CALGARY — Chloe Primerano will lead Canada into the women's world under-18 hockey championship.
The 17-year-old defender from North Vancouver, B.C., was among 24 players announced Tuesday by Hockey Canada for the Jan. 4-12 tournament in Vantaa, Finland.
Primerano made her national team debut in November's Rivalry Series between Canada and the U.S. She scored the shootout winner in the second of three games.
Primerano returns to the under-18 championship in which she set a tournament record for points by a defender with eight goals and eight assists, and was named tournament MVP, in 2024 in Zug, Switzerland.
She was the first skater drafted by a major junior men's team in the Canadian Hockey League when the Vancouver Giants selected her in the 13th round in 2022.
Primerano, Maxine Cimoroni, Stryker Zablocki, Sara Manness and goaltender Marilou Grenier are the five returning players from the squad that earned a bronze medal in Zug.
Three goalies, seven defenders and 14 forwards were selected by senior manager of player development Cherie Piper and head coach Vicky Sunohara, as well as assistants Marc-Andre Cote and Stefanie McKeough and goaltending coach Sheldon Goertzen.
Both Sunohara (1998-2008) and Piper (2001-2011) played for the Canadian women's team.
“I truly value the opportunity to work with this exceptionally skilled group of young athletes and dedicated staff at the world championship in January, and to compete for a gold medal in Finland,” Sunohara said in a statement.
"We have a very competitive group that is proud to represent Canada, and the entire coaching staff is eager to get our group together and continue building the foundation of what it takes to play for Team Canada.”
Canada is in Group B with Czechia, Slovakia and Switzerland, while Group A includes Finland, Japan, Sweden and the United States.
The Canadians open the tournament on Jan. 4 against Slovakia and face Switzerland on Jan. 5 before the preliminary-round finale against Czechia on Jan. 7.
“This roster represents the building blocks for Canada’s national women's program and we are excited for these young athletes to proudly represent our country in Finland,” Piper said. “Being named to Team Canada represents years of hard work and dedication."
Canada has won seven gold medals, with the most recent in 2023, seven silver medals and two bronze in the history of the tournament.
Canadian women's team captain Marie-Philip Poulin played in the first under-18 championship in Calgary in 2008.
National team players Brianne Jenner, Jamie Lee Rattray, Erin Ambrose, Laura Stacey and goaltenders Ann-Renee Desbiens and Emerance Maschmeyer are also alumni of the tournament.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024.
The Canadian Press
