2026-27 will see the likes of the U.S.'s Kelly Pannek (left) and Canada's Sarah Fillier (right) going head-to-head again in both IIHF and PWHL competition.
photo: PHOTO: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MATT ZAMBONIN
It feels like a long time since Megan Keller’s overtime goal gave the U.S. women their second Olympic gold medal. That dramatic moment came in a 2-1 win over archrival Canada in February in Milan. It was the highlight of the 2025-26 women's hockey season.
The international spotlight will shift from Italy to Denmark this fall as the Nordic nation hosts the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship (6 to 16 November).
Players, coaches, fans, and media are already getting excited about what’s to come both in IIHF competition and women’s pro leagues in 2026-27. Here are nine questions about the coming women’s hockey season that will be front and centre.
What can we expect at the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship?
This is the first time a top-level Women’s Worlds has ever been staged in November. Herning and Esbjerg – the Danish host cities – will likely see teams experimenting with new blood and reapportioning on-ice responsibilities as the road to the 2030 Winter Olympics in France kicks off.
Might the defending champion Americans introduce forward Casey O’Brien (the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner) or reintegrate the abrasive and talented Abby Roque (whose last WW was in 2023)? For Canada, new GM Daniele Sauvageau, who also coached her nation to gold in Salt Lake 2002, will look to top the podium again after silver-medal disappointments at the 2025 WW (Ceske Budejovice) and 2026 Olympics. Could a Canadian youth movement see a senior IIHF debut for 20-year-old sniper Caitlin Kraemer or an expanded role for 19-year-old defender Chloe Primerano? The possibilities are endless.
With the bronze medal as their benchmark for success, the Czechs (under new coach Brian Idalski), Finns (2025 Women’s Worlds bronze), and Swiss (2026 Olympic bronze) can also expect roster tweaks despite their smaller player pools.
What will the return to balanced Women’s Worlds groups mean?
The last time Group A and Group B used the “snake” or “serpentine” system for seeding was back in 2011. Women’s hockey has grown by leaps and bounds since then, especially in North America, but also in Europe and Asia. So it’s a suitable time for all top-division teams to see how they measure up against the reigning powers.
Nobody denies that it will be a monumental challenge on 9 November for Austria – making its top-level debut – and underdog Denmark to face the U.S. and Canada respectively. Not every game will be close. But ultimately, our sport will be more competitive for it.
Which U23 players could make their mark at the 2026 Women’s Worlds?
Blueliner Sara Swiderski – the highest-drafted Canadian in the 2026 PWHL draft (ninth overall to Minnesota) – may get a close look from the Team Canada brass. On the American side, gifted 2026 U.S. Olympians like Tessa Janecke and Kirsten Simms should continue to grow.
It’s probably too soon for U18 North American phenoms like Canada’s Adrianna Milani and the U.S.’s Jane Daley to test themselves at this level – but their goal-scoring exploits at this year’s U18 Women’s Worlds promise great things in the future.
The international spotlight will shift from Italy to Denmark this fall as the Nordic nation hosts the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship (6 to 16 November).
Players, coaches, fans, and media are already getting excited about what’s to come both in IIHF competition and women’s pro leagues in 2026-27. Here are nine questions about the coming women’s hockey season that will be front and centre.
What can we expect at the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship?
This is the first time a top-level Women’s Worlds has ever been staged in November. Herning and Esbjerg – the Danish host cities – will likely see teams experimenting with new blood and reapportioning on-ice responsibilities as the road to the 2030 Winter Olympics in France kicks off.
Might the defending champion Americans introduce forward Casey O’Brien (the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner) or reintegrate the abrasive and talented Abby Roque (whose last WW was in 2023)? For Canada, new GM Daniele Sauvageau, who also coached her nation to gold in Salt Lake 2002, will look to top the podium again after silver-medal disappointments at the 2025 WW (Ceske Budejovice) and 2026 Olympics. Could a Canadian youth movement see a senior IIHF debut for 20-year-old sniper Caitlin Kraemer or an expanded role for 19-year-old defender Chloe Primerano? The possibilities are endless.
With the bronze medal as their benchmark for success, the Czechs (under new coach Brian Idalski), Finns (2025 Women’s Worlds bronze), and Swiss (2026 Olympic bronze) can also expect roster tweaks despite their smaller player pools.
What will the return to balanced Women’s Worlds groups mean?
The last time Group A and Group B used the “snake” or “serpentine” system for seeding was back in 2011. Women’s hockey has grown by leaps and bounds since then, especially in North America, but also in Europe and Asia. So it’s a suitable time for all top-division teams to see how they measure up against the reigning powers.
Nobody denies that it will be a monumental challenge on 9 November for Austria – making its top-level debut – and underdog Denmark to face the U.S. and Canada respectively. Not every game will be close. But ultimately, our sport will be more competitive for it.
Which U23 players could make their mark at the 2026 Women’s Worlds?
Blueliner Sara Swiderski – the highest-drafted Canadian in the 2026 PWHL draft (ninth overall to Minnesota) – may get a close look from the Team Canada brass. On the American side, gifted 2026 U.S. Olympians like Tessa Janecke and Kirsten Simms should continue to grow.
It’s probably too soon for U18 North American phenoms like Canada’s Adrianna Milani and the U.S.’s Jane Daley to test themselves at this level – but their goal-scoring exploits at this year’s U18 Women’s Worlds promise great things in the future.
Forward Adela Sapivalivova is one of Czechia's brightest young talents
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDREA CARDIN
Czech forwards Tereza Plosova and Adela Sapovalivova, both 20, have more to give than they delivered (one point apiece) in Milan. Similarly, Finland’s Sanni Vanhanen – already a two-time Olympian at age 21 – may be set for a breakout Women’s Worlds.
Swiderski and Vanhanen’s young Swedish Ohio State teammates – forward Hilda Svensson and blueliners Mira Jungaker and Jenna Raunio – were dynamic in their Olympic debuts. They will be key to blue-and-yellow success in November.
Which PWHL expansion teams will fare best?
Last season, the two new Seattle and Vancouver franchises both looked championship-worthy on paper but missed the playoffs. So this is a tough call as the league expands from eight to 12 clubs.
GM Manon Rheaume’s Detroit team’s fate will live and die on the skill and grit of U.S. aces like Hannah Bilka, Britta Curl-Salemme, and the legendary Hilary Knight. Rock-solid two-way play should be the calling card of GM Meghan Duggan’s Hamilton roster, featuring Canadian veterans Brianne Jenner and Emily Clark and Swiss star Alina Muller.
Las Vegas also brings name value with Janecke (the #3 overall pick this year) and Canada’s Erin Ambrose. Versatile American dynamo Laila Edwards (#4 overall) – the first Black woman to win Olympic women’s hockey gold – will be the face of the new San Jose team.
Who will be the PWHL rookie of the year?
On paper, odds are good an American will take the honours with a stellar incoming crop of Olympic-experienced NCAA talent. Along with defender Caroline Harvey (#1 overall in 2026, Vancouver) and forward Abbey Murphy (#2, Seattle), Janecke and Edwards are certainly in the mix. The dazzling stickhandler Simms (#8, Toronto) could have a say too.
How will Marie-Philip Poulin bounce back from off-season surgery?
The 2025 IIHF Female Player of the Year is the greatest clutch player in women’s hockey history, with goals in four straight Olympic finals from 2010 to 2022. But the 35-year-old Poulin – who captains both Team Canada and the Montreal Victoire – will miss months while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery in July. Her leadership and scoring skills will be sorely missed, and hopefully she will continue to shine when she finally gets back.
Who will win the Walter Cup?
The Victoire are defending champs – but Minnesota won the first two PWHL titles in 2024 and 2025. Ottawa has bucked the odds by making it to the last two finals and is hungry to take the next step. Boston tied Montreal for the PWHL lead in regular season points last year (62), and can never be counted out with Olympic superstar Aerin Frankel in net and Keller on the blue line. You get the picture. As usual in this league, the door is wide open.
How much will the women’s hockey audience grow?
The excitement from the 2026 Olympics and Women’s Worlds should spill over to pro fandom. This PWHL season, seven teams – Detroit, Minnesota, Las Vegas, New York, Ottawa, San Jose, and Seattle – will play full-time at current NHL arenas with capacities of 16,000 or more. The record of 1,116,497 fans that the PWHL set in the 2025-26 regular season will be short-lived.
Likewise, global women’s hockey viewership on various platforms will surely keep increasing for both pro and IIHF games.
What does 2026-27 hold for the Swiss and Swedish leagues?
When Switzerland edged Sweden 2-1 in overtime in the 2026 Olympic bronze medal game, it was a fitting matchup. These rivals are home to Europe’s best leagues: Sweden’s SDHL and Switzerland’s PostFinance Women’s League.
Both circuits are facing some challenges right now. The SDHL is witnessing increased migration of its players to North America. And its Swiss counterpart will feature just seven teams this year after HC Ambri-Piotta announcd its withdrawal.
Nevertheless, with young talents like Ebba Hedqvist (Lulea) and Alina Marti (EVZ) and veteran captains like Hanna Olsson (Frolunda) and Lara Stalder (EVZ) continuing to set the tone, these leagues remain a vital part of the women’s hockey ecosystem.
Swiderski and Vanhanen’s young Swedish Ohio State teammates – forward Hilda Svensson and blueliners Mira Jungaker and Jenna Raunio – were dynamic in their Olympic debuts. They will be key to blue-and-yellow success in November.
Which PWHL expansion teams will fare best?
Last season, the two new Seattle and Vancouver franchises both looked championship-worthy on paper but missed the playoffs. So this is a tough call as the league expands from eight to 12 clubs.
GM Manon Rheaume’s Detroit team’s fate will live and die on the skill and grit of U.S. aces like Hannah Bilka, Britta Curl-Salemme, and the legendary Hilary Knight. Rock-solid two-way play should be the calling card of GM Meghan Duggan’s Hamilton roster, featuring Canadian veterans Brianne Jenner and Emily Clark and Swiss star Alina Muller.
Las Vegas also brings name value with Janecke (the #3 overall pick this year) and Canada’s Erin Ambrose. Versatile American dynamo Laila Edwards (#4 overall) – the first Black woman to win Olympic women’s hockey gold – will be the face of the new San Jose team.
Who will be the PWHL rookie of the year?
On paper, odds are good an American will take the honours with a stellar incoming crop of Olympic-experienced NCAA talent. Along with defender Caroline Harvey (#1 overall in 2026, Vancouver) and forward Abbey Murphy (#2, Seattle), Janecke and Edwards are certainly in the mix. The dazzling stickhandler Simms (#8, Toronto) could have a say too.
How will Marie-Philip Poulin bounce back from off-season surgery?
The 2025 IIHF Female Player of the Year is the greatest clutch player in women’s hockey history, with goals in four straight Olympic finals from 2010 to 2022. But the 35-year-old Poulin – who captains both Team Canada and the Montreal Victoire – will miss months while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery in July. Her leadership and scoring skills will be sorely missed, and hopefully she will continue to shine when she finally gets back.
Who will win the Walter Cup?
The Victoire are defending champs – but Minnesota won the first two PWHL titles in 2024 and 2025. Ottawa has bucked the odds by making it to the last two finals and is hungry to take the next step. Boston tied Montreal for the PWHL lead in regular season points last year (62), and can never be counted out with Olympic superstar Aerin Frankel in net and Keller on the blue line. You get the picture. As usual in this league, the door is wide open.
How much will the women’s hockey audience grow?
The excitement from the 2026 Olympics and Women’s Worlds should spill over to pro fandom. This PWHL season, seven teams – Detroit, Minnesota, Las Vegas, New York, Ottawa, San Jose, and Seattle – will play full-time at current NHL arenas with capacities of 16,000 or more. The record of 1,116,497 fans that the PWHL set in the 2025-26 regular season will be short-lived.
Likewise, global women’s hockey viewership on various platforms will surely keep increasing for both pro and IIHF games.
What does 2026-27 hold for the Swiss and Swedish leagues?
When Switzerland edged Sweden 2-1 in overtime in the 2026 Olympic bronze medal game, it was a fitting matchup. These rivals are home to Europe’s best leagues: Sweden’s SDHL and Switzerland’s PostFinance Women’s League.
Both circuits are facing some challenges right now. The SDHL is witnessing increased migration of its players to North America. And its Swiss counterpart will feature just seven teams this year after HC Ambri-Piotta announcd its withdrawal.
Nevertheless, with young talents like Ebba Hedqvist (Lulea) and Alina Marti (EVZ) and veteran captains like Hanna Olsson (Frolunda) and Lara Stalder (EVZ) continuing to set the tone, these leagues remain a vital part of the women’s hockey ecosystem.