Canada had one of their worst seasons internationally, and their national team continues to age. 

But there are reinforcements on the way. The last two seasons, NCAA national Rookie of the Year recipients have come from Canada with Sara Manness winning as co-recipient in 2026, and Caitlin Kraemer winning the award in 2025. Before them were two American national team members in Joy Dunne and Tessa Janecke. Before Dunne and Janecke, it was five more Americans, all of whom played in the PWHL last season including Team USA member Hannah Bilka. The last Canadians to win the award, Sarah Fillier and Daryl Watts, are two key members of the Canadian national team, and are already veteran professionals in the PWHL.

But the fact that Manness and Kraemer won the award bodes well for Canada's future, not just in the NCAA, but on the international state.

Here's a look at 12 Canadian prospects, including Manness and Kraemer, from outside the PWHL, to watch in 2026-27.

The Manitoba product was the ECAC Player of the Year, ECAC Rookie of the Year, ECAC Forward of the Year, and the co-winner of the NCAA's national Rookie of the Year honor alongside Swedish national team veteran Hilda Svensson. As an NCAA rookie she recorded 21 goals and 52 points in 35 games this season with Clarkson. Manness can finish, but she is an exceptional playmaker who could someday be Canada's top centre. She was incredible on the draw this season leading the ECAC winning 61.5% of her face-offs, while taking the third most draws of any player in the ECAC. Canadian fans should keep an eye on Manness with the National Development Team this summer.

Just like Sara Manness, it's very easy to picture Stryker Zablocki becoming a key scoring figure for Canada in the not too distant future. She's dynamic, with speed to burn, and a true goalscorer's finish. She won the Hockey East Player of the Year award as a rookie this season, and was of course Hockey East Rookie of the Year as well. She had 44 points in 39 games in year one, how high can she push those totals this season?

Primerano already has a World Championship silver medal with Canada. She's got size, she's physical, and she can be creative with the puck. She had a bit of a down year in Minnesota this season, and she missed Canada's Olympic roster. It sounds like the recipe for a spectacular season where she steps forward to show everyone it was all just a step in her development. 

Got games with Canada at the Rivalry Series this season. She's big, she's a power forward, and she's learning to play the game on a larger scale. It's time for Canada to pay extra attention to her development, and to make sure the Kraemer lives up to her expectations, which include breaking Marie-Philip Poulin's goal scoring records at the U-18 level.

Lamarche was the highest scoring Canadian in the NCAA last season, and she led the nation with 42 goals in 41 games this season. Her 64 points were good for third in the nation behind #2 overall PWHL Draft pick Abbey Murphy and #5 overall PWHL Draft pick Lacey Eden. Lamarche projects as a first round pick in the 2027 PWHL Draft if she declares.

She won World Championship silver as Canada's third goalie, and got into a game in the Rivalry Series. Gascon continues to put up stellar numbers in the NCAA, and is undeniably Canada's goaltender of the future.

Could enter the 2027 PWHL Draft, and captained Canada's national development team last summer. There's a lot to like about Amos' all around game, including her strength on the draw where she was one of the best centers in the conference winning 64% of her draws. Amos will likely be back with Canada's national development team this summer, which will for the first time serve as a true tryout to get a look at the World Championships.

Going into only her third season in the NCAA, Alexander has scored well over a point per game in back-to-back seasons. She'll need to do it this year with Issy Wunder, but Alexander took a major step this year without Sarah Paul, and it's obvious she drives offense herself. Another national development team member to watch closely. 

She fast tracked to the NCAA, getting their a year before her peers similar to the path Chloe Primerano took. Milani was electric for Canada at the U-18 World Championships scoring 10 goals and 13 points in six games this year. She's still a few years away, but she fast tracked once, can she do it again?

This season was a bit of a slow burn for Murdoch, but she got better game by game and by the end of the year, she was one of the best players on the ice each night, and a threat each time she was on the ice. Murdoch is a positive possession player who thinks the game well. She'll be back on Canada's national development team this summer. 

Scored 32 points in 34 games as a rookie with Ohio State last season. She's benefitting from playing with Amos, and Olympians Joy Dunne, Hilda Svensson, and Sanni Vanhanen. It's a phenomenal environment for a young forward to find herself in. She's another player likely to start getting more serious consideration from Canada's national program.

Maynard is a dynamic puck moving defender. There aren't many in Canada's pool with her vision, edge work, and ability to drive offense from the back. She'll have a bigger load to carry this year after a massive graduating class moved from Penn State to the PWHL. 

Others To Watch: Grace Outwater, Megan Mossey, Kate Manness, Emma Pais, Morgan Jackson, Jessica MacKinnon, Rhyah Stewart, Emma Venusio, Ava Murphy, Madison Campbell, Makayla Watson, Piper Grober, Avery Pickering, Sofia Ismael, Hayley MacDonald.