The Women's Euro Hockey Tour stop in Finland this month was filled with standout performances from rising stars and veterans alike. Here's a look at some of the standouts from the event.
The Women's Euro Hockey Tour stop in Finland this month was filled with standout performances from rising stars and veterans alike. Here's a look at some of the standouts from the event.
The Six Nation Women's Euro Hockey Tour in Finland is in the books, but the impact will remain. It laid the groundwork for another event next season in preparation for the 2026 Olympics, and it also proved a crucial scouting ground for the PWHL.
Here's a look at some of the top performers from the tournament:
Jocelyn Amos, Canada
It's an honor to be named the captain of any Team Canada, but Jocelyn Amos certainly earned that role. She's a model of consistency on the ice and was, alongside Emmalee Pais, and Anne Cherkowski, part of Canada's most dangerous forward line. She looks as close to senior national team ready as any player on the ice, and she scores and contributes off the puck without the flash and dash of her American counterparts, but with equal effectiveness.
Sarah Paul, Canada
Sarah Paul will watch her peers enter the PWHL Draft this season. Because of injury issues and COVID-19, Paul technically still has two seasons of NCAA eligibility remaining. She is a shoot first player who has an excellent release, which she showed for Canada. Her path to the PWHL will be longer than others, but when she arrives, it will be worth the wait for whoever drafts the Princeton forward.
Abbey Murphy, USA
There's almost never a game that goes by without Abbey Murphy causing you to pause and say 'wow.' Sometimes it's because she walks the line, or crosses it, as a physical pest who could agitate a an inanimate object, but more often it's because of her electrifying offensive skills. That included a standout performance in the gold medal game of this event. She has a deadly one timer, blazing speed, and can dangle in full flight. If she declares for the 2025 PWHL Draft, which she should, she'll be the consensus number one pick.
Kirsten Simms, USA
Simms has been dazzling fans since her U-18 days. Her hands are so slick, and she uses her edges to change the field, evade checkers, and open space for herself. Truly a magician with the puck, Simms can hurt teams in so many ways. She's at her most dangerous on the power play, which she showed again this week, but she's also a player who if you blink, she'll expose that microsecond to her advantage.
Wilma Sundin, Sweden
Sundin hasn't put up eye popping numbers in the SDHL this season, but she certainly caught eyes this week. Sundin was one of Sweden's more threatening player on the puck. More than that however, she used her speed to force plays, take away space, and show she's more than numbers. Sweden had several players who looked good, but Sundin elevated her game beyond expectations.
Sofianna Sundelin, Finland
Her numbers in the NCAA with St. Cloud State still aren't great, but Sundelin was noticeably more noticeable at this event. She was a key to Finland's attack generating more chances than many of the veterans on the roster. She was unafraid to drive the puck to the net, used her body well to shield pucks, and continued moving her feet. For a Finnish team looking for more, Sundelin gave it.
Ella Huber, USA
It's not that Huber hasn't been one of the top players in the NCAA this season, but this week, she showcased her best assets in a way that popped. In USA's summer series against Canada, Huber used her speed and drive to create chances, but this week those chances started going in. She's a great skater with the ability to create separation, she sees lanes well, and is no slouch defensively. Huber boosted her PWHL stock this week.
Kristyna Kaltounkova, Czechia
Her game is complete. Strong on her feet, physical, a wicked release, vision as a playmaker, and defensively competitive. She's good enough to play for any national team in the world, Canada and USA included. If Abbey Murphy doesn't declare, Kaltounkova is an immediate candidate to go first overall.
Andrea Trnkova, Czechia
Czechia has other strong defenders like Sara Cajanova and Tereza Radova who played this week, but Andrea Trnkova, who plays in the NCAA with RPI has something the other two don't, an abundance of physicality. Sometimes she overshoots her target for a bigger hit than necessary, but her presence was felt, quite literally, with Czechia. Only 20 years old, Trnkova is only going to get better, and once she harnesses her youthful exuberance, she'll be a defender few look forward to matching up against in the NCAA, internationally, or in the PWHL.
Sanni Ahola (Finland) and Andrea Brandli (Switzerland)
These goalies were in a class of their own at the event. Brandli kept a vastly under-talented Swiss team from being embarrassed, while Ahola continued to make saves she shouldn't have to keep Finland close in games, despite the fact the Finns had an underwhelming performance overall. Both will be high on PWHL lists for any team looking for another option in net. Both have proven themselves against the top shooters in the world at international events, and unlike other goaltending options, including third goalies in the PWHL right now, they'll come in sharper having played enough games this season.
Honorable Mention
Viivi Vainikka, Sara Hjalmarsson, Hanna Thuvik, Sanni Rantala, Casey O'Brien, Hilda Svensson, Elin Svensson, Caroline Harvey.