While new Team Canada general manager Daniele Sauvageau says the ultimate goal is Olympic gold in 2030, a roster will need to come together this offseason for Canada's next step, the 2026 World Championships in November. 

Canada will play without captain Marie-Philip Poulin, and veteran leader Blayre Turnbull.

Canada's 2026 Olympic roster was on average, more than three years older than any other roster, including the gold medal winning Team USA. Canada's roster was, on average, nearly six years older than the bronze medal winning Team Switzerland. 

Turnbull (33) and Poulin (35) were among those in their 30s on Team Canada, a group that also included Laura Stacey (32), Brianne Jenner (35), Natalie Spooner (35), Sarah Nurse (31), Emily Clark (30), Jocelyn Larocque (38), Renata Fast (31), Erin Ambrose (32), Emerance Maschmeyer (31), and Ann-Renee Desbiens (32). 

Many of those players will likely be back with Canada in November, but few will return by 2030. And with 2030 as Canada's main goal, beginning the process of putting fresh faces and young talent into the lineup is certain to begin almost immediately.

The first place Daniele Sauvageau is going to look for reinforcements is the PWHL, where players are already tested against the best USA, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, and Czechia have to offer play.

Ann-Renee Desbiens is going nowhere for the time being. She is in the conversation for the best netminder on the planet, and given that goalies have an extended lifespan in the sport, there's no reason to move Desbiens yet. That said, banking on her at 36 for the 2030 Olympics, is a little different. She could be there, but there will be a push from younger goalies by that point. In the PWHL, Raygan Kirk looks like Canada's best prospect who has yet to repesent the national team. She took over as Toronto's starter last season and thrived. It would be shocking if she's not at Canada's camp this Fall. Hannah Murphy and Kayle Osborne may get looks, and Emerance Maschmeyer remains in the mix as a veteran. Outside of Kirk, Canada's biggest push in net is going to come from outside the PWHL.

Canada's core has strength in Sophie Jaques, Renata Fast, and Ella Shelton. Beyond that trio however, the door is wide open for new faces to step forward and represent Canada this Fall. From the PWHL, there's no world, or Worlds, in which Nicole Gosling (Hamilton) doesn't land back on Canada's blueline. She was spectacular for Montreal en route to a Walter Cup title last season, and will be PWHL Hamilton's number one. Kendall Cooper (Las Vegas) is next on the list of PWHL players who could, and should be representing Canada this Fall. She was stellar for Minnesota on both sides of the puck as a PWHL rookie, and is a former captain of Canada's National Development team. If there's another player who could get an invite, but will be on the bubble, it's Mae Batherson (Las Vegas). It's also time for Canada to bring Jaime Bourbonnais (New York Sirens) and Micah Zandee-Hart (New York Sirens) back into the mix. Both are capable veterans who would bring a new look to Canada's blueline, and both have international experience. Unless Claire Thompson is coming back for the long haul in hockey, the program may need to move on from her despite the fact she's capable. It would be worth inviting PWHL rookie Sara Swiderski (Minnesota Frost) for a look as well.

With no Marie-Philip Poulin and Blayre Turnbull, it's guaranteed Canada will welcome a few new faces up front. There are plenty of players in Canada's PWHL pool who deserve a long look at camp. Rebecca Leslie (Ottawa Charge), Jessie Eldridge (Montreal Victoire), and Hannah Miller (Vancouver Goldeneyes) are older veterans who can make an impact. All three have been among Canada's leading scorers in the PWHL, outperforming many who have remained on the roster. Other PWHL experienced players who could step in include Daneille Serdachny (Seattle Torrent), who scored in the gold medal game of the 2025 and 2024 World Championships, including the 2024 golden goal. Heading into their sophomore PWHL seasons, Abby Hustler (Hamilton), Anne Cherkowski (San Jose) and Sarah Wozniewicz (Ottawa Charge) have earned a look at camp, and are all capable of keeping up with USA exciting young core. Considering Canada didn't give Issy Wunder (Las Vegas) a look at national development team camp, it's unlikely she'll be invited, but she deserves to be there. 

Eve Gascon (Minnesota-Duluth) is Canada's goalie of the future. She was spectacular this summer against USA with the National Development team. She already has a World Championship silver, but it came as Canada's third goalie. No other netminder in the NCAA will challenge for a spot immediately, although there are others on their way. Gascon is ready to become a full time member of Team Canada, not only to begin her apprenticeship to eventually take over for Desbiens, but because she's already one of Canada's best.

Much like with Gascon, there's only one current NCAA defender who looks ready enough to be with Canada's senior national team, and she also has a World Championship silver medal. Chloe Primerano (Minnesota) will spend a long time on Canada's blueline, and it's time Hockey Canada integrates her fully and lets her learn alongside the veterans before she needs to carry the load herself. Canada's blueline has lacked mobility, and Primerano can help offensively, physically, and add some speed. There are plenty of young prospects on their way into this discussion, and Canada might bring a few to camp for the experience, but they don't have another NCAA defender ready to contribute with the senior national team.

If there's a position Canada could start to sprinkle more NCAA players into their roster, it's up front. Caitlin Kraemer (Minnesota-Duluth)  was a force with the National Development team, and linemate Abby Stonehouse, who plays for Penn State, is an all around player who could be closer than many because she can play a hard checking, pesky depth role, or elevate. Other top Canadian forwards including Jocelyn Amos, Claire Murdoch, Emma Pais, Stryker Zablocki, Rosalie Tremblay, Sara Manness, Maxine Cimeroni and Hayley McDonald are all going to be in the hunt for roster spots over the next few seasons. It's still hard to believe Canada is shunning Kahlen Lamarche, but she'll be in the conversation eventually if she continues to dominate and produce at a rate no other Canadian has managed. Kraemer is first in, but Canada could take others. If may even be wise for Canada to get Adrianna Milani to camp, although she's a season or two away from being ready.

There's no easy lineup here. Canada is going to need to push out veterans to make way for the future. They can do it with a widespread shift now, or bit-by-bit later. Either way, change is coming. With any luck, the next roster will move toward being a more merit-based, rather than reputation based group.

Bubble: Hannah Miller, Micah Zandee-Hart, Jaime Bourbonnais, Erin Ambrose, Jocelyne Larocque, Mae Batherson, Kati Tabin, Kristin O'Neill, Abby Hustler, Sarah Wozniewicz, Anne Cherkowski, Jocelyn Amos, Abby Stonehouse, Kayle Osborne, Hannah Murphy