European and Asian nations continue to send players to USports and NCAA hockey, a move which is helping to close the competition gap in international women's hockey.
European and Asian nations continue to send players to USports and NCAA hockey, a move which is helping to close the competition gap in international women's hockey.
The impact of the PHF on international hockey has been significant. While Sweden and Finland have strong domestic leagues, other nations across the globe do not. The PHF has provided a home for those players to find elite competition and improve.
Players like Hungary's Fanni Gasparics or the five members of Czechia's World Championship bronze medal team who played in the PHF this season, are reaping the benefits of continuing to play in North America. In total, the PHF featured 25 international players this season, or 15.5% of the league.
Before they reach the professional level, however, the NCAA and USports have become beneficial leagues in aiding the development, and progress toward international parity.
According to Eliteprospects, the NCAA, at the Division I and Division III levels, had 105 international players last season, while another 13 appeared in USports hockey in Canada.
At the NCAA Division III level, Une Bjelland Strandborg and Ingrid Holstad Berge (Norway), Eun Bee Huh and Sihyun Kang (South Korea), Sofia Scilipoti (Spain), Emily Harris, Aimee Headland and Lucy Beal (Great Britain), Sara Sammons (Australia), Simone Bednarik (Slovakia), and Cağla Celik (Turkey) were all senior national team members.
Looking at Canada's USports, the international list included Emily Davis-Tope (Australia), Tzu-Ting Hsu (Chinese Taipei), Emma Bergesen (Norway), Martina Fedel (Italy), and Bridget O'Hare (Italy). USports also included three players, Mia Väänänen (France), Chihiro Suzuki (Japan), and Kaleigh Quennec (Switzerland) who represented their nations at the top level World Championships in April.
While these leagues are helping growth of lower ranked nations, it's in NCAA Division I hockey that the most gains are being made in closing the gap between Canada, USA, and the other nations.
At the recent top division of the IIHF World Championships, NCAA players made an impact for every team. The tournament's top defender was Caroline Harvey (USA), top goaltender Emma Soderberg (Sweden), and MVP went to Sarah Fillier (Canada), all current NCAA players. Team USA featured a dozen NCAA stars winning gold.
Among the teams who will face Canada and USA in Group A next year, Czechia, Switzerland, and Finland were all well represented in NCAA Division I hockey. From Sweden, Emma Soderberg Josefin Bouveng, Sara Hjalmarsson, Sofie Lundin, Paula Bergström, and Tindra Holm all played in the NCAA this season. Soderberg, who played for Minnesota-Duluth, was a national finalist for the NCAA's goaltender of the year, and won the WCHA Goaltender of the Year honor, and was also named the WCHA's Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year.
From Czechia, their roster included starting goaltender Blanka Skodova, Noemi Neubauerova, Klara Hymlarova, Natalie Mlynkova, and Kristyna Patkova from the NCAA. Czechia's roster also included the five PHF players, many of whom are NCAA alumni. Czechia has become so deep, that Colgate's Kristýna Kaltounková, the fifth leading scorer in the nation who notched 57 points in 39 games didn't even crack the national team roster.
Switzerland, who finished fourth, also had a large NCAA contingent. Northeastern's Alina Muller was second in team scoring, while Maine's Rahel Enzler was third, and starting goalie Andrea Braendli played for Boston University. Saskia Maurer, Laura Zimmerman, and Nicole Vallario also spent the season in the NCAA.
After being the most frequent bronze medal contender in World Championship history, Finland had an offseason last year, but were able to play their way back into Group A. Nelli Laitinen, who has emerged as one of the top blueliners in the world recently finished her rookie season with Minnesota, defender Sini Karjalainen captained Vermont, and point-per-game scorer Jenniina Nylund played for St. Cloud State. Krista Parkkonen and Sanni Ahola were also in the NCAA.
Finally, Germany's Sandra Abstreiter, Nina Cristof, Svenja Voigt, Luisa Welcke, Lilli Welcke, Nina Jobst-Smith, and Tabea Botthof were all NCAA players this year. France's Chloe Aurard, who starred for Northeastern, also played.
The trend of European and Asian players coming to North America to compete at the top levels of University hockey is providing competition and training that many developing women's hockey nations still lack domestically. The benefit is undeniable.
At the lower divisions of international play, athletes like Theresa Schafzahl (Austria), Ena Nystrøm (Norway), and Tia Chan (China), Mira Seregély (Hungary), Nadia Mattivi (Italy), and Pia Dukaric (Slovenia) are all crucial to their national team hopes for future advancement, and all benefitted from the calibre of NCAA competition.
Next season, another wave is coming. Emma Kreisz (Hungary), Siiri Yrjölä (Finland), Emma Hofbauer (Austria), Emilia Kyrkkö (Finland), Sofianna Sundelin (Finland), and Monja Wagner (Switzerland) are all set to join NCAA Division I hockey.
Development in Europe and abroad is happening including the proposition for a new European club championship that would increase competition across the continent. In the meantime, USports and the NCAA, followed by the PHF remain the best paths on the planet to continue closing the competition gap in international women's hockey.