The U-18 Canadian national championships are about to drop the puck. Here's a look at the competition.
Ontario Red will look to win their 15th title in the 16 years the U-18 Canadian national championships have been contested. The tournament, scheduled to take place from November 2 to November 8 in Newfoundland and Labrador, is set to bring together the best U-18 players from across the nation.
Ontario Red Is Again The Team To Beat
Ontario Red looks like the team to beat yet again. Ontario Blue took them to overtime twice in pre-tournament exhibition, but it was without Caileigh Tiller and Mikyla Barnes, two members of Canada's U-18 national team, and Red was also missing a third member of Team Canada, Maggie Hughson for one of the games. In the end, Ontario Red still defeated Ontario Blue both games.
The two teams are the favorites this year, but will face strong competition from Quebec, Alberta, and others. Even the host Team Atlantic looks stronger this year.
Ontario Red is stacked with talent including 14 members of Canada's U-18 national team that faced USA in a three game series this summer. Among the standouts from that roster at Tiller, Barnes, Adrianna Milani, Kate Viel, Avery Jones, Maddie McCullough and others.
Hosts Look Stronger Than Ever
Team Atlantic has not typically been a contender at this tournament, but they have some pieces on their roster this time around that will make them a team that cannot be overlooked. Etobicoke Dolphins defender and Minnesota commit Megan Mossey could be Canada's best U-18 defender and she'll have an opportunity to prove that billing at the event. She's joined by St. Lawrence commit Kendall Doiron who is putting up big numbers at Shattuck St. Mary's. She's a dynamic forward who can break away from checkers and threaten individually. Atlantic also has Jaylee MacKinnon, another member of Canada's U-18 roster this summer, and some promising young players like 2010 born forward Summer MacLean, and defender Claire Sanford. This group has better depth than Team Atlantic has competed with in the past, and riding the momentum of a home crowd, Atlantic could shock a few provincial teams.
How Will The West Be Won?
When you look at men's hockey, many of Canada's top players come from the west. That hasn't been the case in women's hockey where Ontario and Quebec have dominated for decades. That's beginning to change however, particularly as members of the CSSHL continue to develop and those programs get stronger. There has never been a coordinated league in the west with the depth of Ontario's OWHL or Quebec's QCHL and it has left some top programs, usually no more than two per province, stranded and struggling to develop elite talent. Canada's 25-player roster at the Summer Series featured only four players from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia combined in Rowan Houweling (Alberta), Kennedy Sisson (BC), Hayley MacDonald (Manitoba), and Alide Korte (Saskatchewan). It's an issue Hockey Canada has failed to address and while players continue to emerge from states like California and Texas to make Team USA, Canada's continued gaps out west will show more and more. Keep an eye on Canada's western teams.
Returnees To Watch
Quebec's Madison Lévesque is the top scorer returning from the 2024 tournament, and her Quebec teammate Rosalie Tremblay was not far behind. Ontario Red's roster is speckled with returning players including Sofia Ismael, Caileigh Tiller, and Rachel Piggot who all had solid tournament performances. In the crease, Avah Sedore is among the only returning goalies with experience playing for Team Ontario Blue in 2024, and moving to Team Ontario Red this year. On the blueline, Ontario Red's Keira Owen was the top scoring defender who is back this year, while Mossey and Viel are others to keep an eye on.
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