Day one of the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championships is in the books.  USA, Czechia and Sweden picked up wins on the opening day of the 2025 tournament in Czechia.

USA blew out Finland 7-1, Sweden downed Germany 5-2, and host Czechia beat Switzerland 3-0 with Klara Peslarova earning the shutout.

There was more going on at the opening day of the World Championships however, than on the scoreboard. Here's a look.

1. Laila Edwards Belongs Up Front

Someone throw some cold water on John Wroblewski. USA's bench boss needs to wake up and realize the world is watching and realizing he might not be as clever as he things he is. The Laila Edwards experiment on the back end was interesting, but ill conceived from day one. Edwards has unique size, sees the ice well, and has a cannon for a shot, but it does not mean she's a defender.

The decision to move the World Championship MVP and top goal scorer in NCAA hockey from her natural position up front to the blueline makes no sense on any level. Edwards is a dominant forward, and Wroblewski is playing a risky game with Edwards' confidence and development. Edwards is learning the position on the fly, and it shows. Each of Finland's first three high quality scoring chances came off slight positioning issues for Edwards. If one of those goes in, it changes everything, including how Edwards views her own game. It's of no fault to the sublimely talented Edwards who remains one of the World's best players. But Wroblewski has enough defensive depth to fill his blueline without risking Edwards' success. Facing Canada and Czechia, these gaps will be capitalized on and cost USA. It's baffling mismanagement of an asset. Imagine if an American coach had moved a 21-year-old Hilary Knight to the blueline. Her greatness internationally would not have culminated in the record setting career it has, nor would USA have as many gold medals.

2. Finland Will Miss Jenni Hiirikoski

Finland's defensive corps was consistently outmatched. It's a hole in their national program that was magnified by the absence of longtime leader and captain Jenni Hiirikoski who will miss the tournament due to illness. Beyond Sanni Rantala, Nelli Latininen, and Ronja Savolainen, there just isn't defensive talent or depth that can match the top teams globally. It was clear against USA as Finland couldn't keep up to the speed or power of USA's forwards. When Finland's defenders could get the puck to the wall on a breakout, Finland didn't have the support and often threw pucks aimlessly into the middle of the ice to be picked off by pinching American players. It resulted in American pressure driving in against flat footed Finns. Finland has depth up front at every position, but their blueline needs immediate help if they hope to challenge for medals at future international competition. Sanni Ahola had a rough start in net, but she was made to look bad by the quality of chances and lack of coverage coming at her.

3. Thank Goodness The IIHF Is Ditching Tiered Groups

It's overdue that the IIHF ditched their tiered Group A and Group B alignment. It's a lingering issue damaging the equity and growth of women's hockey in a paternalistic system. Next year, those groups will be gone with a snake ranking used to form two even groups. It will certainly result in bigger upsets, but it will also give developing nations the unique opportunity to play better competition that has otherwise been restricted. It will also give teams like Germany and Sweden who are ready to play against top teams more opportunity. Sweden in particular has had their growth stifled by keeping them segregated from top competition while other nations like Japan and Switzerland have been gifted opportunities to stay in the top Group. Sweden is not only getting better now, but they have several young players coming up who will soon join their national program. 

4. Watch Out For Czechia

Are Czechia at the same level as Canada and USA? No. But that doesn't mean they won't be giving them the best fight the nation's have seen from outside North America, perhaps ever.

The welcomed health of Katerina Mrazova, Dominika Laskova, and starting goalie Klara Peslarova, who have all missed World Championship tournaments in the past two years, means Czechia is back with a full roster. Not only are the typical members of their roster back in good health, but they also added one of the elite goal scorers in the world in Kristyna Kaltounkova. Kaltounkova wasted no time making an impact scoring in the final minute of the opening period for Czechia in their win over Switzerland. 

The internal growth of Czechia's young core was also evident in the play of Tereza Plosova, Adela Sapovalivova, Tereza Pistekova, Andrea Trnkova, Sara Cajanova, and Tereza Radova. That group continued to show progress which will help fill the gap between North America's best and Europe's best.

And to top it off, the crowd in České Budějovice was electric. PWHL markets would be jealous for the exuberant crowd that showed up to cheer on the host team. They were loud - banging drums, singing, and dancing throughout. It's an added boost for the hosts.