Three-on-three hockey could help bridge the competitive gap in women's hockey at the Olympic level allowing developing nations that lack depth to field their top players alone.
Three-on-three hockey could help bridge the competitive gap in women's hockey at the Olympic level allowing developing nations that lack depth to field their top players alone.
The addition of 3-on-3 hockey at the Olympics has continued to be a point of discussion for the IOC. Perhaps no where would it be more successful than in women's hockey.
While some complain that only a handful of teams are competitive in international women's hockey, 3-on-3 hockey could provide more parity, and allow far more nations to participate.
Assuming every nation kept their roster from the most recent World Championship as their main team event roster, we'll eliminate those players and look at who could comprise a 3-on-3 team for those nations, and add teams from nations not in the top tier of the World Championships.
Small teams, of seven players and a goalie would allow developing nations to field competitive rosters compared to Canada and USA, who would also field exciting teams, perhaps loaded with more youthful players.
USA - Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota, NCAA), Jesse Compher (Wisconsin, NCAA), Kali Flanagan (Boston, PHF), Elle Hartje (Yale, NCAA), Gwyneth Philips (Northeastern, NCAA), Emma Seitz (Yale, NCAA / Metropolitan, PHF), Taylor Girard (Connecticut, PHF), Laila Edwards (Wisconsin, NCAA), Kirsten Simms (Wisconsin, NCAA), Kiara Zanon (Ohio State, NCAA), Maureen Murphy (Northeastern, NCAA), Jincy Dunne (PWHPA), Emily Brown (PWHPA).
Canada - Sophie Jaques, Elizabeth Giguere (Montreal PHF), Jennifer Wakefield (MoDo, SDHL), Anne Cherkowski (Clarkson, NCAA), Gabrielle David (Boston, PHF), Julie Gosling (St. Lawrence, NCAA) Jennifer Gardiner, Loren Gabel (Boston, PHF), Kennedy Marchment (Connecticut, PHF), Stephanie Markowski (Ohio State, NCAA), Megan Carter, Corrine Schroeder (Montreal PHF).
Finland - Michelle Karvinen (Frolunda, SDHL), Susanna Tapani (Metropolitan, PHF), Noora Raty (Metropolitan, PHF), Minttu Tuominen (Metropolitan, PHF), Anna Kilponen (Metropolitan, PHF), Emma Nuutinen (Buffalo, PHF), Jenna Kaila (Ambri Piotta, SWHL)
Austria - Theresa Schafzahl (Montreal, PHF), Anna Meixner (Brynas, SDHL), Antonia Matzka (Buffalo, PHF), Janine Weber (Connecticut, PHF), Annika Fazokas (Leksand, SDHL), Anja Trummer (Yale, NCAA), Selma Luggin (Djurgardens, SDHL), Emma Mortl (LIU, NCAA), Lisa Schrofl (LIU, NCAA)
China - Leah Lum (Toronto, PHF), Hannah Miller (KRS Vanke Rays, ZHL), Kasundra Betinol (Colgate, NCAA), Tia Chan (Connecticut, NCAA), Camryn Wong (Connecticut, NCAA), Anna Segedi (St. Lawrence, NCAA), Taylor Lum (St. Lawrence, NCAA)
Denmark - Josefine Jakobsen (Brynas, SDHL), Josefine Hoegh Persson (Lulea, SDHL), Nicoline Sondergaard-Jensen (Rodovre, Denmark), Emma-Sofie Nordstrom (St. Lawrence, NCAA), Amalie Andersen (Buffalo, PHF), Sofia Skriver (Mercyhurst, NCAA)
Czechia - Kristyna Kaltounkova (Colgate, NCAA), Lenka Serdar (Connecticut, PHF), Michaela Hesova (Bishop Kearney, USHS), Pavlina Horalkova (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk, ZHL), Magdalena Erbenova (RPI, NCAA), Tereza Radova (Leksands, SDHL), Klara Seroiszkova (HV71, SDHL)
Sweden - Michelle Lowenhielm (SDE, SDHL), Tindra Holm (Long Island University, NCAA), Ebba Berglund (MoDo, SDHL), Jessica Adolfsson (Linkoping, SDHL), Mina Waxin (Brynas, SDHL), Elin Svensson (HV71, SDHL)
Slovakia - Nela Lopusanova (Bishop Kearney, USHS), Julia Matejkova (HPK, Naisten Liiga), Janka Hlinka (Connecticut, PHF), Simone Bednarik (SUNY-Oswego, NCAA DIII), Viktoria Maskalova (SC Langenthal, SWHL), Nicol Lucak Cupkova, Lucia Haluskova (HK Budapest, EWHL)
Norway - Emma Bergesen (Mount Royal, USports), Mathea Fischer (SDE, SDHL), Madelen Haug Hansen (Linkoping, SDHL), Ena Nystrom (Mercyhurst, NCAA), Millie Rose Sirum (Holy Cross, NCAA), Thea Jorgensen (Lindenwood, NCAA), Silke Lave Glud (Malmo, NDHL)
France - Chloe Aurard (Northeastern, NCAA / Boston, PHF), Clara Rozier (HIFK, Naisten Liiga), Athéna Locatelli (HIFK, Naisten Liiga), Lore Baudrit (Leksands, SDHL), Lucie Turcotte (Stonehill, NCAA)
Italy - Nadia Mattivi (Boston University, NCAA), Anna Caumo (Maine, NCAA), Martina Fedel (Guelph, USports), Rebecca Roccella (Ambri-Piotta, SWHL), Marta Mazzocchi (Newark Ironbound, 19U AAA), Matilde Fantin (U17 Elite Boys, Swiss), Greta Niccolai (Ambri-Piotta, SWHL)