The progress is seen in many ways. More opportunity for girls to play hockey at young ages, more college and university scholarships in the game, and – perhaps the greatest sign of progress – a path to playing professional hockey.
So much of this progress can be traced back to the trailblazers of the game of women’s hockey, those who spent years and years trying to convince anyone and everyone that women’s hockey mattered. Among the most noteworthy of those trailblazers is Canada’s 1990 women’s national team, the first-ever IIHF Women’s World Champions.
The team will be recognized with an incredible honour in early November as it will be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame during the Order of Sport Awards: Legacy Edition.
“The Canada Sports Hall of Fame plays an important role in making sure we remember how sport evolved over the years and who set the stage for generations to come,” says France Saint-Louis, one of the original superstars of the women’s game, often compared to male greats Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur. “That is especially true in a time where we seem to take so much for granted. I was exceptionally happy with the news that my team would be inducted. I am a proud Canadian and truly honoured to be a member of this incredible group.”
The IIHF sanctioned the first-ever Women’s World Championship and the event was held in March 1990 at Ottawa’s Civic Centre, featuring eight national teams (Canada, the United States, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, and Japan). The women’s game was relatively unknown at the time, funding was almost non-existent but the 1990 worlds and, in large part, the Canadian team helped put the sport on the map.
Canada steamrolled its way through the round-robin, beating Sweden, Germany and Japan by a combined score of 50-1. Canada won its semifinal 6-5 over Finland, setting the stage for the magical gold medal game against Team USA, which seemed to set the stage for a long-standing and fierce rivalry between the neighboring countries. Canada fell behind 2-0 in the gold medal final but scored five unanswered goals for a 5-2 win and first championship, a game played before the largest crowd to witness women’s hockey to that point as almost 8,800 fans packed the Civic Centre.
One image from that game seems to stand out among the rest, that being of Susan Yuen being held up on the shoulders of her Canadian teammates as Yuen – her eyes and smile showing sheer pride and joy – proudly holds up the championship plate awarded to her team.
Geraldine Heaney, who played in seven World Championships and two Olympic Winter Games for Canada, says the pride she, Yuen and her teammates had back then has only grown as they have seen the growth and progress of the women’s game on full display since then.
“Looking back now, 35 years later, I think I appreciate what we accomplished even more than I did at the time,” says Heaney. “Being part of the first official Women’s World Championship team and helping win that inaugural gold medal is something I’m incredibly proud of. At the time, we were simply focused on playing hockey and representing our country, but now I can truly see the impact that team had on the growth of women’s hockey around the world.”
Sue Scherer, another member of that fantastic team, captures the growth so well, pointing to the number of opportunities that girls have in the game today. Again, none of that would have been possible without the 1990 worlds and the women that competed in that event.
“The numbers don't lie. Girls and women’s hockey was the fastest growing sport in Canada post 1990,” says Scherer, who competed in only one Women’s World Championship for Canada, albeit the most memorable. “With this growth came more and better players, better coaching, new leagues, Canada Games and the Olympics. The PWHL was the next logical growth step for the women’s game but it needed some incredibly talented and vested supporters and contributors.”
Canada’s 1990 women’s hockey team will be formally inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 4 and the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec.
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame has recognized athletes, builders, and trailblazers for more than 70 years, with the legacy edition “honouring those who changed the game while recognizing the broader ecosystem of leaders, families, organizations, and community builders whose collective impact continues to shape the future of Canadian sport.”
IIHF.com will have more coverage of this historic team and its induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in autumn 2026.
So much of this progress can be traced back to the trailblazers of the game of women’s hockey, those who spent years and years trying to convince anyone and everyone that women’s hockey mattered. Among the most noteworthy of those trailblazers is Canada’s 1990 women’s national team, the first-ever IIHF Women’s World Champions.
The team will be recognized with an incredible honour in early November as it will be inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame during the Order of Sport Awards: Legacy Edition.
“The Canada Sports Hall of Fame plays an important role in making sure we remember how sport evolved over the years and who set the stage for generations to come,” says France Saint-Louis, one of the original superstars of the women’s game, often compared to male greats Wayne Gretzky and Guy Lafleur. “That is especially true in a time where we seem to take so much for granted. I was exceptionally happy with the news that my team would be inducted. I am a proud Canadian and truly honoured to be a member of this incredible group.”
The IIHF sanctioned the first-ever Women’s World Championship and the event was held in March 1990 at Ottawa’s Civic Centre, featuring eight national teams (Canada, the United States, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Germany, and Japan). The women’s game was relatively unknown at the time, funding was almost non-existent but the 1990 worlds and, in large part, the Canadian team helped put the sport on the map.
Canada steamrolled its way through the round-robin, beating Sweden, Germany and Japan by a combined score of 50-1. Canada won its semifinal 6-5 over Finland, setting the stage for the magical gold medal game against Team USA, which seemed to set the stage for a long-standing and fierce rivalry between the neighboring countries. Canada fell behind 2-0 in the gold medal final but scored five unanswered goals for a 5-2 win and first championship, a game played before the largest crowd to witness women’s hockey to that point as almost 8,800 fans packed the Civic Centre.
One image from that game seems to stand out among the rest, that being of Susan Yuen being held up on the shoulders of her Canadian teammates as Yuen – her eyes and smile showing sheer pride and joy – proudly holds up the championship plate awarded to her team.
Geraldine Heaney, who played in seven World Championships and two Olympic Winter Games for Canada, says the pride she, Yuen and her teammates had back then has only grown as they have seen the growth and progress of the women’s game on full display since then.
“Looking back now, 35 years later, I think I appreciate what we accomplished even more than I did at the time,” says Heaney. “Being part of the first official Women’s World Championship team and helping win that inaugural gold medal is something I’m incredibly proud of. At the time, we were simply focused on playing hockey and representing our country, but now I can truly see the impact that team had on the growth of women’s hockey around the world.”
Sue Scherer, another member of that fantastic team, captures the growth so well, pointing to the number of opportunities that girls have in the game today. Again, none of that would have been possible without the 1990 worlds and the women that competed in that event.
“The numbers don't lie. Girls and women’s hockey was the fastest growing sport in Canada post 1990,” says Scherer, who competed in only one Women’s World Championship for Canada, albeit the most memorable. “With this growth came more and better players, better coaching, new leagues, Canada Games and the Olympics. The PWHL was the next logical growth step for the women’s game but it needed some incredibly talented and vested supporters and contributors.”
Canada’s 1990 women’s hockey team will be formally inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 4 and the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec.
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame has recognized athletes, builders, and trailblazers for more than 70 years, with the legacy edition “honouring those who changed the game while recognizing the broader ecosystem of leaders, families, organizations, and community builders whose collective impact continues to shape the future of Canadian sport.”
IIHF.com will have more coverage of this historic team and its induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in autumn 2026.