The 2024 IIHF World Championships are done, but it's an opportunity to look back at the top 10 performers from the tournament.
The 2024 IIHF World Championships are done, but it's an opportunity to look back at the top 10 performers from the tournament.
The 2024 IIHF women's World Championships are in the books, with Canada capturing gold in overtime against USA in Utica, New York. The tournament was filled with incredible individual and team performances. Here's a look at The Hockey News' top ten players from the 2024 World Championships.
1. Caroline Harvey - There are few players, if any on the planet, who impact the game shift in and shift out like Caroline Harvey. When you put the puck on her stick, she kicks things into high gear, dipping and ducking through traffic. When she's defending, she takes away space with lightning speed and when she arrives, it's in ill temper. She combines so many unique facets of the game into one package that makes her the best defender on the planet.
2. Laila Edwards - For a player who only averaged 10:44 in ice throughout the tournament to be named MVP shows the impact Laila Edwards has when she's on the ice. The effectively uses her 6-foot-2 frame and has excellent vision. She is an elite shooter, and the reason she was named MVP was not only how often she scored, but against who and when. She's got two more seasons at Wisconsin before entering the PWHL.
3. Sanni Ahola - Stats don't tell the story here. Sanni Ahola faced the best shooters in the world game in and game out, and without her play, Finland would not have won bronze. She stopped 29 shots in the bronze medal game, including point blank attempts in overtime, and then turned aside Czechia's best shooters in the shootout. Less than 24 hours prior she turned aside 50 shots from USA. Heading back to St. Cloud State in the NCAA next year.
4. Natalie Mlynkova - Czechia has grit, cohesion, and they can skate. What they struggle with is scoring, and Mlynkova emerged as their top offensive threat game in and game out, including outperforming the team's PWHL stars. With a season to go in the NCAA, she'll be a top prospect next year, and she's the future of Czechia's first line. Not only is she gifted with the puck, but Mlynkova is an exceptional two-way player who isn't afraid to play a checking role or block shots. Rumour is she's headed to Ohio State through the transfer portal.
5. Kendall Coyne Schofield - Welcome back Kendall Coyne Schofield. On a youth heavy team, USA's veteran line was one of their more impactful, and that was due to the return of Coyne Schofield. Her speed, tenacity, and vision were evident. Few compete harder than Coyne Schofield who will be a first ballot Hall of Famer someday.
6. Emma Maltais - In the gold medal game, Marie-Philip Poulin stepped up and Danielle Serdachny scored the winner. Canada, however, is not the same team in this tournament with Maltais. Whenever Canada needed an answer to USA's speed and aggressive style, Maltais kept the scales balanced. She killed penalties, pushed the pace, and while others may have grabbed the spotlight in the end, Maltais was the energy and presence that emerged as Canada's x-factor.
7. Renata Fast - If there's any blueliner in the world who can challenge Harvey to be known as "the best," it's Renata Fast. When she has the puck, the ice is Fast's for the taking. In her own zone, she neutralizes threats and begins to attack from her own zone. As her name suggests, she's one of the fastest players in the game, she's physical, generates offense, and is a physical presence.
8. Daniela Pejsova - When it comes to the best blueliners in the world outside of North America, it's often Finnish blueliners like Ronja Savolainen, Jenni Hiirikoski, and Nelli Laitinen who lead the conversation. It's impossible to have this discussion anymore however, without mentioning Czechia's Daniela Pejsova. She thrives with the puck on her stick, spinning off pressure to evade checkers. Pejsova matched admirably with the top lines from Canada, USA, and Finland all tournament. She's a strong skater, physical along the boards and at 21-years-old, and heading to the PWHL next year, Pejsova is only going to get better.
9. Alex Carpenter - Few take the game more seriously. Carpenter is still able to break games open not only with her speed and playmaking, but as we saw in this tournament and throughout the PWHL season, her ability to score.
10. Petra Nieminen - Nieminen is strong on her feet. She bullies her way through defenders and is relentless in her drive to the net. When she arrives, she can score. Not as fast as some of her Finnish teammates, Nieminen makes up for it in her willingness to get to the dirty areas, and as a dangerous shooter. Sadly she won't be coming to North American any time soon despite the fact her game is a perfect match for the PWHL.
Honorable Mention: Laura Kluge, Hilda Svensson, Susanna Tapani, Abbey Murphy, Sandra Abstreiter, Klara Peslarova, Ronja Savolainen, Cayla Barnes, Erin Ambrose.