A group of 25 players is set to compete for the Canadian women’s hockey team in the upcoming Rivalry Series, a significant step towards finalizing the roster for the upcoming Olympics in Milan, Italy. With less than 100 days remaining before the Olympic showdown, the Canada-U.S. Rivalry Series will serve as a critical evaluation for players vying for a spot on the Olympic team.
Given the limited time available for preparation, the Rivalry Series offers a rare opportunity for the team to test out different line combinations and build chemistry, as they will only have four games together before the Olympics kick off in February.
The series will kick off in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, followed by a game in Buffalo, N.Y., on Saturday. The final two games will take place in Edmonton on December 10 and 13, with Hockey Canada likely to make adjustments to the roster for those matches.
Canadian GM Gina Kingsbury emphasized the significance of the Rivalry Series, stating, “These four games are more than just a mini-competition between two rival nations; they remain an important measuring stick for us as we continue building toward the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.” Kingsbury highlighted the team’s focus on refining their on-ice identity and fine-tuning crucial details for success.
Unlike past seasons where Olympic hopefuls trained together in a centralized location for an extended period, Hockey Canada has adopted a new approach for selecting the team. This year, 30 Olympic hopefuls have participated in three training blocks across the country during the fall.
Battles at camp
The 25-player roster for the U.S. leg of the Rivalry Series includes all three NCAA players aiming to secure a spot on their first Olympic team: Chloe Primerano (University of Minnesota), Caitlin Kraemer (University of Minnesota Duluth), and Ève Gascon (University of Minnesota Duluth).
Primerano, if selected for the Olympic team, would become the youngest player to do so since Marie-Philip Poulin in 2010. Notable veterans such as Poulin, Blayre Turnbull, Sarah Fillier, Natalie Spooner, and Sarah Nurse will lead the charge in the initial Rivalry Series games.
Some key players, including Emily Clark and Brianne Jenner, are absent from the training camp roster due to various reasons. The defensive lineup will notably miss Jocelyne Larocque and Nicole Gosling, presenting tough decisions for the management team.
