Five Storylines to Watch in the Women's Worlds Playoff Round

The preliminary round of the IIHF women’s World Championship was filled with intriguing stories. From Hilary Knight taking over as USA’s captain to Marie-Philip Poulin scoring her 100th career goal for Canada, the stars were central in those stories.

Czechia emerged as a true medal contender under the guidance of former Canadian Olympian Carla MacLeod, while Finland blew away the competition in Group B. With the first week of the tournament in the books, it all gets serious in the medal round.

Here are five storylines to watch in the elimination games of the 2023 women's worlds.

The age-old rivalry between Canada and the USA is well documented. In the preliminary round, another chapter was written when Jamie Lee Rattray scored in the shootout to give Canada the 4-3 win. For many members of the top two nations in the world, it was business as usual. Regardless of which team took the win, a nail-biter finish was expected. 

The USA’s roster, however, features a noticeable wave of youth for the first time in years. How they respond to that emotional and hard-fought game will speak volumes to their gold medal hopes. 

Taylor Heise and Hannah Bilka have been there before, as have Caroline Harvey and Rory Guilday, but it’s a new experience for Haley Winn and Tessa Janecke. How will this group, along with Lacey Eden, Gabrielle Hughes and Abbey Murphy, respond? 

While the veteran core will have much to do with this World Championship outcome, USA’s youth is coming, and this is a pivotal moment for the group. If they’re able to beat Canada, it could mark a lengthy shift in dominance in USA’s favor.

With Czechia and Finland facing off in the quarterfinal, one of the world’s top teams will be ousted without a chance to play for a medal. 

In the eyes of many, this is the bronze medal game and also a sign that it’s time the IIHF re-examines its pool structure. There is too much parity among the middle tier of teams to keep the structure as is. 

Last year, Czechia emerged from Group B to win bronze, and Finland could do the same this year. Czechia gave the USA and Canada all they could handle but took some bumps and bruises in the process. Alternatively, Finland pummeled the Group B competition and enters elimination play looking confident. 

Perhaps the time has come for the IIHF to expand the top division of the World Championship to 12 teams, allowing six teams to play in Group A. This would also eliminate the risk of a team like Hungary being relegated and replaced by a pair of teams who will undoubtedly face lopsided losses next year. The women’s game is growing and improving, and the IIHF needs to respond rather than watch two of the world’s top four teams prematurely play for elimination.

No one is questioning 'Captain Clutch,' Marie-Philip Poulin. Her greatness is secured. Sarah Fillier, however, is beginning to emerge from the shadows as the heir apparent to Poulin’s throne. 

Fillier was Canada’s top scorer in the preliminary round with seven points in four games and is quickly becoming Canada's most potent weapon. When the Canadians need a goal in the medal round, it will be interesting to see who the players and coaching staff turn their eyes toward. 

The simple answer is both, as no opposing players want to see Poulin step onto the ice in the final minutes of a tight game. Defenders will key in on both, but Fillier is making her case as Canada’s top threat. A big-moment goal from the young star could signal she’s ready to take the crown.

USA already made a bold statement leaving Maddie Rooney at home. Perhaps playing only nine games this season hurt Rooney, who struggled at times on the PWHPA’s Dream Gap Tour. 

Going into the tournament, it looked like Nicole Hensley would be the starter, but the American coaching staff had other ideas, giving Aerin Frankel the net against Canada and Czechia. All signs point to the USA sticking with Frankel, but the temptation will be there for coach John Wroblewski to go with his more veteran netminder in Hensley. Hensley was USA’s starter last year, suffering her only loss in the gold medal game to Canada. 

Does the USA stick with their youth movement and give the moment to Frankel? Or after falling to Canada 4-3 in the preliminary round, do they fall back on the more experienced Hensley?

Jenni Hiirikoski will end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame, that is for certain. The 36-year-old is the oldest player at the tournament and remains one of the best blueliners in the world. 

Whether it’s in a medal game or a placement game, Hiirikoski, who suffered a frightening injury only weeks before the tournament, could be moving toward a new chapter in her career. The Finnish captain celebrated her 400th career international game with Finland at the tournament, an incredible mark. She played in her first World Championship nearly 20 years ago in 2004 and is in her 11th year captaining the Finns. 

If this is her swan song, fans will be watching one of the all-time greatest women’s hockey players for the final time. Finland’s roster continues to get younger at all positions, and Hiirikoski is still capable, so if this is it, she’ll be going out on her own terms.