Chloe Primerano is the best player in her age group in Canada, and perhaps globally. The 16-year-old is living up to and exceeding the hype.

The word phenom should be used hesitantly. It's becoming harder and harder however, to keep the word out of descriptions surrounding Chloe Primerano.

Across the ocean, Nela Lopusanova has drawn justified international attention, but in Canada, Primerano's ascension to elite status should not be overlooked. Primerano, who currently plays at RINK Academy in Kelowna, British Columbia, thinks the game several steps ahead of the competition. It's an aspect of her game that sets the 16-year-old who became the first woman skater ever selected in a CHL draft when the WHL’s Vancouver Giants selected her 268th overall last year, apart.

"What separates Chloe from a lot of others would be her hockey IQ," said RINK Academy Kelowna head coach Kris Hogg.

"She sees the ice so well and is thinking two or three plays ahead. She has the ability to slow the game down or speed it up and can play the game at the pace she wants. It's really unique at the u18 level to this from any athlete. On top of this she is a competitor. She loves the challenges that face her as a young hockey player and rises up to the challenges. She strives to get better everyday and this is the number one separator all great hockey players have."

As a blueliner, Primerano's offensive instincts and abilities have been on full display this year. At the Canada Winter Games, Primerano led Team British Columbia to gold with 10 points in six games against older U-18 competition. Among others in the tournament were members of Canada U-18 World Championship gold medal team Caitlin Kraemer, Jordan Baxter, Alex Law and Emmalee Pais, who all sat in the top 10 in tournament scoring. Primerano looks like a key candidate to join Canada’s U-18 roster next year.

Despite her success, Primerano is still adjusting to women's hockey after playing against men her entire life.

"This year has been an adjustment being my first year playing women’s hockey," said Primerano. "It was a great opportunity to grow my game into a more offensive dman."

"Playing in the Canada Winter Games was an unreal experience. To play alongside and against the best players in the country was a great challenge."

In the gold medal game, a 3-0 shutout win over Nova Scotia, Primerano had two assists. 

At RINK Academy, Primerano finished her season leading her team in scoring, and finishing fourth in CSSHL scoring with 20 goals and 48 points in 30 games. Considering her teammates including several NCAA Division I committed forwards who will make that jump next season, the accomplishment to lead the team in scoring is significant. 

Primerano uses her skating, not only to escape pressure, but to transport the puck, and at the offensive blueline, open shooting and passing lanes to generate offense. In the playoffs, Primerano was again RINK's top scorer, nothing 11 points in five games to help RINK win a second consecutive Canadian Sport School Hockey League title. For Primerano, attending RINK has provided numerous benefits to her game.

"I am really happy with my choice to go to RINK, it is a very competitive environment that focuses on growth both as a person and player," said Primerano. "There is a lot of opportunity to get better with our skill and skating development. Playing with motivated like-minded teammates gives me opportunity to reach my goals. RINK checked all the boxes for me and my family, with great coaching, great team, education, as well as off ice workouts."

Primerano will return RINK Academy next season, but also hopes to represent Canada at the upcoming U-18 women's World Championships in Switzerland. Given her season of outperforming older competition, many who played for Canada's 2022 U-18 gold medal winning team, a position for Primerano on the national team would seem like a logical next step for Canada's roster.

With a roster spot for Canada's 2024 tournament on the horizon, what follows for Primerano is a line up of NCAA programs recruiting the top 2007 prospect in Canada, and the quest to turn her phenom status into phenomenal results in the future.