In the era of the PWHL, more players are eyeing North America, and at a younger age from overseas. Whether it's at a minor or junior level like Nela Lopusanova coming to Bishop Kearney, the NCAA producing the first ever European player selected first overall in the PWHL draft in Kristyna Kaltounkova, or professional players like Susanna Tapani and Tereza Vanisova, the international impact in North America continues to grow.
This season, dozens of international players will again make the jump to North America. Several players who represent European national teams are joining the PWHL from the NCAA including Kristyna Kaltounkova, Natalie Mylnkova, Sanni Ahola, and Nina Jobst-Smith. Many others are headed to the NCAA from North American prep and junior programs including Jade Barbirati, Manon Le Scodan, Caroline Reese Bjergstad, Michaela Paulinyova, Livia Debnarova, Tara Bach, Claudia Castellanos, NaYeon Kim, Taeyeon Kim, Laura Nagy, Anezka Cabelova, and Aneta Senkova among others.
Heading To The PWHL
Headlining the PWHL's incoming group is Michelle Karvinen. Karvinen did see some time in North American with North Dakota, and became a first round pick of PWHL Vancouver at the 2025 Draft. She's in a similar position to Sara Hjalmarsson, another former NCAA player who returned to Europe after college. Two players, Russia's Anna Shokhina and Fanuza Kadirova are coming to North America for the first time ever signing with the Ottawa Charge, while Hungary's Alexandra Huszak will look to make her North American debut as a free agent invite to Ottawa's camp.
NCAA Sees Massive Wave Of International Talent
The volume of senior national team players from other nations coming to the NCAA this season is significant. From the top group at Worlds, Czechia's Adela Sapovalivova (Wisconsin) and Tereza Plosova (Minnesota) will both make an immediate impact as well Sweden's Jenna Raunio and Hilda Svensson (Ohio State), Finland's Sanni Vanhanen (Ohio State), and Switzerland's Naemi Herzig (Holy Cross) and Alessia Baechler (Northeastern). This group is set to make noise not only in the NCAA, but by bringing their new experiences to the international state.
Other notable international players headed to the NCAA include Hungary's Alexandra Cservjacsenko (Merrimack), Slovakia's Tatiana Blichova (Lindenwood), Norway's Ada Haave (Delaware), Italy's Matilde Fantin (Penn State), Austria's Anna Billa (Holy Cross), Czechia's Magdelena Felcmanova (Sacred Heart), Finland's Tilli Keränen (RIT), Kerttu Lehmus (Merrimack), and Raili Mustonen (St. Cloud State), and Sweden's Linnea Natt Och Dag (Minnesota-Duluth), Ellen Wigermo (Lindenwood), Maja Ålenius (Mercyhurst), and Stina Sandberg (Merrimack).
Future seasons will bring other top players like Linda Vocetkova (Czechia) who will play at Colgate and Ema Tothova (Slovakia) who will play at Ohio State. Both are playing in the SDHL this season before coming to North America next year.
U Sports Could Become A New Destination
While it's not as prevalent...yet, U Sports is growing an international cohort. Norwegian defender Emma Bergesen who recently signed with the PWHL's Ottawa Charge spent her entire collegiate career at Mount Royal University being named an All-Canadian. Swiss national team member Vanessa Schaefer currently plays for the University of British Columbia, while Italian starter Martina Fedel has been a wall in net for Guelph. Last season U Sports hockey saw players from Japan, Norway, Australia, South Korea, France, Spain, and Hungary competing.
This year, Peppi Virtanen, a Finnish prospect is joining U Sports' University of Saskatchewan after a strong season with HPK in Finland's Auroraliiga. Previously, Virtanen represented Finland at the U-18 World Championships.
Junior Hockey
Many of Europe's top prospects have found prep teams to join in Canada and the United States to improve their chances of scholarships. Programs like Bourget, OHA, Bishop Kearney, Shattuck, and many others, particularly sport schools, have signed players from Europe to not open that pipeline. This season two of the main players making that jump are Germany's Alexandra Boico who is heading to powerhouse Bishop Kearney, and Poland's Malgorzata Zakrzewska who is headed to Purcell Academy.