Canada Announces Final Roster For Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team

Team Canada has announced its final roster for their women's ice hockey team that will take part in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. The Canadian team, which won the gold medal in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, will include 14 returning players. The selectors decided to bring in nine new faces to the team and one can expect a blend of experience and youth when they hit the ice in PyeongChang 2018.

Head coach Laura Schuler, who played on the 1998 Olympic team said the decisions that she and her coaching staff made, was to ensure the team could produce as much offense as possible. There are some who believe that the team selection is a little thin on defense. However Schuler defends her decision to keep only 6 defensive skaters and increase the number of forwards to 14. The remaining 3 players are goalies as it is mandatory to feature 3 goalies in the final team selection.

The three goaltenders have had the luxury since May of knowing that they will be on the team. The three who made the shortlist are Shannon Szabados, Ann-Renee Desbiens, and Genevieve Lacasse. Szabados and Lacasse were part of the 2014 team and Szabados will most likely be the first choice as she was in Sochi.

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Returning to lead the defensive skaters is Meaghan Mikkelson, who has been an Olympic team mainstay since playing for the under-22 team in 2003. Mikkelson will be joined by fellow 2014 teammates Jocelyne Larocque, Lauriane Rougeau and Laura Fortino. The decision to focus on forwards meant that the last cuts that were announced were unfortunately mostly on the defensive side.

Defenders Halli Krzyzaniak and Micah Zandee-Hart both found themselves cut from the roster and were disappointed for not making the final shortlist.

On the offensive side Marie-Philip Poulin has made the team once again. The hero of the 3-2 victory over the United States in the last Winter Olympics brings leadership and a strong work ethic to the Canadian team. Schuler has gone on record stating that Poulin can be seen as the heart and soul of the team.

Forward Jill Saulnier is one of the new faces that will go to PyeongChang. The 25 year old wasn’t selected for the World Championship 2017 and that motivated her to work really hard to make the Olympic shortlist.

In a statement, Saulnier said

I haven't been sleeping at all, just thinking about this moment. I let that propel me forward and motivate me that much more to be here holding my jersey today.