In April 2023, the IIHF was clear that a women's World Junior championship was in the works. Fast forward only a year, and that conversation was less certain by puck drop at the 2024 World Championships. 

Now, it seems that goal is on the back burner, although nations like the United States and Canada continue to lead the conversation through the creation of their Collegiate rosters, including the participation of the teams at the Women's Euro Hockey Tour last December. Other events including the Universaide exist for women's hockey, but do not include top players.

With the growth of women's hockey continuing to accelerate however, it seems the time is right for another look at how a women's "World Junior" tournament could be created. Looking at the current demographics of the NCAA and U Sports however, there appears to be a considerable opportunity for a Collegiate Series held annually in North America, and it could become a major draw for international players to look at the NCAA, and eventually PWHL.

Currently, there are more than 600 American players in the NCAA and nearly 400 Canadians, making fielding strong rosters easy for those nations. Next is Sweden with 22 current NCAA Division 1 players, Finland with 15, Austria with 8, and Czechia with 8.

To fully field rosters, Sweden, Finland, and other nations would need to lean on some of their non-NCAA players still in Europe, or other leagues in North America. Many of those players could come from NCAA committed groups, but the pool is there.

Starting the event as a 4-6 team venture would make a lot of sense, even if one those teams needed to be a "Team World" bringing together players from more than a dozen nations represented in the NCAA.

Looking At Canada And USA

USA's roster for a World Junior style event for women would be stacked. Current senior national team members including Caroline Harvey, Laila Edwards, Abbey Murphy, Tessa Janecke, Kirsten Simms, Lacey Eden, Joy Dunne, and Ava McNaughton would form the core. Emma Peschel is also in the Olympic pool for USA. Adding members of their Collegiate Select roster like Maggie Scannell, Bella Fanale, Kelly Gorbatenko, Cassie Hall, Sydney Morrow, Ava Lindsay, Laney Potter, Grace Dwyer and Rose Dwyer, among others, and you can see how powerful this roster would be. It's a roster that could compete for, and likely win a medal on the senior national level.

Canada's roster wouldn't be as impressive, but it would still have some prominent names like Chloe Primerano, Eve Gascon, and Caitlin Kraemer who are in Canada's senior national pool, as well as NCAA standouts like Mackenzie Alexander, Issy Wunder, Claire Murdoch, Sara Manness, and Hannah Clark. 

Sweden Would Not Be A Pushover

Sweden's roster of NCAA players includes senior national team members Thea Johansson, Hilda Svensson, Josefine Bouveng, Ida Karlsson, Mira Jungaker, and Jenna Raunio. Beyond this core, players on the cusp of Sweden's national team like Nicole Hall, Tuva Kandell,  Linnea Natt och Dag, and netminders Lisa Jonsson and Felicia Frank would make this a highly competitive team. Sweden has plenty of NCAA players who could shine, but they also have a wealth of U-23 players in the SDHL who would immediately be contributors in North America, and could help a Collegiate team.

Finland and Beyond

The only other nation who could build the bulk of a roster from North American college programs is Finland. Senior national experienced players like Sanni Vanhanen, Sofianna Sundelin, Julia Schalin, Siiri Yrjola, Nelli Laitinen, Krista Parkonnen, Oona Havana, and Emilia Krykko would be the core, with players like Sofia Nuutinen, Tilli Keranen, Nea Tervonen, and netminder Kiia Lahtinen all capable of contributing.

Czechia would be the next strongest, but with only seven players currently in the NCAA, they'd need some support. Senior national team members including Adela Sapovalivova, Tereza Plosova, Andrea Trnkova, Michaela Hesova, and Anezka Cabelova would be the core, and there are several other college commits heading to the NCAA from Czechia including Linda Vocetkova, Adela Pankova, and Julie Jebouskova on the way.

A Tournament Is Overdue

With ever increasing efforts to scout women's hockey globally for both NCAA recruitment and PWHL drafting, as well as the needed emphasis on development opportunities between the U-18 level and senior national teams for many players, a World Junior or Collegiate tournament for women's hockey is long overdue. With the international cohort already in the NCAA and U Sports, and more on the way, the time is right for another women's hockey tournament.