Canada Is Out Of Runway And In Desperate Need Of Change

Through three games of the Rivalry Series, USA has outscored Canada 20-4, including a record setting low with Canada allowing 10 goals in a game for the first time in program history. 

Canada's brass are out of runway to make meaningful changes to their roster, despite the desperate need for just that, change. 

There's a lot on the line for Canada with the 2026 Olympic rapidly approaching. Individually, it's almost certainly the final Olympics for half of Canada's aging roster, and unless they can find a way to upset USA, who are now the clear gold medal favorite, it could be the final time general manager Gina Kingsbury and head coach Troy Ryan guide Canada's national program.

The time for change has come and gone, and Canada has been left watching a younger, faster, and more skilled American team dominate. 

Defensive Woes Stand Out

It would be easy to point the finger at Canada's goaltending, but it would also be misplaced blame. Canada's defensive unit and team play has been nothing short of atrocious for much of the Rivalry Series. Giveaways, missed coverage, and issues with foot speed have highlighted Canada's poor defensive play. This includes their penalty kill that has operated at only 53.8% through three games. That's the type of stat that gets coaches fired and players traded, but Canada has backed themselves into a corner with nowhere to go.

In their most recent loss, even Canada's most reliable defenders, the likes of Renata Fast and Erin Ambrose looked off. The lone positive on Canada's blueline may have been Claire Thompson, and it was for the simple fact that she was not noticeable in a negative way, which in a 10-4 loss is impressive in itself. 

Ella Shelton was another player with uncharacteristic errors with turnovers resulting directly into American chances and goals.

Wednesday's game could very well be the final time Canadian's see longtime stalwart Jocelyne Larocque on a national team blueline. After not being selected for the opening games of the Rivalry Series, Larocque returned and struggled mightily, fighting the puck, and missing coverage resulting in multiple goals against. She's been a cornerstone of stability for Canada for a decade, and would be more than capable facing a nation other than USA. 

While she had two goals for, Sophie Jaques defensive lapses again reared their head on Canada's blueline. Canada may bring her as a power play specialist, but her risk versus reward ratio leans heavily toward risk. Scoring is a plus, but for a team averaging six goals against per game, good offensive chances will stem from solid defensive play, not risk taking.

Canada's biggest mistake could be in the defenders they left behind. Defenders Ashton Bell (Vancouver Goldeneyes) and Kendall Cooper (Minnesota Frost) would certainly be upgrades to Canada's current group, specifically as their skill sets would better match the deficits Canada is facing. At this point, however, it's a "what if" situation that will never be tested after their omission from Canada's camp altogether, let alone their roster.

The issues on Canada's blueline may prompt management to re-think their stance on Micah Zandee-Hart who was arguably Canada's most reliable defender during the first two games of the Rivalry Series before being left off their roster for the Canadian leg. Similarly, while she lacks experience and may not make the impact Canada needs, Chloe Primerano is definitely more mobile, and more competitive than Canada's current offering. 

Finding Chemistry Up Front

Canada outshot USA in their 10-4 loss. They had their chances, and Canada certainly has the puzzle pieces up front to produce, but they've yet to find stable units that click. For Canada it's also not about what line can generate the most chances, but what line can hold possession, create lasting zone time, and that can provide the back pressure support to aid Canada's floundering blueline.

There's almost no explanation for Troy Ryan's unwillingness to reunite Canada's top line from the 2025 World Championships of Jennifer Gardiner, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Laura Stacey. The trio had undeniable chemistry in the PWHL and on the international stage finishing 1-2-3 in scoring for Canada at Worlds combining for 12 goals and 30 points in seven games. In three games at the Rivalry Series, Poulin has a goal and an assist, while Stacey and Gardiner have been held off the scoresheet completely.

Sarah Fillier has been Canada's most dangerous forward, and needs to be the core of a second scoring line for Canada. If Canada were to reunite their top line from 2025, it would create the opportunity for Fillier to play alongside Daryl Watts, and perhaps be joined by power forward Julia Gosling who has also scored for Canada, Natalie Spooner as a netfront presence, or Emily Clark to infuse more speed and skill. 

Speaking of Spooner, Ryan could look to the built in chemistry of Spooner, Emma Maltais, and Sarah Nurse from their time together in Toronto, assuming Nurse is healthy come February.

While she's been a depth piece for Canada, Kristin O'Neill's speed could be worth a more frequent look as well. Facing the United States, Canada needs to find speed where they can.

The real question for Canada at this point is how they fill out the bottom of their roster. Aside from her presence on the power play, it would be difficult at this point to justify bringing Brianne Jenner to another Olympic Games. Her lack of speed has become a deciding factor on both sides of the puck as USA was easily able to erase her neutral zone possessions and create separation on the other side of the puck. It's unclear if inserting Hannah Miller to Canada's lineup, unless she gets hot in the PWHL, would tip the scale either. Blayre Turnbull is another veteran name whose impact has been underwhelming through Canada's first three games of the Rivalry Series. 

Canada would be wise to give Caitlin Kraemer a final elevated look in their lineup. There isn't a forward on their roster more accustomed to facing USA's top talents than Kraemer, who is a WCHA rival of USA's Wisconsin and Minnesota players with Minnesota-Duluth.

Similar to their defensive group, Canada didn't bring several NCAA and PWHL forwards to camp who might have been an answer. Whether it be Abby Hustler, Michela Cava, Issy Wunder, Emma Pais, Anne Cherkowski, or Jocelyn Amos, Canada has eligible players that never got a look, and it could cost them dearly. At this point, a veteran like Jamie Lee Rattray who has always played an intelligent game, with pace, could have been a strong option.

Canada has nothing to lose by shooting for the stars with new faces in their quest for gold. 

Familiarity Is Canada's Foe

Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result had led Canada toward the cliff they're now facing. In a one-game elimination tournament, gold is still within Canada's reach, but it will take a significant internal shuffle to hopefully find a spark.

Canada's management and coaching staff however, have been creatures of habit leaning on the same players who have not produced, and who have been consistently outperformed at the pro ranks, not to mention ignoring an NCAA pool that hasn't got a look. 

While Canada's roster will be the group to fall on the sword, management may be the true issue for a team that has lost a step, and has done little to find it again. 

Coaching In Question

Canada has simply been out coached. USA's staff of John Wroblewski, Shari Dickerman (Minnesota State), Brent Hill (Quinnipiac University) and Josh Sciba (New York Sirens) built their systems around the pieces they have. Canada continues to try to play a style and game they're ill equipped to play. The conflict of interest between Canada's staff and their roles with the the PWHL's Toronto Sceptres complicate matters because it's impossible to push on one side and not have it impact the other. It's even been seen in some of the program's more minor staffing changes this offseason, where other layers of perceived conflict of interest were raised with Hockey Canada.

At this point, Canada cannot simply continue to roll out who they believe are their top players to go head-to-head on skill and speed with USA. Canada will lose that game every time. Instead, Canada must lean into tighter, less exciting defensive systems, with a focus on positional play, and an emphasis on breaking down USA's special teams. 

The issue for Canada however, is they've played themselves out of time to make significant systematic changes, nor is it clear if Troy Ryan and his staff are capable of identifying USA's strengths and weaknesses and adapting to meet those challenges.

Where are Canada's strengths?

Canada is not without significant strength in their roster. The nation still has a group of elite players considered among the best in the world. Canada's biggest strength rests in their experience. Marie-Philip Poulin remains the world's top performer, and is the quintessential leader. She's surrounded by a group who know each other well, and know what it feels like to win, and to lose at the highest level.

While they clearly expressed their displeasure following the game, Canada's poise in the face of a record setting loss remained. Despite the exuberance and on-ice boasting of American players like Abbey Murphy, Britta Curl-Salemme, and Kirsten Simms, Canada looked calm in the face of defeat. 

Few question the world-class status of veterans like Ann-Renee Desbiens, Renata Fast, Poulin, Emily Clark, Natalie Spooner, and Laura Stacey. And if the Canada and USA rivalry has proven anything, it's that Rivalry Series games, and even preliminary round games at major tournaments mean very little. And when gold is on the table, Canada has consistently found a way to elevate their game. At the Milano Cortina Olympics, Canada will need to reach deeper and stretch higher than ever before to avoid finding themselves on a lower step of the podium.