We are just weeks away from the beginning of the women’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics. While a lot remains the same, there is a sense of new heading into Milan next month.
While fans are giddy with the chance of seeing the best players in the world go at it on the international stage, the build-up for these Winter Games is unlike anything we’ve seen in the first seven women’s Olympic tournaments. In previous years, the national teams would centralize, as teams would come together and train in advance of the Games. Now, with the rise of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, we are treated to seeing these same athletes on a nightly basis, honing their craft at the professional level.
The PWHL has given players a chance to play their way onto their national team’s radar, rather than hope a spot opens up like in previous years. It has led to a very competitive league, cueing up what’s being considered to be one of the biggest Olympic tournaments in some time.
Thanks to so many Canadians on their roster, the Montreal Victoire leads the league with nine Olympians. Of the eight players heading to Milan next month from the Minnesota Frost, six are playing for Team USA.
Here’s the full list of PWHL players competing in this year’s Olympics:
BOSTON FLEET
Daniela Pejšová, D (Czechia)
Susanna Tapani, F (Finland)
Laura Kluge, F (Germany)
Alina Muller, F (Switzerland)
Aerin Frankel, G (USA)
Megan Keller, D (USA)
Haley Winn, D (USA)
MINNESOTA FROST
Klára Hymlárová, F (Czechia)
Denisa Křížová, F (Czechia)
Kendall Coyne Schofield, F (USA)
Britta Curl-Salemme, F (USA)
Taylor Heise, F (USA)
Kelly Pannek, F (USA)
Lee Stecklein, D (USA)
Grace Zumwinkle, F (USA)
MONTREAL VICTOIRE
Erin Ambrose, D (Canada)
Laura Stacey, F (Canada)
Marie-Philip Poulin, F (Canada)
Ann-Renée Desbiens, G (Canada)
Kati Tabin, D (Canada)
Natálie Mlýnková, F (Czechia)
Sandra Abstreiter, G (Germany)
Lina Ljungblom, F (Sweden)
Hayley Scamurra, F (USA)
NEW YORK SIRENS
Sarah Fillier, F (Canada)
Kristin O’Neill, F (Canada)
Kayle Osborne, G (Canada)
Kristýna Kaltounková, F (Czechia)
Maja Nylén-Persson, D (Sweden)
Nicole Vallario, D (Switzerland)
OTTAWA SIRENS
Emily Clark, F (Canada)
Brianne Jenner, F (Canada)
Jocelyne Larocque, D (Canada)
Kateřina Mrázová, F (Czechia)
Sanni Ahola, G (Finland)
Ronja Savolainen, D (Finland)
Rory Guilday, D (USA)
Gwyneth Philips, G (USA)
SEATTLE TORRENT
Julia Gosling, F (Canada)
Aneta Tejralová, D (Czechia)
Cayla Barnes, D (USA)
Hannah Bilka, F (USA)
Alex Carpenter, F (USA)
Hilary Knight, F (USA)
TORONTO SCEPTRES
Renata Fast, D (Canada)
Emma Maltais, F (Canada)
Ella Shelton, D (Canada)
Natalie Spooner, F (Canada)
Blayre Turnbull, F (Canada)
Daryl Watts, F (Canada)
Kristin Della Rovere, F (Italy)*
Sara Hjalmarsson, F (Sweden)
Anna Kjellbin, D (Sweden)
VANCOUVER GOLDENEYES
Jenn Gardiner, F (Canada)
Sophie Jaques, D (Canada)
Emerance Maschmeyer, G (Canada)
Sarah Nurse, F (Canada)
Claire Thompson, D (Canada)
Tereza Vanišová, F (Czechia)
Michelle Karvinen, F (Finland)
Nina Jobst-Smith, D (Germany)
* denotes players not actively playing in PWHL
The puck drops in Milan on Feb. 5, with Sweden taking on Germany. The quarterfinals will begin on Feb. 13 and conclude the following day. Both semifinals are taking place on Feb. 16. The tournament will wrap up on Feb. 19 with both the gold and bronze medal games.
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