After watching the first two Rivalry Series games, it's hard not to be optimistic if you’re an American hockey fan coming into the final two games in Edmonton. After wins in Cleveland and Buffalo, Team USA is riding high up 2-0 on Canada, looking to finish strong with the Milan Cortina Olympics on the horizon. This series has been one that has shown what the Americans have in their mix of veterans and younger players, with Laila Edwards being one of the younger names making an impact as she looks to take her first trip to the Olympics. For Edwards, at Wisconsin and for the national team, her game continues to impress many. In her senior season with the Badgers, she’s recorded 26 points in 15 games. Coming off a 2024-25 season where she was a top three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, she continues to show off her versatility as someone who has been able to win tournament MVP at the 2024 World Championships as a forward, and this season, take a top four role on the blueline. While she missed time this season due to a left knee injury, in the first game of the Rivalry Series in Cleveland on Nov 6th, the Cleveland Heights, Ohio native recorded an assist in the 4-1 win, a game that saw her play in front of a healthy amount of local supporters. “It was super cool. I think half of the stands were my family, so it was a ton of fun to get the win there too," Edwards said. The second game of the series in Buffalo on November 8, a 6-1 rout of Canada, saw her record three points in the win. What Edwards brings to the roster hasn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of her teammates, especially her captain and one of the most decorated players in the history of women’s hockey, Hilary Knight, who loves seeing her continued evolution. “Laila’s such a bright star, she does everything right on and off the ice, and so it's really a privilege to be able to be one of her teammates and to see her grow,” Knight said. “Obviously, been trying to keep an eye on the Badgers here and there throughout the season, and they’re having tremendous success there as well.” At only 21, Edwards has been trusted in big moments by the US coaching staff and is considered a top prospect for the 2026 PWHL Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/2026-pwhl-draft-rankings-november]. Edwards attributes her continued development to being open and wanting to learn from not only her coaches, but some of the greatest players to ever put on an American uniform. “It's been a lot of fun, I think I’m learning something every day from some incredible leaders and a great coaching staff," she said. "I think just coming with that mindset of being coachable and ready to learn has really helped me.” As her game continues to grow, so does her impact on the sport’s culture as a whole. If she makes the final Olympic roster, Edwards will be the first Black American woman to play for her nation at an Olympics in ice hockey. She'll also continue her path a trailblazer in the sport, following in the footsteps of fellow Black women in American hockey such as her sister Chayla, who recorded 55 points in her NCAA career with Wisconsin, and others like Blake Bolden in the women’s game. Embracing that role of being someone who can change the game and inspire the next generation of Black girls to watch and get into hockey is something she’s fully ready to continue to take on. “It means a lot to me, like you said, trailblazer, and I think I could shy away from it, but it's more important to take pride in it and continue to grow the game; that’s my plan.”
