By Canadian Press

Primerano, Watts to make national women’s hockey team debuts in Rivalry Series

Oct 23, 2024 | 2:41 PM

CALGARY — The Canadian women’s hockey team roster for the next Rivalry Series against the United States was unveiled Wednesday after two straight years of Canadian comebacks.

Canada lost the first three games of the best-of-seven series before winning four straight to take it in both 2023 and 2024.

With top players from both countries to start their second season in the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Nov. 30, the Rivalry Series will be a five-game affair in 2024-25.

Hockey Canada named a 25-player lineup — three goalies, eight defenders and 14 forwards — for the first three games in the United States starting Nov. 6 in San Jose, Calif.

Canada’s roster features 21 players who reclaimed the world championship gold medal with a 6-5 overtime win over the U.S. in April, including forwards Marie-Philip Poulin, Brianne Jenner, Blayre Turnbull and overtime heroine Danielle Serdachny, defenders Renata Fast and Erin Ambrose and goalie Ann-Renee Desbiens.

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Defender Chloe Primerano of North Vancouver, B.C., and Toronto forward Darryl Watts, who has signed with her hometown PWHL Sceptres, will make their national-team debuts.

Primerano, who plays for the University of Minnesota women’s team, was the first female skater to be selected in a Canadian Hockey League draft when the Vancouver Giants chose her in the 13th round in 2022.

Canada’s roster was chosen by general manager Gina Kingsbury, head coach Troy Ryan and senior manager of development and scouting Cherie Piper in consultation with assistant coaches Korie Cheverie, Caroline Ouellette, Britni Smith and goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood.

The IIHF expanded women’s world championship rosters from 23 players to 25, which equals men’s international rosters, starting in 2025 in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.

Kingsbury says the Rivalry Series roster was chosen with two more skaters in mind.

“The 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship is only six months away, and getting a look at our team and roster depth begins with these first three games,” Kingsbury said in a statement.

“These teams know each other very well, but we still have an opportunity to build on what we worked on at September camp as we evaluate ourselves now and throughout the season.”

Nov. 8 in West Valley City, Utah, and Nov. 10 in Boise, Idaho, will complete the American leg of the series.

Another Canadian roster will be announced before the series concludes Feb. 6 in Halifax and Feb. 8 in Summerside, P.E.I.

Since the start of the Rivalry Series during the 2018-19 season, Canada’s record is 15-13 against the U.S.

Women’s rosters won’t increase from 23 to 25 players for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

“For the Olympic roster in 2026 it would be too late to lobby,” said IIHF women’s committee chair Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer in an email.

“We can and will do that for 2030. If we ask for any changes at the Olympics, we have to do it first at our tournaments. We did it now, and we can start to lobby for 2030.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press

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