Goaltending has been a point of discussion in the PWHL with the world's top netminders between the pipes. At the World Championships, it will be much of the same as international net depth in women's hockey is strong.
It hasn't been easy for the world's best goal scorers, because there's not a game that goes by where they aren't facing the world's best goaltenders. In the PWHL, the league contains Canada's top four goalies, USA's top two netminders, and the starters from Sweden and Germany.
Over the next few seasons, starting goalies from Czechia, Finland, Switzerland, China, Slovenia, and Norway will all be looking to join this group.
From the PWHL, Ann-Renee Desbiens (Montreal/Canada), Emerance Maschmeyer (Ottawa/Canada), Sandra Abstreiter (Ottawa/Germany), Aerin Frankel (Boston/USA), Emma Soderberg (Boston/Sweden), Nicole Hensley (Minnesota/USA), and Kristen Campbell (Toronto/Canada) will all be at the tournament.
Czechia's Klara Peslarova is likely to join the PWHL ranks next season as she's made it clear she intends to declare. Peslarova is a former Olympic All-Star, World Championship All-Star, World Championship Best Goaltender, and SDHL Goaltender of the Year. She was integral in Czechia's rise to the ranks of the world's elite.
For Finland, Sanni Ahola was the WCHA Goaltender of the Year with St. Cloud State, and a WCHA First Team All-Star. She's also got Anni Keisala alongside her as a former World Championship Best Goaltender and Naisten Liiga Goalie of the Year.
In Switzerland it's Andrea Brandli who was lights out in the SDHL this season after finishing her NCAA career.
Even in the netminders coming up from Division 1A, Denmark's Emma-Sofie Nordström was a Second Team All-ECAC Star this year for St. Lawrence University.
Much like it is in the PWHL this season, goaltending at the World Championships will be a challenge for shooters, and a potentially game and tournament stealing element of teams.