The countdown to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games is inside six months with action in the women’s hockey tournament slated to begin Feb. 5 in Italy.
Here’s a closer look at PWHL players on the radar as National Teams converge for Summer Camps taking place around the world.
CANADA
Hockey Canada recently announced a list of 30 players who will be a part of Canada’s National Women’s Team throughout the 2025-26 season, with players participating in training blocks and attending events during the year. A National Teams Orientation Camp, set for Aug. 26-28 in Calgary, AB, will bring together its women’s, men’s and para hockey teams for a three-day off-ice event. Women’s program selections were made by general manager Gina Kingsbury (TOR), head coach Troy Ryan (TOR) and Cherie Piper, senior manager of player development and scouting. Assistant coaches Kori Cheverie (MTL) and Caroline Ouellette (MTL) and goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood (TOR) also return to team staff, along with Strength and Conditioning Coach Vicki Bendus (MTL) and Equipment Manager Alana Goulden (TOR). Canada is the defending Olympic champions and have won three of the past five IIHF Women’s World Championships.
PWHL Players
Goaltenders: Ann-Renée Desbiens (MTL), Emerance Maschmeyer (VAN), Kayle Osborne (NY)
Defenders: Erin Ambrose (MTL), Renata Fast (TOR), Nicole Gosling (MTL)*, Sophie Jaques (VAN), Jocelyne Larocque (OTT), Ella Shelton (TOR), Kati Tabin (MTL), Claire Thompson (VAN), Micah Zandee-Hart (NY)
Forwards: Emily Clark (OTT), Sarah Fillier (NY), Jenn Gardiner (VAN), Julia Gosling (SEA), Brianne Jenner (OTT), Emma Maltais (TOR), Hannah Miller (VAN), Sarah Nurse (VAN), Kristin O’Neill (NY), Marie-Philip Poulin (MTL), Danielle Serdachny (SEA), Natalie Spooner (TOR), Laura Stacey (MTL), Blayre Turnbull (TOR), Daryl Watts (TOR)
*2025 PWHL Draft Pick
UNITED STATES
The USA Hockey Women’s National Festival is underway, Aug. 3-9, in Lake Placid, NY, bringing together the top American players from the U18 level to the national team. The group includes 76 college and professional players with the festival assisting in the evaluation process for the Olympic roster. Josh Sciba (NY) returns behind the bench as an assistant coach, with support staff including Athletic Trainer Katie Homan (MIN) and Equipment Managers Sis Paulsen (MIN) and Blake Kruse (MIN). The U.S. has won two of the seven gold medals (1998, 2018) since women’s hockey made its Olympic debut and are the reigning World Champions.
PWHL Players
Goaltenders: Aerin Frankel (BOS), Gwyneth Philips (OTT)
Defenders: Cayla Barnes (SEA), Rory Guilday (OTT)*, Savannah Harmon (TOR), Megan Keller (BOS), Lee Stecklein (MIN), Anna Wilgren (SEA), Haley Winn (BOS)*
Forwards: Hannah Bilka (SEA), Alex Carpenter (SEA), Jesse Compher (TOR), Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN), Britta Curl-Salemme (MIN), Taylor Heise (MIN), Gabbie Hughes (OTT), Hilary Knight (SEA), Casey O’Brien (NY)*, Kelly Pannek (MIN), Hayley Scamurra (MTL), Grace Zumwinkle (MIN)
*2025 PWHL Draft Pick
CZECHIA
Czechia’s National Team brought together 46 players for a summer camp held in Prague July 23-28 to begin their selection process ahead of the Olympics. Led by head coach Carla MacLeod (OTT), the country has never medaled at the Olympics but won back-to-back bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 Women’s Worlds followed by two straight fourth-place finishes.
PWHL Players
Defenders: Daniela Pejšová (BOS), Aneta Tejralová (SEA)
Forwards: Klára Hymlárová (MIN), Natálie Mlýnková (MTL)*, Kristýna Kaltounková (NY)*, Kateřina Mrázová (OTT), Denisa Křížová (VAN), Tereza Vanišová (VAN)
*2025 PWHL Draft Pick
SWEDEN
Sweden’s National Team selected 27 players for a camp held July 21-30 in Enköping and Bosön. The program won Olympic bronze in 2002 and silver in 2006 and last medaled at the Women’s Worlds with bronze in 2007. New York defender Maja Nylén Persson, who finished the 2024-25 season on LTIR, did not compete at camp.
PWHL Players
Defenders: Anna Kjellbin (TOR)
Forwards: Sara Hjalmarsson (TOR)*, Lina Ljungblom (MTL)
*2025 PWHL Draft Pick
Six more nations round out the 2026 Olympic field with France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan and Switzerland. France will compete in the Olympics for the first time with forward Chloé Aurard (BOS) expected to be a big part of their offense. Finland has won back-to-back bronze medals at the Olympics and Women’s Worlds and is likely to feature veteran PWHL talent like defender Ronja Savolainen (OTT) and forward Susanna Tapani (BOS) plus draft picks Sanni Ahola (OTT) and Michelle Karvinen (VAN). Germany will return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014 with a roster that may be led by goaltender Sandra Abstreiter (MTL), forward Laura Kluge (BOS) and draft pick Nina Jobst-Smith (VAN). Switzerland won Olympic bronze in 2014 with a winning goal by a then 15-year-old Alina Müller (BOS) who will surely star in what would be her fourth Winter Games. Alexandre Tremblay (MTL) is an assistant coach for Italy.