While Canada is going a new direction without Gina Kingsbury and Troy Ryan at the helm of the women's national team, players today are acknowledging their impact on Team Canada, helping guide the program to past success.
Earlier today, Hockey Canada announced that it had mutually agreed with head coach Troy Ryan and general manager Gina Kingsbury that neither would return to the National Women’s Program for the 2026–27 season.
Shortly after the announcement, the Walter Cup champions, the Montreal Victoire, were honoured as special guests at Montreal City Hall.
Asked about the news, Laura Stacey admitted she had only just learned about it.
“I just found on the bus, I opened my Instagram and I saw it,” said Stacey to The Hockey News. “I haven’t really taken it in or thought about it or reached out to them. At the end of the day, those two are incredible people and they had a huge impact on my career. I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you today if it wasn’t for those two. I owe a lot of my career to them. It’s sad to see them go, and I’ll definitely gonna reach out to them, because I couldn’t be luckier to be around at the time that they led that program.”
Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens also had kind words for the pair, who both played an important role at a time when she thought her hockey career was over.
“They’re two people who helped move our program forward over the past few years,” Desbiens mentioned. “When I stopped playing in 2018, I never thought I’d come back, and those two are among the main reasons why I returned to the game. Their work ethic and dedication meant a lot. So yes, today we may be going in a different direction, but the program wouldn’t be the same without them.”
Among the favourites for the head coaching position is Kori Cheverie, who has served as an assistant coach with Team Canada since 2021. While she declined to confirm whether she is interested in the position, she did speak about the impact Troy Ryan and Gina Kingsbury have had on her career.
“They’ve done great work over the past years," said Cheverie. "Really happy to have worked with them and their experience, I’ve learned a lot from them. And I wish them the best in their next endeavours.”