The Division IA World Championships are set to kick off in Austria, and it's a last chance for players from nations outside the top division to earn attention for the PWHL Draft.
The Division IA World Championships are set to kick off in Austria, and it's a last chance for players from nations outside the top division to earn attention for the PWHL Draft.
The IIHF Division IA World Championships are the last chance for PWHL teams to get a look at potential prospects for the 2024 PWHL Draft. Without knowing who has or hasn't declared for the draft, there could be more players from this international competition declaring for the draft. For now, here's a look at the group of players competing in the tournament who are expected to declare.
Anna Meixner, F, Brynas, SDHL (1994, Austria)
(Ranked #14 on THN's Draft Board)
Great speed, shifty with the puck, and a reputation as a top player in Europe, including being named the SDHL's MVP last season. Could factor into a top six.
Kayleigh Hamers, D, SDE, SDHL (1997, Netherlands)
(Ranked #41 on THN's Draft Board)
A strong skater and intelligent defender, Hamers will certainly be flying a bit under the radar coming from SDE and the Netherlands. She's the Netherlands' best player, being named best defender at both the Division 1B and Division 1A World Championships.
Emma Bergesen, D, Mount Royal, USports (1999, Norway) (Ranked #42 on THN's Draft Board)
A good skater who can jump into the play, Bergesen is one of the best defenders in Canada, and she's also been the staple for Team Norway. Back-to-back First Team All-Canadian, and also named the Top Defender at the 2022 World Championship D1A tournament.
Mathea Fischer, C, SDE, SDHL (1997, Norway)
(Ranked #52 on THN's Draft Board)
Fischer has captained Norway and the 26-year-old had her best offensive season of her career this year with SDE in the SDHL scoring 32 points in 36 games. The University of British Columbia alumni could catch the eye of PWHL teams with a standout tournament.
Ena Nystrøm, G, Mercyhurst, NCAA (2000, Norway)
(Ranked #61 on THN's Draft Board)
One of the best NCAA goaltenders of the past several seasons, Nystrøm earned back-to-back College Hockey America Goaltender of the Year honors with Mercyhurst. She didn't play for Norway last year, which could have been the difference for the nation for promotion.