Canada's aging roster looked just that in their opening game of the 2025 Rivalry Series. It speaks to Canada's unwillingness to infuse new faces into meaningful roles on the national team. Is it too late for Canada to look outside their 30 player Olympic pool? Ian Kennedy takes a look.
Canada and USA are approaching the 2026 Olympics without a core piece of past Olympic preparation, centralization. Instead both nations have entered training blocks this offseason with a group of 30 players coming together for training camps in various cities.
What hasn't changed however, is the fact that once those 30 players were locked in, there have been no changes. It's a rigid structure that relies only on past performance, not on the growth and potential players may realize through a season of experience, offseason training, and new opportunities in 2025-26.
It's a stark contrast to the selection of men's Olympic hockey teams who certainly consider past performance and veteran experience, but who will make their final roster decisions based on how well athletes are playing now, in the 2025-26 season.
While Canada's coach, Troy Ryan, and general manager, Gina Kingsbury, have stated they'll be monitoring players outside their 30 players pool, it's highly unlikely after six weeks together this offseason, and a Rivalry Series leg, that a player will join Team Canada for one week in December for the final stop on the Rivalry Series and steal a roster spot.
Unlikely, But Is It Necessary?
Make no mistake, Canada's national team is heading toward a cliff. We may have already seen the last games played for Brianne Jenner and Jocelyn Larocque, two players who will be Hockey Hall of Fame candidates. But by the 2030 Olympics, the list of current national team members who will be over 35 is long including Natalie Spooner, Marie-Philip Poulin, Renata Fast, Erin Ambrose, Ann-Renee Desbiens, Blayre Turnbull, Sarah Nurse, Laura Stacey, Emerance Maschmeyer and Hannah Miller.
While USA has kept the gates open bringing in new groups of college standouts each year, including players like Abbey Murphy, Caroline Harvey, Tessa Janecke, and Laila Edwards who will be leaders in Milano Cortina.
Canada on the other hand, has kept the doors closed aside from finding ways to bring in overlooked pros like Daryl Watts.
Stylistically, the two teams now differ significantly, and Canada looks like they're struggling to keep up with USA's youth and speed up front, while dealing with their size and mobility on the back end.
Canada's situation could be even more dire if a key player like Marie-Philip Poulin or Renata Fast were to go down with injury, while it's hard to look at USA's roster and point to a single player who would make or break their tournament hopes as there are new waves ready to shift positions or step in.
While anything can happen in a single game elimination event like a gold medal game, if Canada wants the best chance to beat Team USA, bringing in players from outside their 30 player pool for the final leg of the Rivalry Series, however unlikely, looks necessary.
Who can Canada call?
It's good Canada has Caitlin Kraemer in the mix, but placing her as a fourth liner removes any potential impact. Like USA has done, Canada needs some youthful speed and energy sprinkled throughout their roster. Emma Maltais was a bright spot for Canada in their opening game, not for her offense, but for her puck pursuit and momentum shifting pace. Canada needs more of this.
Over the last few seasons, Canada has brought players like Jenna Buglioni, Anne Cherkowski, and Kendall Cooper through their development team, but none were invited. Canada had four players selected in the first nine picks of the 2025 PWHL Draft, but none lined up for the Canadians in the opening game of the Rivalry Series.
If Canada wanted more pace and veteran savvy, giving a look to a player like Michela Cava, who tied for 7th among Canadian forwards in PWHL scoring last season a look. Canada has never brought her to camp, while other players who have never matched her on-ice success have had their looks. All Cava does is win, she knows the tendencies of most of USA's top players, and she is a proven pro who elevates in high stakes games. It's Canada's loss, and USA's gain to leave her at home.
Canada's blueline depth is strong, but watching them get picked apart on the penalty kill and outcompeted for pucks, it's hard not to envision the impact Ashton Bell would have made for Canada defensively for Canada.
Looking at the NCAA, there's no shortage of talented players who would have not only benefitted in their own development from inclusion at Canada's camp, but who would have benefitted Canada through competition. This list includes, but is not limited to forwards like Jocelyn Amos, Emma Pais, Sara Manness, Stryker Zablocki, Mackenzie Alexander, Eloise Caron. And although Canada has largely ignored her, looking at the co-NCAA Forward of the Month, Kahlen Lamarche, who shared the honor with Abbey Murrphy, and seeing the start she's off to, bringing her in for a look would have been an easy decision. Lamarche has 17 goals and 25 points in only 12 games with Quinnipiac this season.
Right now Canada's roster looks settled, both in terms of composition, and in terms of the players' belief that their spots are secure.
Does Canada have a realistic hope for gold?
Certainly. The last two World Championship games have gone to overtime, and Canada has won their share of Rivalry Series games. Anything can happen in a gold medal final.
USA's roster is more skilled, has more speed, and is only going to get better over the next few seasons. It's bad news long term for Canada, but the 2026 Olympics remain a toss up where Canada's veterans can dig deep in a final and win. It's possible Troy Ryan and Gina Kingsbury don't plan to continue with the national program much longer and Canada's approaching exodus of stars isn't the concern, but the present day issues with the roster could be aided with an infusion of new blood.
Will Canada break from their current 30 player pool and invite outside talent to help boost their Olympic chances? It's unlikely, but it's far from unnecessary.