Marie-Philip Poulin of Canada, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring her sides second goal during the semi final match between Canada and Finland at the Women's Ice Hockey Championships in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

By The Canadian Press

Canadian women’s hockey team roster unveiled for Rivalry Series games in U.S.

Nov 3, 2025 | 11:47 AM

CALGARY — Hockey Canada has named the 25 players for the women’s team facing the host United States in the first two games of the Rivalry Series.

The three goalies, eight defenders and 14 forwards announced Monday will square off against their archrival Americans on Thursday in Cleveland, Ohio, and Saturday in Buffalo, N.Y.

The four-game series concludes Dec. 10 and Dec. 13 in Edmonton where Canada and the United States will meet for the last time before February’s Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy.

Canada’s roster for the Edmonton games will be announced at a later date.

“These four games are more than just a mini-competition between two rival nations; they remain an important measuring stick for us as we continue building toward the 2026 Olympic Winter Games,” said Canadian team general manager Gina Kingsbury in a statement.

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“We have focused our training blocks on fine-tuning our on-ice identity and paying attention to the details that we believe will drive our success. The four games are a critical step in that process, and we are excited to see it all come together on the ice.”

The lineup for the U.S. games includes 20 players who earned a silver medal in this year’s world championship in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia, where Canada lost the final 4-3 in overtime to the U.S.

Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens, who has been Canada’s starter in big games, veteran forwards Brianne Jenner and Emily Clark, and defender Jocelyne Larocque won’t play in the U.S. games.

Goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer is expected to play her first games since a season-ending knee injury March 11 that kept her off the world championship roster.

Maschmeyer was playing for the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Ottawa Charge at that time, but has since signed with expansion Vancouver.

Forwards Hannah Miller and Caitlin Kraemer, defender Kati Tabin and goaltender Kayle Osborne will make their national-team debuts for Canada in Cleveland and Buffalo.

Canada invited 30 players to Calgary in August for an Olympic orientation camp and training camp, with subsequent camps held in Toronto and Montreal.

Miller’s eligibility to play for Canada in the Olympic Games remains in limbo, although she can play in the Rivalry Series because it isn’t an International Ice Hockey Federations event.

Miller represented host China in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing. The IIHF states a player can switch national eligibility just once in a career.

Hockey Canada argues Miller isn’t a transfer, but a reinstatement to Canada, because she first represented Canada at world under-18 championships in 2013 and 2014.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2025.

The Canadian Press