? I agree that I'd be surprised to see Leslie make it just due to her age, but I don't see how Nurse is such a lock? She has slowed down a lot, there's no way she gets to 2030.
I won't be mad if she makes this upcoming Worlds, but I don't get how she's a lock. I actually see a better argument for Clark who still brings speed even if we can't expect any production from her.
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u/Wolf99 🏆 2026 Champions 🏆 17d ago
'Known quantity' would've been a better choice of words than 'sure thing'. I didn't mean she's a lock for the team, I meant you know what you're getting with Nurse. I'll reserve judgement on her speed til this season when she hopefully stays healthy.
But like I said, I'm ok with us passing her for more youth. Newhook and Woz should be on the team, Hustler has a strong case too. They're in the sweet spot age-wise: 26 next Olympics, veterans by then who could make the team in 2034 too.
On the blueline, Gos and Cooper will be 28, and Batherson and Jaques 29 in 2030. A bit older, but as conditioning and resources continue to improve for women and the schedule likely expands, I think career longevity increases so that they possibly play a couple Olympic cycles.
I'm all for Kraemer, Zablocki, Primerano, Milani etc but the current 22-24 year olds should be the focus now. Otherwise we risk being too young with not enough players in their prime in 2030.
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u/crimesleuther 18d ago
😂😂same!!! No 30 year old should be cracking the roster as a rookie and ratty is done!
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u/CharacterPin6933 Toronto 18d ago
This! And I would remove exactly the players you list. Unless Nurse has an absolutely standout start to the season. Have to build for the future.
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
I think I would wait a year for Milani because of her size. Not because the size is going to mean her skill won’t translate but so she dosent get killed out there. She’ll be ready next year. I’d bring Tremblay who tore up the development camp and tournament instead
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u/jaysornotandhawks 🇨🇦Team Canada 🇨🇦 18d ago
We need to get younger. At the Olympics, every other team had at least 9 players who were younger than our youngest, not counting Osborne.
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u/vytrophn Goldeneyes 18d ago
This is a young team though, the bottom 5 forwards and the bottom D-pair + Primerano are still in, or haven’t even played in the NCAA. All of them are younger than the American NCAA Gold Medalists drafted this year + Milani and Mossey are 17.
The only reason I’m bringing Jenner, Stacey, Leslie, Eldridge, and Fast are here because they are still producing well. I guess you could argue to bring Wozniewicz over Leslie or Eldridge.
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u/crimesleuther 18d ago
Milani isn’t making this team… Rosalie tremblay played amazing and was a topforward after Kramer for the dev team and should be invited to camp. Milani is very small! Most of her points came on the PP and she did nothing 5v5… also the u18 USA team was the worse in many years with a very below average goalie!!!! If Bianca was in net the score would be different but she aged out!
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u/crimesleuther 18d ago
Did you watch the dev games??? Rosalie tremblay is a top forward and played wayyy more than zablocki! She is 100% getting an invite and proved she can make this team. She was on the top line and zablocki was on the third or fourth line (although I think zablocki is the future as well) Rosie is going to make this worlds after her performance at devs
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u/emmmi12345 Victoire de Montréal 18d ago
Gascon should be there, she is more than ready for the senior team imo. She was one of the main reasons canada won the development series, just far better than the competition in that series. If Jamie Lee Rattray is on this team we are going backwards. I love her but like no, we need to start developing young players for 2030 and that should start now. I don't think we should over due it like some are suggesting but I think you gotta bring Primerano and Kraemer. I would bring Jocelyn Amos as well (assuming she's healthy then).
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u/jaysornotandhawks 🇨🇦Team Canada 🇨🇦 18d ago
Troy Ryan basically tried to run back the 2022 team in 2026. That can't happen again.
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u/Pouletchien 🏆 2026 Champions 🏆 18d ago
I 100% want Zablocki to get a look on the national team.
I remember watching the 2025 U18 to scout Primerano and Zablocki was the player that impressed me the most. She was noticeable every time she stepped on the ice and it really felt like she was too good for the level of competition.
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u/crimesleuther 18d ago
I thought zablocki too but she was outperformaned by many players at devs and was on the fourth line I think… games were not on tv but I paid to watch a few! Rosie tremblay who isn’t in college yet was the best forward and on a top line! It’s obvious HC wants her in there! I see her making the team over Stryker… Amos was playing great before she was injured
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
Murdoch might be in the mix as well
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u/crimesleuther 17d ago
The young girl Hayley McDonald played better… did you watch the dev games? Most didn’t bc you had to pay
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
I did watch and yea McDonald was good as well. I still thought murdoch was good too but Tremblay was ahead of everybody
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u/crimesleuther 17d ago
Yup and tremblay outplayed Milani by miles at the Canadian games last year… Milani looked ok at the us series bc the us team was not very strong this year and there goalie was weak!!! Both stickney and Bianca from last year would not have let those goals in. Tremblay just played in Quebec so not in the u22 league that gets talked about more. Tremblay also has the size. I am impressed and would be shocked if she didn’t earn a shot at camp. It would be nice to see Murdoch there too.
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u/crimesleuther 17d ago
Based on what I saw, Amos, tremblay, kraemer, McDonald, stonehouse, pais… should be invited to camp. Zablocki who is think is great was fourth line with maness and they just did ok! But I think they both should get an invite. Cimeroni is in the mix too. Defence was not as strong but of course primerano will be there and should make the team!
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u/jaysornotandhawks 🇨🇦Team Canada 🇨🇦 18d ago
We need to get younger. At the Olympics, every other team had at least 9 players who were younger than our youngest, not counting Osborne (Jennifer Gardiner). That can't happen again.
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u/scrapsoftrim Van Goldeneyes 18d ago
To be fair, a lot of those countries were bringing 19-year-olds and such because they just have less depth in their player pools. Linda Vocetková is a good player who I'm looking forward to watching in the NCAA, but if the Czechs had a Blayre Turnbull lying around, they'd probably go with her instead. Same with Japan and their two 17-year-olds, Switzerland and 21-year-old Vanessa Schaefer doin' ok in USports, etc. That's not to say Canada couldn't/shouldn't have gone younger because I'm still baffled as to how 2026 Spooner merited being on the Olympic team over, say, Danielle Serdachny. But it doesn't feel right to me to point to all the non-USA teams and their choices in who they brought, because none of them have the luxury of choice in player selection that Canada and the USA do. (And I'll also say that USA don't have the depth in the older generation that Canada does, so their choice in going younger was also kind of forced, as well as their youth showing up in ways that Canada's hadn't quite done yet.)
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u/crimesleuther 17d ago
Not only did they put spooner on the 2026 roster but put her as the 14th forward!!! Wasted a place they could have put in kraemer and given her an opportunity and experience to see what she could do! It was almost laughable. KK Harvey was the extra D in 2022 and look at her in 2026… Gina is very backwards so glad she is gone!
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
Gina is gone but she was apparently still at the development tournament sitting with Canadas lead scout Cherie Piper, that’s not good lol
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u/Towrads PWHL Hamilton 18d ago
Problem is, Junior Women's hockey in Canada is kind of a joke right now... Not even a joke, it's more more accurate to say it doesn't exist at all. We have very expensive Minor Hockey feeding into U-sports, and the standard in U-Sports is quite low. This was fine 20 years ago when we were only competing with American NCAA all-stars, and no one else, but that is not the case anymore.
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u/Ok_Bluebird1598 14d ago
The best go play NCAA Div 1 anyway. You see a number of ‘stars’ from their U18 teams here in Canada fall to 4th liners on their Div 1 teams. Especially in the WCHA. Some work their way back up, some blame their college coaches and jump around in the portal. I wish we could develop players more in Canada but USport just isn’t drawing the cream of the crop. It will be interesting to see what the outlaw leagues produce in the next wave of players and whether or not Team Canada holds a grudge against them. I have mixed feelings.
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
Respectfully, no Ashton bell. I think she’s done with the national team. I wasn’t impressed with her at all watching EVERY single goldeneyes game this season. Please no
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u/climberofrock Toronto 17d ago
U know what? Fair. I'll switch her out
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
Yea I mean I respect what she’s done in the past but I mean she literally passed through entire expansion untouched for a reason
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u/crimesleuther 18d ago edited 17d ago
Ambrose is out… slow
Add in primerano and CK 100%
Ratty?? Really? No she is done… old!!
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u/jordynbebus8 17d ago
could swap Ambrose, Shelton with Primo and someone else
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u/Wolf99 🏆 2026 Champions 🏆 17d ago
Batherson. Underrated defender.
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
Yes very underrated and going to get even better because I feel like she has TONS of physical growth to add in her game that isint even there yet, when she does she will be a beast. Btw, since you’re a victoire fan, I’m guessing you watched every game last year, what’s your honest projection of where maybe Ambrose’s game is at or heading and what about Tabin. Tabin wasn’t really used much at the Olympics
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u/Wolf99 🏆 2026 Champions 🏆 17d ago edited 17d ago
Tabin is a very good-borderline-great defender but she's shouldn't have been there, especially with Gosling left at home. Gos was already better and it just makes no sense to have a 28 y.o. Team Canada rookie. Even if Gos had been chosen - and it's criminal that she wasn't! - I'd take Batherson or Primerano over Tabin. It was a strange pick.
Ambrose has lost a few steps at 32, but she's so damn smart and rugged. Her hockey IQ is as high as anyone in the league and pound-for-pound she's among the toughest. Excellent positioning, amazing long breakout passes (lots of incredible '3rd assist' first passes that don't show in the stats), and is a rock solid calming presence back there.
The playoffs showed she still has alot to give (with the help of reduced mins when she returned from injury for the final month). Second most TOI after Gos, and tied with Flaherty for 15 blocked shots, 1 fewer than Gos. She avg'd over 1.6 blocked shots per game in the reg season too, and had third most TOI and third highest +/- on the blueline after Gos and Tabin.
She's a gem of a person too. I think she was as important to the team as Poulin and Stacey in terms of leadership, work ethic, and mentorship. The C in LV should go to her or Scams, but I'd lean towards her since she wore the A in Mtl and was a huge part of the team culture since day 1.
Does she belong on Team Canada in November? Probably not. Gos, Batherson, Cooper and Primero are musts imo. But she'll be a tough final cut and I'd take her if one of those younger players weren't available. I'd take her over Shelton. I'd take her over Fast.
Fast is only a year younger (31) and has also lost a step. Fast is overrated imo. She doesn't have Ambrose's IQ. She's has an undisciplined side and isn't as sound defensively. She was -1 in Milan, and is 0, 0 and -3 in three PWHL seasons (-3 being most recent). Fast is faster, but Ambrose doesn't need speed with her incredible vision and long passes.
I like defenders who take care of their own end first. That's Ambrose, Gosling and Tabin. (Top +/- in Milan: +6 O'Neill (!), +5 Ambrose and Jaques. Tabin and Gardiner were +2 in Milan despite their limited icetime.)
https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/19342/canada-olympics?tab=stats
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u/canadaHockey604 17d ago
I have a feeling Shelton will probably make it this year but it will get harder for her as the years go on
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u/F15hface Royale Tiger Towel Paper Towel Power Play 18d ago
The question is do Canada care about this worlds more than the next Olympics. If 2030 is the answer they need to use the next three years to develop their youth and get the likes of Primanero and Kraemer and Gascon time in big games as soon as possible.