Future Watch: A Look At The Youngest Players Suiting Up At The U-18 Women's World Championships

The IIHF U-18 Women's World Championship is about to drop the puck in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia. 

The tournament itself highlights the next generation of women's hockey stars, including dozens of NCAA committed players from Canada, the United States, and Europe. It's an opportunity for these players to put themselves on the map before making the step to college hockey. For others however, it's an introduction to the world stage, and a chance to showcase themselves as prospects worthy of consideration from top clubs. 

Many of those players, born in 2010 and 2011 are set to make that step this year.

Perhaps this is a point Hockey Canada should re-examine, but Canada's U-18 national team is not a three or four age-group roster. Canada is the only nation that restricts their roster to two age groups, the oldest eligible for this tournament. This season it means that Canada will only roster players born in 2008 and 2009. It means recently that players including Chloe Primerano and Adrianna Milani were restricted from playing in three tournaments. Last year Milani actually suited up for USA at the Summer Series against Canada because Canada did not allow her to play. She was the USA's best forward at the event. This year, Canada left behind talented players including Maeve Aird and Isla McCoubrey who are two of the nation's top young players, among others, due to their age. First year  2009-born players like Milani, Megan Mossey, Aurora Matt, Madison Lévesque, Avery Jones, and Maggie Hughson will all be key players this year, but perhaps could have made Canada better, and developed more, had the door been open last season. 

USA allows younger players, but this season, didn't bring any. It's a departure from their traditional path, but perhaps speaks more to the strength of their 2008 and 2009 cohorts, than the weakness of their younger players. Haley Box and Maggie Averill are both back, for example, for their third U-18 World Championships with USA. 2009 born defender Chyna Taylor played last year, as did 2009 born forwards Jane Daley and Annabelle Lovell. The trio of 2009-born returnees headline USA's future leaders. 

Sweden has a large group of 2009 born players, including headliner Ebba Hesselvall up front, but they also are welcoming a trio of 2010 born players in Moa Stridh, Tilia Lindgren and Elsa Blårand. The 5-foot-11 Stridh has played 16 games this season with Sweden's top team in Frolunda. While there's a long way to go for Stridh, hopes are high she'll become an impact player for Sweden internationally sooner than later. Lindgren scored two goals in two games in the SDHL this season and has played well in a boys' league in Sweden as well, while Blårand has played 21 games for Linkoping in the SDHL as a 15-year-old defender, which is no small feat.

Half of Czechia's roster will be eligible to return to the U-18 World Championships next season, which bodes well for their future. While the bulk of those athletes are standout 2009 born players, Czechia has two 2010 born, and a 2011 born player on the roster. Adéla Křenková, 14, is the youngest player on their roster and has been dynamic everywhere she's played this season. She's scored more than a point per game in Czechia's top women's league, nearly four points per game in Czechia's new U-16 girls' league, and two points per game in Czechia's second division boys' U-15 league. It's a stretch to ask her to produce in a significant way at this event, but the experience will go a long way for a player Czechia obviously sees as a star of the future. Their 2010 players, defender Klara Sramkova and goaltender Lili Chmelarova could play a more significant role. Sramkova is actually in her second World Championship for Czechia, so she'll certainly be counted upon on the back end. Chmelarova isn't tabbed as Czechia's starter, but she will be in the future.

While Canada, USA, Czechia, and Sweden are the leading medal contenders, there is young talent oozing from the rosters of several nations. 

Finland, who is a top program at the senior national level, has struggled internationally at the U-18 level in recent seasons. This year they're going heavy on youth in hopes of turning that narrative beyond the 2026 event. Their list of 2010 born players includes netminder Saimi Pesola, defender Fanny Kyrkkö, and forwards Tuulianna Artti, Kiia Arvola, Daria Molchun, and Netta Siitonen. Kyrkkö is the top player to watch from the group, while Artti is returning up front and comes from playing against boys, and the Russian born Molchun has spent some time in the Auroraliiga this season, which shows she's a step ahead.

Switzerland has one of the top 2011 born players to watch in the tournament in Lou Krebs, who at 14 is already playing full time in the PostFinance Women's League. Their blueline also includes Naya Mohni, a 2010 defender who is splitting her time between Switzerland's top boys' leagues and the PostFinance League. Up front Switzerland will bring four 2010 born players in Laelia Huwyler, Joana Leuenberger, Sarah Mettler, and Alix Pialat.

Slovakia's top player, Nela Lopusanova is in her fourth U-18 World Championship and is about to age out. So it's time for another wave to step forward. In net 2010 born goalie Sofia Hajnalova, defender Nina Rostecka, and forwards Lucia Luptakova and Nina Rybovicova will compete. As will 2011 born players Lucia Lipcakova and Tamara Roskova, who is one of the better young defenders climbing the ranks through Slovakia's system.

Hungary has a large group of youth from the 2010 bracket in Emma Majoros, Liza Görbe, Blanka Temesi, and Diana Zora Magyar, Helga Tamas, as well as 2011-born players Reka Julia Kerkovits and Dora Mahr who for the most part have seen EWHL experience. They're a group of relative unknowns who will try to build a more competitive future for Hungary.