From January 6-14th, 2024, Switzerland hosted the IIHF U18 World Championship. USA took gold, Czechia silver, and Canada bronze. Neutral Zone scouted every team via video and created the following scouting report. Players are listed under their team name in descending letter grade order. Players with the same letter grade are listed in no particular order.

Canada

Chloe Primerano #8 (Rink Academy – Kelowna, D, 2025, Minnesota): Primerano’s speed, agility, and hockey IQ make her a difficult defender for the opponents to get by. She has the speed to catch and stay with attacking opponents, her agility allows her to guide puck carriers away from opportunities and into position for turnovers, and her IQ allows her to process the game at a high level, anticipate plays, and outthink opponents. Primerano is calm under pressure, evading checkers with quick edgework, deceptive dekes, and dirty dangles. She sees the ice well, finding seams for passes, lanes for shots, and lanes to take the puck to the net. Her offensive talents are a huge part of Team Canada’s attack. She is a next-level playmaker and scorer. Primerano was the first defender to get a hattrick at the tournament and led the tournament in scoring.  Grade: A

Caitlin Kraemer #23 (Kitchener Waterloo Jr. Rangers, F, 2024, Minnesota Duluth): Kraemer was a scoring machine in the tournament. She was a threat to tickle the twine every time she was on the ice and led all players with ten goals in six games. Kraemer lit the lamp in many ways, from many spots: Dangled, dekes, deflections, snaps, and snipes. The power forward drove past opponents to create space and get open. Her consistency in the faceoff circle was an asset, as she won a high percentage of draws in every game. She applied good pressure on the backcheck to disrupt opponents. Grade: A

Claire Murdoch #9 (Burlington Jr. Barracudas, F, 2024, UConn): Murdoch, a smart and deceptive forward with crafty hands, a high hockey IQ, and a hunger for the puck, has a high work ethic and competes every shift. She processes the game at a high, fast level, keeping her head up, seeing the ice, and staying aware of what is happening, who is on the ice, and where everyone is. She combines patience with intensity, hustle, and tenacity to control puck movement, battle in the corners, win puck races, and set up scoring opportunities. The playmaker is always around the puck, consistently keeping her feet moving, seeing the lanes, and getting open to create opportunities. Defensively, she gets back into position to provide good coverage and support. Grade: A

Sienna D’Alessandro #14 (John Abbott College Islanders, F, 2025, Minnesota): D’Alessandro’s presence in front of the net makes her a dominant scoring threat, as she excels in winning battles, deflecting shots, and capitalizing on rebounds with precision. Her ability to control the puck and make crisp, accurate passes adds another dimension to her offensive game, allowing her to set up teammates and create scoring opportunities. In matchups against opponents Germany, Switzerland, and Finland, D’Alessandro’s dominance in front of the net was evident, as she notched multiple goals by capitalizing on scoring chances and capitalizing on opportunities created by her teammates. Her physicality and tenacity in the corners contribute to her overall effectiveness on the ice, as she battles hard to win puck battles and maintain possession for her team. Overall, D’Alessandro’s combination of scoring prowess, playmaking ability, and physical presence make her a formidable force on the ice. Grade: A

Emma Venusio #21 (Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins, D, 2024, Wisconsin): Venisio has next level strength, IQ, and shot. Her strength, agility, and speed make it extremely difficult for opponents to get by her. She has a great offensive upside, creating opportunities and scoring in close and from a distance, making her a scoring threat every shift. Her elite-level shot creates chances for the forwards and also finds the back of the net. Strength and power allow her to bump players off the puck or drive through to the net. Venusio can make those around her better.  Grade: A

Rhyah Stewart #1 (Boys Hockey, G, 2024, Wisconsin): Stewart is a flexible and athletic goaltender. She tracks the puck well and gets beyond the top of the crease to square up and challenge shooters. She battles through traffic, scrambles, and screens to find pucks and get whistles. Grade: A-

Gracie Graham #4 (Rink Academy – Kelowna, D, 2024, Minnesota): Graham’s offensive prowess from the blue line is evident in her ability to unleash powerful slapshots, quick wrist shots, and accurate snapshots on net, providing her team with valuable scoring opportunities. She has demonstrated her playmaking skills with precise passes on the tape, setting up goals for her teammates during crucial moments in games. Whether it’s driving the net or joining the rush, Graham utilizes her size and skill to protect the puck, create space, and generate offensive pressure. Her versatility as a left-shot defender allows her to rip wrist shots effectively from her off-side, adding unpredictability to her offensive arsenal. Additionally, Graham’s defensive contributions are notable as she plays physically, utilizing her size to take the body, pin opponents, and disrupt plays. Her active stick and solid body positioning further enhance her ability to thwart opponents’ scoring chances. On the powerplay, Graham’s patience and calm demeanor with the puck enable her to make smart decisions and effectively drive open lanes to get pucks to the net. Her willingness to drop down to the flank and provide offensive support adds depth to her team’s attacking strategy. Overall, Graham’s combination of offensive skill, defensive reliability, and physical presence make her a key contributor on both ends of the ice. Grade: A-

Mackenzie Alexander #7 (Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins, F, 2024, Princeton): Alexander’s game is characterized by her exceptional speed and explosiveness, particularly evident in her first three steps, which allow her to quickly reach full acceleration on the ice. This speed becomes a key asset in her offensive arsenal, as she utilizes it to drive hard toward the net and release rapid shots on goal, catching opposing goaltenders off guard. Her agility and quickness also shine in her ability to win loose pucks, executing crafty drag and shoot moves to keep defenders guessing. Patrolling the wing, Alexander uses her speed to evade defensemen and create scoring opportunities, all while maintaining awareness of her surroundings and setting up teammates with well-placed passes. Alexander’s vision on the ice is impressive, as demonstrated by her ability to blast through the neutral zone and set up scoring chances for her teammates. Whether it’s driving hard to the net for rebounds or distributing the puck to open teammates, she consistently displays sharp decision-making and execution. Alexander’s speed and anticipation make her a valuable asset on the penalty kill, where she disrupts opposing plays and transitions seamlessly for zone entries. Even in tight spaces, she maintains control of the puck and finds openings to rip wrist shots on net, showcasing her versatility and offensive prowess. Her performance in critical moments, such as scoring goals in crucial games like the bronze medal match, highlights her ability to rise to the occasion and make impactful plays when it matters most. Overall, Alexander’s combination of speed, skill, and vision makes her a formidable presence on the ice, capable of making significant contributions. Grade: A-

Reese Logan #10 (Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins, F, 2024, Minnesota Duluth): Logan’s style of play epitomizes grit and determination, particularly in the offensive zone, where she excels at battling along the boards and establishing a strong presence in front of the net. Her physicality and willingness to engage in physical battles make her a formidable opponent for defenders and create scoring opportunities for her team. & Logan demonstrates proficiency in the faceoff circle, consistently winning battles to gain possession and start offensive plays for her team. Her ability to anticipate plays and use an aggressive stick check to force turnovers showcases her defensive acumen and ability to disrupt opposing offenses effectively. Logan’s skillful puck handling is another key aspect of her game, as she possesses soft hands and excellent poise under pressure. This allows her to control the puck with finesse and create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates by patiently assessing the play and exploiting openings to drive to the net, take shots, or make precise passes. One of Logan’s notable strengths is her ability to capitalize on scoring chances, as evidenced by her hard net drive and goal against Finland. Additionally, her effective forechecking pressure led to a turnover and a setup for a goal against Switzerland, highlighting her contributions on both ends of the ice. Grade: A-

Stryker Zablocki #28 (Regina, F, 2025, Northeastern): Zablocki’s exceptional puck protection skills allow her to shield the puck from defenders and create valuable space for herself. Her ability to use her speed effectively enables her to navigate through traffic in the neutral zone and drive towards the net with purpose, often surprising opponents with crafty backhand shots. She drove the net hard with her stick down to tap one in against Finland. Her quick snapshot adds another dimension to her offensive game, as she’s capable of generating scoring opportunities with swift and accurate shots on goal. She received a pass in the slot to drive home a one-timer against Czechia in the round-robin. Zablocki’s combination of speed, acceleration, and strength makes her a formidable presence on the ice, allowing her to battle for position in front of the net and establish a strong net-front presence. Zablocki’s speed isn’t just limited to offensive maneuvers; she also uses it effectively to split the defense and create scoring chances. Additionally, her ability to make crisp and accurate passes enhances her playmaking abilities, as she can effectively distribute the puck to open teammates in prime scoring positions. She set up three goals against Finland with patient, precise passes. Defensively, Zablocki demonstrates a strong work ethic, utilizing an active stick to disrupt opposing plays and cause turnovers. Her willingness to battle hard below the red line showcases her commitment to both ends of the ice, making her a valuable asset in all situations.  Grade: A-

 Sara Manness #13 (Burlington Jr. Barracudas, F, 2025, Minnesota): Manness’s adept use of strong edges allows her to navigate through tight spaces with agility and precision, particularly evident in her ability to curl effectively in traffic. This skill enables her to maintain control of the puck and create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates. Her speed and tenacity make her a constant threat on the ice, as she consistently strives to be the first player to reach loose pucks. This relentless pursuit of the puck contributes to her team’s possession game and allows her to initiate offensive plays with speed and efficiency. Manness’s ability to control and handle the puck with poise and finesse is a key aspect of her game, particularly in the neutral zone and attacking end. Her vision and awareness of the ice allow her to identify openings and create space for herself and her teammates, enhancing their offensive capabilities. As a smart playmaker, Manness demonstrates excellent decision-making skills and maintains awareness of the play at all times. Her ability to keep her head up and patiently wait for openings enables her to set up scoring opportunities for her teammates, as evidenced by her setup for D’Alessandro’s goal against Germany. Manness excels in the faceoff circle, consistently winning draws to provide her team with possession and offensive opportunities. Her defensive responsibility is also evident in her willingness to support her teammates defensively, getting into position to provide coverage and support when needed. Grade: A-

Abby Stonehouse #24 (Kitchener Waterloo Jr. Rangers, F, 2024, Penn State): Stonehouse’s high energy and hunger for the puck make her an offensive threat any time she is on the ice. She was the first person to score two shorthanded goals in the same game – a tournament record. She fired a shot and buried the rebound for the first one and worked a sweet give-and-go for the second one. She gets to open space to create options and drives the net hard to quickly unleash challenging shots. Her aggressive forecheck enables her to intercept passes to take to the net and set up teammates for goals. She is quick on loose pucks in the o-zone on the penalty kill. Grade: A-

Avery Pickering #25 (Balmoral Hall, D, 2024, Colgate): Pickering’s strong skating ability allows her to be effective in offensive and defensive situations, providing mobility and agility on the ice. Her smooth puck movement with her defensive partner demonstrates her ability to contribute to the team’s transition game, facilitating controlled exits from the defensive zone and effective entries into the offensive zone. Her willingness to join the rush as an option showcases her offensive instincts and willingness to contribute to the team’s attack. Despite facing pressure, Pickering remains composed and utilizes her edge work to evade opponents and maintain possession of the puck, demonstrating her poise under pressure. Pickering’s offensive contribution is further highlighted by her ability to generate scoring opportunities from the point. Her hard slap shot and quick wrist shot allow her to get pucks through traffic and on net, creating chances for her team to capitalize on rebounds or deflections. On the powerplay, Pickering’s patience and awareness are valuable assets, as she effectively reads the play to make smart decisions in the breakout whether she opts for a crisp first pass to initiate the breakout or carries the puck up ice herself. Grade: A-

Jessica Pellerin #15 (Durham West Jr. Lightning, F, 2024, Providence): Pellerin plays physically, battles hard below the red line, and drives hard to the net with and without the puck. Her passes are crisp and on target. She is successful in the faceoff circle, winning draws to start the play with possession. Grade: B+

Jessica MacKinnon #16 (Ridley College, F, 2024, Clarkson): Mackinnon’s ability to force errors on the forecheck and backcheck effectively demonstrates her commitment to both offensive and defensive aspects of the game. By applying pressure in the opposing zone and tracking back to support her defense below the red line, she contributes to her team’s overall defensive solidity and offensive transition. Her proficiency in making smooth passes to the point showcases her vision and playmaking skills, as she effectively distributes the puck to her teammates in key areas of the ice. This facilitates offensive opportunities and allows her team to maintain possession and create scoring chances. As a smart playmaker, Mackinnon demonstrates sound decision-making on the ice, identifying openings and executing plays to benefit her team. Her success in the faceoff circle further emphasizes her importance in gaining possession and dictating the flow of play. Mackinnon’s willingness to block shots on the penalty kill showcases her commitment to team defense and willingness to sacrifice her body for the greater good. Grade: B+

Charlotte Pieckenhagen #6 (Burlington Jr. Barracudas, F, 2024, Wisconsin): Pieckenhagen’s effectiveness on the ice is evident in her tenacity below the red line, where she battles fiercely to win puck battles and maintain possession in the offensive zone. Her strong net-front presence adds another dimension to her team’s offensive attack, creating scoring opportunities and disrupting the opposing goaltender’s line of sight. In addition to her physical presence, Pieckenhagen showcases excellent passing skills, delivering crisp and accurate passes to her teammates to set up scoring chances. Her ability to receive drop passes and capitalize with precision shots on goal, as demonstrated in her goal against Germany in the round-robin, highlights her offensive prowess and scoring instincts. Pieckenhagen’s commitment to playing a physical game is evident in her ability to bump opponents off the puck and maintain possession for her team. Her strong skating ability and quickness allow her to consistently be the first player to reach loose pucks, enabling her team to maintain offensive pressure and control the tempo of the game. Overall, Pieckenhagen’s combination of physicality, scoring ability, and playmaking skills make her a valuable asset on the ice, contributing to her team’s success in both offensive and defensive situations. Grade: B+

Maxine Cimoroni #17 (Mississauga Jr. Hurricanes, F, 2025, Ohio State): Cimoroni makes crisp passes on the tape, battles hard in the corners and below the red line, and challenges the goalies with quick snapshots and hard wrist shots from the high-percentage scoring areas. Against Switzerland, she quickly recovered and protected a loose puck that enabled her to push the defenders back to create an open lane for her to snipe a beauty goal from the top of the circle on the left wing. In the bronze medal game, she snagged a loose puck off the offensive zone faceoff to snap it home for a well-earned marker. Grade: B+

Rosalie Breton #18 (Limoilou, D, 2026): Breton is a smart puck moving defender who moves the puck smoothly back and forth with her partner at the offensive blue line, puts her first pass on the tape to start the breakout, and hits the stretch to move the play up ice quickly. She drops in as an option on the attack and pinches successfully. She battles in the corners and below the red line in the defensive zone. Grade: B+

 Morgan Jackson #22 (Shawnigan Lake Academy, F, 2024, Northeastern): Jackson uses her speed effectively to be first to the puck and gets in quickly on the forecheck to force errors and win pucks. Her soft hands allow her to control the puck in tight. Her elite touch around the net was a treat to watch. She controlled the puck to dance around the defender and get to the faceoff dot to snap a beauty bar down past the German goaltender. She found the puck in a scramble to quickly stick handle and deposit it past the German tender for a second goal. She found the loose puck in a scramble to send a backhand to tickle the twine against Czechia in the round-robin and dangled in tight to snap a second. Against Switzerland, she snagged a loose puck in the slot to fire top blocker and light the lamp. She battled below the red line to win the puck and send it to Zablocki, who buried it for a beauty against Czechia. Her strong first three steps allowed her to win a 50-50 puck off the faceoff to set up Zablocki for a goal against Finland. Grade: B+

Makayla Watson #27 (Rink Academy – Kelowna, D, 2024, Quinnipiac): Watson’s communication skills allow her to coordinate with her teammates and execute plays. Her patience with the puck enables her to wait for the opportune moment to make a play, whether it’s a precise pass to a teammate or a well-timed shot on goal. Her accuracy in passing ensures that she can deliver the puck directly to her intended target, facilitating smooth transitions and maintaining possession for her team. Additionally, Watson’s ability to get her wrist shot and quick snapshot through traffic from the point creates scoring chances and keeps opposing goaltenders on their toes. In defensive situations, Watson’s control of the puck and solid edge work allow her to maneuver effectively under pressure, evading opponents and maintaining possession. Her willingness to get in the shooting lanes and block shots demonstrates her commitment to team defense, while her active stick and long reach make her a formidable presence in disrupting opposing plays and thwarting scoring opportunities.  Grade: B+

Jessica Cheung #11 (Ottawa Jr. Senators, D, 2024, Syracuse): Cheung’s proficiency in moving the puck and making smart decisions under pressure is a key asset to her team’s defensive efforts. Her ability to seamlessly transition the puck with her partner, utilizing smart hinge passes to evade opposition pressure, contributes to maintaining possession and initiating offensive plays. Additionally, her adept edge work enables her to navigate tight spaces and evade pressure effectively, particularly evident in her contributions on the penalty kill. A crisp and accurate first pass is part of Cheung’s game, allowing her to efficiently move the puck up the ice and facilitate smooth offensive transitions. Whether hitting the stretch pass to advance the play or executing precise passes to teammates, her ability to distribute the puck with precision enhances her team’s offensive capabilities. Cheung demonstrates a willingness to engage in shot-blocking and defensive positioning. By getting in shooting lanes and utilizing an active stick, she effectively disrupts opposing scoring opportunities and helps maintain defensive stability. Grade: B

Finland

Emma Ekoluoma #10 (Karpat Oulu, F, 2024): Ekoluoma’s game is characterized by her exceptional speed and strong skating ability, which she uses to her advantage to make impactful plays on the ice. Her speed allows her to carry the puck deep into the offensive zone, where she demonstrates her ability to navigate through traffic and create scoring opportunities. By curling and creating time and space, she effectively assesses her options and delivers crisp passes to her teammates, initiating offensive plays and generating scoring chances. Ekoluoma possesses impressive puck-handling skills, showcasing poise, finesse, and patience as she controls and maintains possession under pressure. Her ability to handle the puck with confidence allows her to evade defenders and sustain offensive pressure. Ekoluoma’s vision and awareness on the ice are key assets to her game, as she demonstrates the ability to anticipate plays and make smart decisions with the puck. Her quick release from the high slot adds another dimension to her offensive repertoire, as she poses a constant scoring threat with her accurate and timely shots on goal. Ekoluoma is not afraid to play a physical game, as she actively engages in battles for possession and utilizes her body to disrupt opponents’ plays. By taking the body and applying pressure on the puck carrier, she effectively disrupts opposing offenses and helps her team regain control of the puck. Ekoluoma is not only a dynamic goal scorer but a player who takes responsibility for both ends of the ice. She set the pace early in the game against Slovakia, driving the zone and getting a shot on net in the first 40 seconds of the game. She provides strong back pressure to cause turnovers and steal from attackers. Her excellent edging creates space and time for herself. She scored, walking into the dots and altering the shot release point to fool the tender. She drove the zone with head up to see and hit the winger driving far wing for the assist. Ekoluoma generates good speed to enter the offensive zone. She has the foot speed to win races for the puck and is rewarded with scoring opportunities. Grade: A

Tuuli Tallinen #8 (Team Kuortane, D, 2024): Tallinen uses her size to her advantage to cover the open player and clear the front of the net. She gets pucks through traffic and to the net for the forwards to deflect with a quick snapshot from the point. Her puck movement is precise and on target, as she smoothly regroups with her partner or hits the stretch to move the play up ice quickly. Tallinen manages the blue line well, keeping pucks in and maintaining pressure. Tallinen moves the puck efficiently with her partner (Andersson) in all zones and sees open opportunities, hitting the stretch player with quick tape-to-tape passes. She has strong positional play to control and contain offenders. Containing a top-level player in the corner by controlling her hips and showing patience not to bite. This was a game-changing effort. Coming out of her zone she controls the pace and direction of play. Offensively she distributes the puck well off the blue line to create scoring chances. She finds lanes to fire a hard snap shot on target. Tallinen is quick to get the puck away from pressure with evasive turns, a quick first three steps and hard crisp passes. She blocks pucks on the rush and contains the offense with her long reach and agile skating. Her point shots are hard and she delivers a great 1 timer slap shot off the PP. Her control and dominance at the back were maintained against top competitors (USA). Grade: B+

Abigail Byskata #25 (Team Kuortane, F): Byskata used her speed to drive the right wing, outwait the defender, and slide a smooth pass for #10 to bury. Byskata plays a physical game against top teams, standing up players in the neutral zone to deflate their zone entry speed. Grade: B+

Tinja Tapani #28 (TPS Turku, F): Tapani, one of the youngest on the team, is a smooth skater with a strong stride. She wins puck battles in the corners to send a smooth pass to the point. Tapani has a smooth skating stride that generates good speed. She fired off a hard shot in stride on a net drive, had the tender beat just dinging it off the post. Tapini plays with tenacity and good hockey IQ.  She battles to stay with and tie up her check in the corners, forechecks with speed and an active stick to disrupt breakouts and follow up on the rush. Against the US she followed up on the rush, picking up a drop pass and firing home a sniper shot top corner to open the scoring. Grade: B+

Julia Kuusisto #29 (Ilves Tampere, F): Kuusisto’s size, physicality, and strength allows her to protect the puck as she powers through the opposition for hard net drives and shots on goal. She slides into open space to receive passes and fire hard wrist shots on net to create chances. She gets into position to provide good defensive coverage and support. She received a pass from #10, drove hard, and cut to the net to send a backhand shot past the tendy to light the lamp. Kuusisto has good size and puck skills. She uses her size well along the boards to fight for loose pucks and to protect the puck on net drives. Grade: B+

Kerttu Kuja-Halkola #31 (Team Kuortane, G): Kuja-Halkola’s strong skating ability is apparent in how she moves around the crease and behind the net to play pucks (setting up and passing out). She is well-balanced and calmly gets herself square and set for shots. She safely and purposely redirects shots out of dangerous areas. Strong technical goaltender who tracks pucks well and holds rebounds. In a game against the USA where she was grossly outshot she held her team in a tight match to the end, getting out on shots, holding rebounds and battling through net drives. She is very mobile and able to stay with the play, find pucks through traffic and maintain a tight and square butterfly. She makes quick and good decisions when playing the puck. She is the perfect combination of strong technical and passionate goaltending.  Grade: B+

Nelly Andersson #2 (HIFK Helsinki, D, 2025): Andersson, a good sized defender, gets pucks to the net from the point with  hard low shots. Her passes are crisp and on the tape. She controls and handles the puck with poise as she exits the zone to move up ice and go deep into the offensive zone to start the attack. Andersson is a calm and patient defender with strong puck skills to carry, pass and shoot. She manages ice well by controlling the gap in all zones and taking the puck to open ice when under pressure. She provides an offensive threat off the blue line by walking in to get shots on net, taking one-timer point slap shots and firing in well-placed snapshots for tips and deflections. She has the speed to win foot races against top players.  She jumps to loose pucks and moves to open space efficiently. She scored against the USA by taking the middle lane, waiting for the screen and picking the top corner from the high slot. Grade: B

Eerika Siekkinen #16 (Team Kuortane, F): Siekkinen is a solid skater who controls and protects the puck to maintain possession and get into position to send smooth passes to open linemates. Siekkinen battles hard in the face-off circle to win her team the puck. She continues that tenacity net front. She protects the puck well, makes smooth passes and finds the space to get shots on the net.  Siekkinen provides strong back pressure and is defensively aware of her responsibilities. She threads neutral zone passes as well to start the attack. Grade: B

Emmi Loponen #18 (Karpat Oulu, F): Loponen is a 2-way player, providing great back pressure and back checking to cause turn-overs. She drives the zone with speed and puts challenging shots on the net. She protects the puck well on her net drive and gets pucks to the net repeatedly. Grade: B

Ilona Palin #3 (HIFK Helsinki, D, 2024): Palin uses her strong puck carrying skills to create offensive opportunities by bringing the puck deep and looking for pass options. She takes pucks to the net for shots or wrap-arounds. She is quick to jump into the offense after quickly taking away space in the neutral zone to cause a turn over.  Grade: B-

Heidi Holmberg #4 (HIFK Helsinki, D, 2024): Holmberg is a good sized defender who gets pucks through traffic and to the net with a hard wrist shot from the point. Her passes are crisp and on target. She starts the breakout with a tape-to-tape first pass and she hits wingers on the fly with a smooth lead pass to get the play up ice quickly. She consistently makes tape-to-tape passes and has an active stick to intercept passes and block shots on the rush. Grade: B-

Nanna Timonen #9 (Ilves Tampere, D, 2024): Timonen plays a physical game and takes away the forechecking lane for the opponent. She delivers quick and solid shots to clear pucks and can be relied on to help her team exit the defensive zone. Grade: B-

Elli Pohjanaho #12 (HC Nokia, D, 2025): Pohjanaho gets to the middle of the ice. She sends pucks to the net from distance with low snapshots or quick wrist shots. She wants to create offense in front of the net and looks to get shots tipped.  Grade: B-

Jennika Ojala #13 (Team Kuortane, D, 2024): Ojala is a strong skater who controls and handles the puck with poise. She moves the puck back and forth smoothly with her partner along the offensive blue line to set up shots on goal for the forwards to deflect. Ojala moves the puck smoothly with her partner on the blue line, creating and finding open shot lanes to release her shot. She communicates and cleanly switches with her partner when defending, to tie up offenders and blocks shots. Grade: B-

Erika Kankkunen #15 (Team Kuortane, F): Kankkunen is a pesky player who battles hard along the boards to win puck battles. She walked away from a battle she won and put a sweet backhand shot on net forcing a big save. She showed us her board play all tournament and likes to generate offense off the wall. Grade: B-

Vilma Nurmisto #20 (TPS Turku, F): Nurmisto plays physically. She takes the body on the forecheck, battles in the corners, and drives hard to the net with and without the puck. Her passes are crisp and on target to create offense or simply to help her team get up ice. Grade: B-

Senja Siivonen #22 (Team Kuortane, F): Siivonen uses her speed on the dump and chase to get in the corners and battle with opponents. Siivonen uses her size to her advantage, dropping her shoulder to drive and protect the puck on the net drive to get off good scoring opportunities. She has the foot speed to win short races for the puck and win possession of the puck. Grade: B-

Amanda Julkunen #23 (TPS Turku, F): Julkunen likes to engage in physical play. She battles hard in the corners and below the redline. She controls and handles the puck with poise always watching for an open lane to drive the net for shots on goal. Grade: B-

Czechia

Adela Sapvalivova #10 (MoDo Hockey, F): Sapovalivova is a quick and dynamic skater, excelling in probing for space and showcasing effective forechecking skills with an active stick. She does well at receiving the puck in stride and exhibiting a burst of speed when entering the offensive zone. Sapovalivova is adept in her ability to cut inside with speed, and create prime shooting opportunities from the slot. A notable highlight is her scoring proficiency in 2-on-2 situations, where a tight cut inside, coupled with exceptional speed, set her up for a lethal snapshot. Sapovalivova demonstrates a knack for beating goalies’ high glove and through the legs in high-pressure scenarios. Her great edge work allows her to create space and maintain constant offensive threat whenever she possesses the puck. She is a  well-rounded player with a combination of speed, agility, and scoring ability. Sapovalivova is a dynamic player on the ice, leveraging her exceptional speed to maneuver into open spaces and unleash quick snapshots on goal. Her passing skills are top-notch, delivering crisp and accurate passes right on the tape of her teammates. A force around the net, she fearlessly crashes the crease and looks for scoring opportunities, particularly on power plays, where she demonstrates keen situational awareness. Sapovalivova’s stick-handling abilities shine as she protects the puck effectively against opponents. She contributes to the power play by working the point. Defensively, her speed is an asset on the backcheck, allowing her to angle puck carriers effectively to the boards and force errors. Sapovalivova’s aggressive forechecking style not only disrupts opponents but also draws penalties. She is adept at controlling and handling the puck in various situations, whether it’s exiting the zone, weaving through the neutral zone, or gaining the attacking end to set up scoring chances with precise passes. Beyond her offensive prowess, Sapovalivova plays a physical game, battling in the corners, winning puck battles with body positioning, and effectively using her body to bump opponents off the puck. Her awareness of the game’s dynamics is evident in her understanding of player locations on the ice. Sapovalivova’s first three steps and strong crossovers contribute to her ability to generate speed for impactful net drives. Overall, she combines speed, skill, and intelligence to be a valuable asset as a smart playmaker and multifaceted contributor on the ice. Grade: A

Anezka Cabelova #8 (Rink Academy – Kelowna, F, 2025, Boston University): Cabelova is a heads-up player with great ice awareness and hockey IQ.  She is patient with the puck and has the puck skills to step around pressure. She is strong and plays a physical game along the boards. She routinely provides strong back pressure and turnovers in the neutral zone. Cabelova is effective in the faceoff circle, winning many face-offs to various spots. Off the offensive face-off, she stripped the D of the puck, walked in alone with the tender and slid the puck across to a driving teammate for an easy goal and impossible save. It was a beautiful example of ice awareness and selfless play. Cabelova’s defensive prowess is evident in her ability to effectively use her active stick to block shots and disrupt passing lanes, forcing turnovers and frustrating opposing attackers. Her strong stick check in one-on-one situations allows her to effectively contain opponents and regain possession for her team. Offensively, Cabelova excels at driving the net hard without the puck, creating space for herself and her teammates in the scoring areas. As a playmaker, she demonstrates patience and intelligence, controlling the puck with poise to set up scoring opportunities with well-timed passes and smart decision-making. Cabelova’s offensive arsenal includes a quick and accurate wrist shot and snapshot from the high slot, which she utilizes to challenge goaltenders and create scoring chances. She plays a key role in running the power play from the top, using her vision and puck movement skills to generate scoring opportunities. Her ability to execute precise backhand passes and deliver powerful slap shots from the point on the power play adds another dimension to her offensive game, making her a versatile and dangerous threat whenever she’s on the ice. Grade: A-

Tereza Plosova #22 (Djurgarden IF, F, 2025, Minnesota): Plosova stands out as a strong and dynamic skater, showcasing impressive bursts of speed and effective shielding techniques. She consistently positions herself as the first to reach the puck in offensive plays, displaying a keen sense of timing and anticipation. As an efficient puck mover, Plosova contributes to offensive transitions and creating scoring opportunities. Defensively, Plosova is adept at forcing turnovers with well-timed stick checks in the neutral zone, and clogging passing lanes. Her ability to attack the slot vertically adds a layer of danger to their offensive arsenal, whether it be through a powerful shot or a well-placed pass. Plosova displays strength on the move, demonstrating a proficiency in maintaining control of the puck even in high-pressure situations. Notably, Plosova’s excellent crossover skills contribute to creating and sustaining speed, making her a formidable force on the ice. Plosova, boasting good size, stands out as a formidable presence on the ice. She is a key player, particularly on the powerplay, where her quick wrist shot makes her the primary shooter. Demonstrating exceptional puck control, she effortlessly maneuvers through opponents, showcasing her proficiency as a strong and feisty skater. Plosova’s long stride not only generates power and speed but also allows her to power through the defense, displaying a relentless drive to the net. In the offensive zone, Plosova is a force to be reckoned with, battling fiercely in the corners and using her awareness of the ice to find lanes and seams for advancing the puck and creating scoring opportunities. Her defensive capabilities are equally impressive; she utilizes a strong stick check to take away pucks and transitions effectively into zone entries. Plosova’s game is characterized by a constant awareness of the players on the ice, enabling her to make strategic plays. Her head is always up, contributing to her ability to pounce on rebounds and set up goals with precise passes and well-placed shots. Plosova’s physical strength was very apparent even at this high level of competition, especially in the game vs Canada. She wins physical battles for the puck and position and fights off checks when in possession of the puck. Excellent puck control skills and agility. Plosova is a tall player with a long powerful stride and great range in her stick handling. She protects the puck well on net drives and likes to get into the messy areas net front. Her speed applies pressure on defenders and often creates turnovers. She finds lanes to the net and goes there with and without the puck, getting rewarded for both. She is an offensive threat that keeps defenders on their heels. Her game is consistent with all levels of competition, winning physical battles, fighting off checks and finding ways to get to the middle lane with the puck for quality shots on net. Grade: A-

Aneta Senkova #1 (HC SKP Bratislava, G): Senkova has a wide base stance and pops up and down quickly into the butterfly. She moves smoothly through the crease and aggressively challenges passes out into the slot. She tracks the puck well through traffic, making several blocker and glove saves through screens. She uses her stick well to control the direction of rebounds, putting pucks in safe spaces. Grade: A-

Aneta Paroubkova #92 (Pilsen Wolves, D): Paroubkova gets pucks to the net for chances with a hard slap shot from the point, blocks shots in the shooting lanes, and creates scoring opportunities from the point. She intercepted the puck on a broken play to slam it home and light the lamp. Paroubkova gets in shot lanes, making a huge block. She anticipates well, jumping in on a turn over and getting to the net for a quick shot and goal against Canada. Grade: B+

Ellen Jarabkova #4 (Hvezda Prague, D): Jarabkova gets pucks through traffic and to the net for chances with a hard slap shot or quick wrist shot from the point. She uses her speed effectively to quickly retrieve pucks, gain control, and send a crisp pass to an open teammate to move the play up ice.  Grade: B

Adela Fromova #5 (SC Kolin, D): Fromova, a feisty defender, uses her size to her advantage as she blocks shots in the shooting lanes, battles below the red line, protecting pucks to make a smooth first pass, and screens the goalie on the powerplay. She jumps up as an option on the rush and makes precise passes. Her slap shot from the point gets through traffic to create net front chances. Fromova uses her size and strength net front to move players and box out threats. She slides across the blue line and finds the lanes to the net in the offensive zone getting off quick and hard snapshots. Grade: B

Linda Vocetkova #6 (Djurgarden IF, F): Vocetkova smoothly skated onto a drop pass from #9, and ripped a rocket wrist shot to beat the Swedish goaltender, top blocker in the quarters. Vocetkova is a strong skater who gets into the play. She has an active stick, provides strong back pressure, steals pucks and jumps into the attack when she creates the turnover. In the Quarters against Sweden, she gave a give-and-go pass through the neutral zone, followed up on the play getting the drop pass back and riffling it past the tender over the blocker. Grade: B

Tereza Gildainova #9 (HK Mladi Draci Sumperk, F): Gildainova has success in the faceoff circle, winning battles and drawing pucks cleanly to her teammates to start the play with possession. She battles hard in the corners. Gildainova gained the zone, cut to the middle, and drew the defense to create space for a drop pass to Vocekova which resulted in a beauty goal. Gildainova played a huge role in the quarter-finals winning goal. Coming through the neutral zone she gave a give-and-go pass, picking it up, taking the zone and drawing the defender to the middle of the ice then dropping the puck with a clear lane to the net for #6 Vocetkova. Grade: B

Johanna Tischler #27 (OHA Juniors, D, 2026): Tischler plays physically, taking the body, blocking shots, and pinching to maintain pressure. Tischler reads the play well, jumping in to intercept passes and get shots on, in the offensive zone. She uses her strength and size along the walls and net front to tie up and move opponents. Tischler gives 100% after an error, she instantly turned, chased and stole the puck after being stripped of it herself. Grade: B

Magdalena Felcmanova #28 (RoKi Rovaniemi, F): Felcmanova uses her size and strong stride to take the puck to the net and create chances. On the powerplay, she makes precise passes and finds opportunities to drive the net for chances. In the neutral zone, her strong stick check allows her to take away pucks from opponents. Felcmanova applies strong back pressure. She anticipates well to steal passes and cause turnovers. Grade: B

Karolina Skorepova #58 (Karpat Oulu, F): Skorepova battles hard below the red line and uses her active stick to take away pucks in the defensive zone. Her ability to get pucks off the wall and into the middle of the ice was impressive. We also liked her want to do the little things and use her body to win possession for her team. Grade: B

Veronika Hujova #13 (Slovan Usti nab Labem, D): HUJOVA plays physically, taking the body, battling in the corners, and powering to the net with the puck to fire a backhand. She gets pucks to the net for chances with a hard slap shot from the point. Her passes back and forth with her partner at the offensive blue line are crisp and on the tape. Hujova effectively separates player and puck with a pin on the boards. Her point shots are low and hard on net to create tips for her teammates. Grade: B

Madlen Chladova #14 (D): Chladova gets in the shooting lanes and blocks shots. She is fearless and wants to help her team anyway she can. She gets pucks to the net with low wrist shot from the point and put them in spots for her forwards to tip and deflect towards the cage. Grade: B

Viktorie Jilkova #18 (HC Spartak Zebrak, F): Jilkova uses her speed effectively when backchecking to get her stick in the passing lanes and cause turnovers. Jilkova has crisp puck distributions on the PP. She slid back door for a great 1-timer forcing a big save which shows her ability to get open in shooting areas. Grade: B-

Julie Jebouskova #20 (Shattuck St. Mary’s U16, F): Jebouskova uses her speed to get to the high slot and rip wrist shots from distance. She battles hard below the redline and wins her puck battles which helps win her team possession of the puck. Grade: B-

Barbora Jurickova #21 (HPK Hameenlinna, F): Jurickova uses her size to her advantage, blocking shots, battling in the corners, protecting the puck, and creating space. She controls and handles the puck with poise and finesse to dangle opponents and get free to quickly fire shots on goal. Jurickova finds the shot lanes and blocks pucks. Offensively she pulls the puck around D to find the shot lane to create scoring chances. Grade: B-

Adela Pankova #24 (HC Tabor, F): Pankova uses her speed to drive the net hard for shots on goal. She attacks in the neutral zone to force turnovers which helps gain zone entries to start the offense. She plays with a high motor and works hard each shift. Grade: B-

Sara Valerie Sevcikova #30 (Stanstead College, G, 2024): Sevcikova holds a top of the crease challenge on shots, 1v1 and breakaways. She battles through traffic to find pucks, makes saves and get rebound saves. She faced a lot of shots and pressure with net drives but stuck with the challenge and continued to play with consistency throughout the game. Grade: B-

Germany

Miriam Siebert #30 (EHC Klostersee, G): Siebert plays an aggressive style of game, knocking away passes with her stick, punching out blocker saves and challenging on open shots.  She is very mobile, getting post to post, sprawling to make a save on a 2v1.  She is quick to recover from saves and makes quick reaction saves with her outreached legs and shoulders.  Siebert is vocal with her teammates and anticipates through screens moving laterally to get to pucks. Grade: B

Hanna Hoppe #4 (Eisbaren Juniors Berlin, D): Hoppe actively jumps into the play. She provides good support positioning on the rush and is ready for rebound opportunities. Hoppe plays a net front duty on the PP and provides traffic and annoyance to defenders. Defensively she blocks shots and demonstrates her strength by winning physical battles on the rush when closing the gap and taking away rush lanes. Grade: B-

Theresa Zielinski #5 (EHC Bad Aibling, F): Zielinski plays in both directions, back-checking hard and jumping into the attack. Her ability to be able to play on either side of the ice makes her a good asset for her team and shows off her versatility. Grade: B-

Anna Kindl #8 (HC Landsberg, D): Kindl is strong on her skates and wins physical battles. She steps up on the play to separate the player from the puck. She also is strong along the boards and wins possession of the puck for her team. Grade: B-

Anastasia Gruss #11 (ETC Crimmitschau, F): Gruss is successful in the faceoff circle, winning draws cleanly to her teammates to start the play with possession. She uses her long reach and active stick effectively to apply pressure and force errors on the backcheck. She engages in physical play with strong battles along the boards. Grade: B-

Hanna Weichenhain #13 (ECDC Memmingen, F): Weichenhain uses her size and speed to her advantage to earn space and win pucks. She does a good job on the draw staying with her center. She is also not afraid to use her body and do the work along the boards in battles. Grade: B-

Anna Rose #19 (ECDC Memmingen, F): Rose has good speed she uses to get up ice in a hurry. She drives the wing and cuts into the middle lane low for scoring chances. She is not afraid to play the game in the middle of the ice which shows her ability to play fearlessly. Grade: B-

Charleen Poindl #24 (ETC Crimmitschau, F): Poindl controls the puck well and plays a heads-up game. She bank passed to herself behind the net to evade a forechecking opponent which showed creativity and ability to create time and space for herself. Grade: B-

Sweden

Maja Helge #1 (Frolunda HC, G): Helge tracks pucks well and recovers quickly to face rebound attempts. She plays the puck up to her teammates. Helge directs pucks for teammates, essentially passing off shots.  She holds her challenge on attacks and often out waits the shot. She has a flexible butterfly and recovers well to stay with the play and get square on rebounds. She made a tape-to-tape pass from the goal line to the far blue line on the power play. She has a strong glove hand. Grade: A-

Isabelle Leijonhielm #23 (AIK, F): Leijonhielm’s physicality makes her a formidable presence in the corners and along the boards, where she utilizes her size to battle for possession and create scoring opportunities. Her ability to win puck battles below the red line and set up open teammates demonstrates her effectiveness in maintaining offensive pressure and generating scoring chances. Leijonhielm possesses quick and soft hands, allowing her to control and handle the puck with ease in tight spaces. This skill enables her to navigate through traffic and maintain possession under pressure. Leijonhielm demonstrates defensive awareness and responsibility by covering for the defense in the offensive zone and actively backchecking to support her teammates below the red line. Her ability to read the play and anticipate passing lanes allows her to intercept passes and disrupt the opponent’s offensive rhythm, showcasing her versatility and commitment to both ends of the ice. Leijonhielm shields the puck well on the attack. She scored a beauty, picking up the puck at the blue line driving the middle lane, beating a defender with a deke in the wide lane then cutting back to the middle driving the tender deep and beating her with a top shelf back hand. Her puck moving skills and playmaking skills set up the second goal in this game.  She is quick to provide pressure and move to open space,drawing a penalty by busting through and keeping her feet moving. Grade: A-

Ebba Hedqvist #24 (MoDo Hockey, F): Hedqvist, a feisty forward, is successful in the faceoff circle, winning battles and drawing pucks cleanly to teammates to start the play with possession. She is a key contributor on the powerplay with her vision and playmaking skills. She sees the openings to fire crisp, precise passes on the tape to set up scoring chances that her teammates convert to goals. Hedqvist wins pucks in corner battles and controls with poise to dangle opponents for chances.  Hedqvist moves the puck up the ice quickly as the second touch on the breakout. She uses the boards like a pool table, accurately banking pucks past opponents and onto her teammates tape.  Hedqvist has a long reach  that she uses well to give her a wide range when stickhandling. She anticipates well to pick off passes. She battles hard net front to create havoc for defenders and distributes the puck well in the offensive zone contributing to a goal. Grade: A-

Jenna Raunio #8 (HV71, D, 2025, Ohio State): Raunio is an offensively skilled defenseman who stands out for her exceptional puck control and distribution skills from the point. With adept edge work, she has the ability to create space on the blue line, utilizing quick and precise skating movements to force the defense to react. Her proficiency in controlling the puck allows her to orchestrate plays effectively from the back end. A strength for Raunio is her capability to use edge work to create shooting space on the point. Raunio is not only a threat with her shot but also excels at positioning herself for potential rebounds, showcasing a keen offensive instinct. In addition to her offensive prowess, her defensive capabilities are complemented by her quick skating, enabling her to recover and contribute effectively on both ends of the ice. Raunio does well when the puck goes below the goal line and has a keen eye for breakout passes to wingers moving up ice with speed. With a combination of puck control, distribution skills, and strategic use of edges, Raunio adds a valuable offensive dimension to her team’s play. Raunio has quick feet, noticeably in her transition from backward to forward skating. She maintains speed to stay with attacking players and keeps them wide or beats them to the puck on chip-ins. Demonstrating physicality, she excels at taking the body and leveraging her size effectively. Her wrist shot from the point penetrates traffic and creates scoring opportunities. In terms of defensive capabilities, Raunio is adept at moving the puck seamlessly with her partner, displaying strong support dynamics. On the powerplay, she effectively works the top and makes intelligent puck-moving decisions. Her reliable first pass, which is consistently crisp and on the tape, initiates the breakout. Raunio’s strength on her skates is evident in her ability to take away pucks from opponents. She uses her size strategically to prevent high-zone-clearing attempts, maintaining offensive pressure. Raunio moves the puck smoothly and quickly in all zones, opening up to the play, creating vital support positioning and moving the puck to advance the play. She showed excellent defensive decision-making when she aggressively layed out her body to stop the saucer pass on a 2v1 nullifying a scoring opportunity. Raunio has quick feet, noticeably in her transition from backward to forward skating. She also maintains speed to stay with attacking players and keeps them wide or beats them to the puck on chip-ins. Grade: B+

Anna Brenkle #27 (Brynas IF, F): Brenkle drives hard in all situations. She backchecks to the red line, drives hard to the net, forces errors on the forecheck, and battles hard in the corners. Her net front presence resulted in a sweet deflection to light the lamp and smart follow-up on a play allowed her to snap home a second marker. Grade: B+

Ella Hellman #11 (Frolunda HC, F): Hellman possesses excellent puck control and handling skills, allowing her to navigate through traffic and generate scoring opportunities by getting pucks to the net effectively. Her ability to quickly react to loose pucks and maintain a constant presence around the play demonstrates her high level of engagement and hockey sense on the ice. As a strong skater with impressive acceleration, she can swiftly reach top speed, enabling her to gain the offensive zone with authority and create scoring chances for her teammates. Hellman’s aggressive forechecking style makes her a formidable presence in the corners and along the boards, where she battles tenaciously to regain possession for her team. Her quick release and accurate wrist shot pose a constant threat to opposing goaltenders, challenging them to make difficult saves and creating scoring opportunities for her team. Hellman skated onto the puck with speed to get a breakaway and snap a beauty to the blocker side from the off-wing to light the lamp against Czechia.  Hellman has a quick first few steps to pull away from checks and get the jump on loose pucks. She pulled away from defenders to put herself on a breakaway, snapping a hard shot blocker side for the goal. Grade: B+

Mira Hallin #13 (MoDo Hockey, F): Hallin’s ability to deliver accurate passes enables her to effectively distribute the puck and set up scoring opportunities. She battles below the red line and competes to win possession and initiate offensive plays with well-placed passes to open linemates. Playing with her head up allows Hallin to maintain awareness of her surroundings and make informed decisions with the puck. Her presence around the net signifies her readiness to capitalize on scoring chances and contribute offensively. When controlling the puck to gain the offensive zone, Hallin’s ability to find open space creates options. Hallin’s offensive instincts are highlighted by her tendency to cut to the middle and unleash quick wrist shots on goal, putting pressure on opposing goaltenders and generating scoring opportunities. Hallin is a speedy skater with great edging and a lethal one-timer shot.  She finds great scoring spots and effectively lets one timer rip,scoring on a slot 1-timer and on a PP backdoor 1-timer. Grade: B+

Hilda Svensson #18 (HV71, F, Ohio State): Svensson’s intelligence and decision-making abilities shine through on the powerplay, where she effectively orchestrates plays and creates scoring opportunities for her team. Her adept puck-handling skills allow her to cradle the puck with soft hands, enabling her to execute precise saucer passes to open teammates, thereby facilitating puck movement and maintaining possession in the offensive zone. Svensson’s keen awareness of her surroundings and her ability to read the ice enables her to identify passing lanes and set up open teammates for high-percentage scoring chances. Svensson’s quick release and accurate shooting skills make her a threat to score on the powerplay. After firing pucks off her stick with precision and velocity, she actively follows up on her shots, demonstrating her commitment to retrieving rebounds and generating additional scoring chances. Svensson is an offensive threat with her soft hands and heads-up play, she gets into the play and makes things happen with her threading passes. She slides into the slot picking up a pass and quickly releasing a hard shot forcing a huge save by the tender. She drives defenders back and then timely cuts into the middle lane getting off quality shots. Svensson forechecks and causes trun-overs. She is patient with the puck, plays heads up and makes quality decisions to distribute or take players on 1v1. Her smooth passes and ability to find the pass seams is a big part of her smooth quick cycle that is difficult to defend. Grade: A-

Wilma Georgny #4 (Djurgarden IF, D): Georgny fires crisp passes cross ice on the tape for breaking wingers. She jumps up to join the rush as an option and will drop in on the attack to create opportunities. The defender gets her stick in the passing lanes to deny incoming puck carriers playmaking opportunities. Grade: B

Nellie Svensson #6 (Frolunda HC, D): Svensson’s smooth and accurate passes effectively distribute the puck to her teammates. Her powerful slapshots and quick snapshots from the point get through traffic, challenge opposing goaltenders, and contribute to offensive pressure. Defensively, Svensson demonstrates strong positioning and defensive awareness. Her long reach and active stick cover large areas in the defensive zone, disrupting passing lanes and thwarting opposing attacks. Furthermore, she showcases her commitment to defense by getting in the shooting lanes and effectively blocking shots to protect her goaltender. Svensson’s game is characterized by her physical presence and willingness to battle along the boards and in traffic. She remains diligent defensively, using her speed to jump up on the attack and then quickly transitioning back to defend when necessary. Svensson has strong positioning in the defensive zone, often getting in shot lanes and blocking shots. She reads the play well, anticipating passes and taking action by getting up on players, tying up sticks and deflecting passes. Grade: B

Sanna Halsius #7 (MoDo Hockey, D): Halsius handles the puck with poise when under pressure to make crisp accurate passes in all three zones. She is patient and has a good active stick in one-on-ones. The defender drops in on the attack to create offensive options and opportunities. Grade: B

Evelina Arvidsson #9 (HV71, F): Arvidsson drives the net hard to rip one-timers on net for chances and fires wrist shots through screens to challenge goaltenders. She likes to shoot and tries to use her strengths as often as she can. Grade: B

Linnea Natt och Dag #10 (Djurgarden IF, D): Natt Och Dag gets pucks through traffic and to the net for chances with a hard slapshot, a quick snapshot, and an accurate wrist shot from the point. Her stretch pass hits wingers on the fly to move the play-up ice quickly. She uses her size to her advantage to take the body. Natt Och Dag plays a heads-up game, making accurate and timely stretch passes to create speed on the rush. Grade: B

Edit Danielsson #15 (Frolunda HC, F): Danielsson’s height and strength provide her with a physical presence on the ice, allowing her to effectively shield the puck from opponents and maintain possession. Her ability to control and handle the puck with poise and finesse enables her to navigate through traffic and evade defenders with ease, showcasing her skillful puck-handling capabilities. Danielsson demonstrates her offensive prowess by unleashing quick and accurate wrist shots that pose a challenge for opposing goaltenders. Her patience with the puck allows her to assess the situation and make calculated decisions, whether it be to set up a scoring chance or maintain possession under pressure. Defensively, Danielsson’s commitment to the backcheck is evident as she applies pressure below the red line, disrupting opposing plays and preventing scoring opportunities. Her willingness to engage physically and take the body showcases her defensive determination and willingness to compete in all areas of the ice. Danielsson has good speed in full stride. She caught the defender on a forecheck, pinning them out and stopping the breakout.  She goes to the net with speed and is difficult to contain. She showed her speed again, beating the defender wide and driving the net. Danielsson has great range with her stick to control the puck, protect and catch-and-release shots off the cycle. Grade: B

Emilia Bergeby Hallbeck #16 (Frolunda HC, F): Bergeby Hallbeck is a speedy player who gets in on the forecheck and quickly takes away ice. Her speed allows her to close in on defenders quicker and create turnovers for her team. Grade: B

Moa Johannesson #17 (MoDo Hockey, F): Johannesson is successful in the faceoff circle, winning draws cleanly to start the play with possession. Her forehand and backhand passes are crisp and on the tape. She is aggressive on the forecheck with an active stick and does a good job covering for her D in the offensive zone. Grade: B

Lovisa Engstrom #25 (MoDo Hockey, F): Engstrom plays physically, battling below the red line. She likes putting her all along the boards and will use her body to separate bodies from pucks. She drives the net hard to create offense and she aggressively backchecks. Grade: B

Emma Rehn #21 (Linkoping, F): Rehn uses her speed effectively to drive the lane, gain the zone, and carry the puck deep. She gets pucks on net with quick snapshots and hard wrist shots. She is successful in the faceoff circle, winning battles and drawing the puck back cleanly to start the play with possession. Defensively, she gets in the shooting lanes and blocks shots. Grade: B-

USA

Margaret Scannell #24 (Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, F, 2024, Wisconsin): Scannell has a physical presence on the ice. She is strong and agile to escape pressure and keep possession of the puck while under duress. She has a pin-point rocket of a shot, snipping home a goal bar down. She provides strong back pressure and causes turn-overs. In the offensive zone, she buzzes around creating scoring options off the cycle and the rush -playing heads up, finding lanes to the net, using give and go, great hands in tight, and quick release shots. She scored, finding the rebound on the PP against Finland. Grade: A

Josie St. Martin #11 (Stillwater High School, F, 2024, Ohio State): St.Martin has a strong skating stride and a wide stick-handling reach.  She drove through the defender on the net rush, protecting the puck well and pulling the tender for a goal.  She showed good lateral puck movement through the deke, making it impossible for the outstretched tender to reach it. St. Martin has a scoring touch, finding ways to get to high-percentage scoring spots and getting in on rebounds. She opened the scoring against Finland by following up on a rush and picking up the rebound off the back boards, tucking it in.  She is a fast and dynamic player with great ice-vision. She uses a strong wide stance to protect the puck when driving the net and finds ways to get to the net, walking off the half wall, taking slap shots from the slot, driving the net along the goal line or dancing through the middle of the ice. She is vocal with her teammates, getting everyone pumped up on the bench. Grade: A

Morgan McGathey #21 (Thayer Academy, F, 2025, Harvard): McGathey is strong in the face-off circle, cleaning, executing a set face-off play, winning the draw forward and sliding the puck to the driving inside winger for the goal. McGathey gets inside body position when backchecking to cause turnovers on the penalty kill. She has excellent playmaking skills, especially when the running set plays off the draw. Grade: A-

Layla Hemp #1 (Minnetonka High School, G, 2025, Minnesota): Hemp is a steady tender with a strong challenge and good rebound control.  She shut the door on the Fins in the last minutes of the game, showing good poise to track well through screens and hold rebounds. Grade: A-

Maggie Averill #2 (Phillips Andover Academy, D, 2027): Averill manages the blue line well, getting pucks to the net for chances with quick snapshots and hard slap shots from the point. In the gold medal game, she ripped a snapshot from the point to create a rebound that led to the second goal. She gets in the shooting lanes in the defensive zone and uses her stick to block shots. Averill has good ice-vision, seeing her options and distributing the puck effectively off the blue line.  She is mobile to get herself into the shot lanes.  She slipped down the wing and hit the backdoor player for the assist against Germany and walked in from the point picking top shelf through a double screen against Finland.  Grade: A-

Mary Derrenbacher #13 (Shattuck St. Mary’s U16, F, 2026): Derrenbacher goes to the net ready for rebounds. She jumped on a rebound to score against Finland. Derrenbacher relentlessly pursues the puck on the PK. Her intense net drives draw penalties. She makes precise passes to set up scoring opportunities. Grade: A-

Megan Healy #3 (Rochester Youth Hockey – BK Selects U19, D, 2025, Princeton): Healy is always ready to drop in on the attack as an option. She dropped in to control the puck, step around the opponent, and fire a quick wrist shot on goal for chances. Her passes are crisp and on the tape. Healy gets in the shooting lanes in short-handed and even-strength situations and blocks shots. Healy Controls the gap well in the neutral zone, consistently taking away space to cause turnovers and quickly jumping on those turnovers to reverse the play. From the point, she finds shot lanes and gets pucks on net. Grade: A-

Molly Boyle #5 (Phillips Andover Academy, D, 2025, Yale): Boyle’s knack for finding open space and getting to the middle of the ice to unleash hard wrist shots and quick snapshots toward the net with accuracy and velocity,  creates scoring opportunities, as she’s able to generate shots on goal from high-danger areas. Boyle demonstrates defensive instincts by getting in the shooting lanes and blocking shots, showcasing her commitment to team defense and willingness to do whatever it takes to prevent scoring chances for the opposition. Boyle’s physical presence allows her to win battles along the boards, disrupt opponents’ plays, and create turnovers. Her ability to step in and make smooth passes to open forwards demonstrates her playmaking ability and vision on the ice, as she’s able to recognize scoring opportunities and capitalize on them with well-executed passes. Boyle is a steady D who often jumps into the attack off the blue line. She takes the puck to the shot lanes in a variety of ways; finding the high slot, driving the net and putting pucks on through traffic.   Grade: A-

Kassidy Carmichael #17 (NAHA White 19U, F, 2025, Ohio State): Carmichael has soft hands to handle the puck.  She steps around pressure and quickly releases her shot.  She is an evasive skater who is difficult to cover in the corners, drawing a penalty while trying to escape pressure.  Her feet are always moving as she buzzes around the zone, constantly being a playmaking threat. Carmichael plays with high intensity, battling below the red line, using her outside speed to exit the zone, gain the attacking end, and drive the net for shots on goal, and picking up the open player on the backcheck to apply pressure to the red line to deny chances. Her passes hit the mark. Carmichael buried a beautiful one-timer against Switzerland. In the gold medal game, she was left unchecked to tip in a beauty to light the lamp. She banged home a backdoor rebound for a second goal. Grade: A-

Caroline Averill #18 (Phillips Andover Academy, F, 2026): Averill sniped a couple of beauties. On her first goal, she cradled a pass in the slot to snap one top stick side to light the lamp, and for the second, she glided into the slot untouched to crush a one-timer to find the back of the net. Grade: A-

Jordyn Petrie #19 (Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, F, 2024): Petrie is an agile skater with good hands. She danced and dangled around the German defenders. With her speed and heads-up play, she skated end to end against Finland, drove the net cutting to the middle lane forcing a BIG save by the tender.  She wins draws in the face-off circle and looks for tip options when shooting.  On the rush, she finds the lanes to the net and gets shots on creating rebounds and further scoring opportunities. Petrie has a quick release. She danced through the neutral zone to gain the attacking end and fired a snapshot past the tendy to light the lamp. On the powerplay, she rips wrist shots from the top of the circle on the off-wing. She forechecks aggressively, battling in the corners, taking the body, and pinning opponents. Grade: A-

Ava Thomas #15 (Philadelphia Jr. Flyers U19, F, 2025, Boston College): Thomas is a strong skater with good speed.  She drives the net looking to deflect shots, screen and jump on rebounds.  She took the lane to the net taking a shot that created a rebound for a goal against Finland. Thomas’s ability to make crisp passes on the tape highlights her strong playmaking skills, as she effectively sets up scoring chances for her teammates by executing smooth give-and-go sequences. Her understanding of positioning allows her to gain inside body position when forechecking, enabling her to force turnovers and win possession of the puck in the offensive zone. In the neutral zone, Thomas applies pressure on puck carriers with her speed and aggressiveness, causing errors and disrupting opponents’ plays. Her quick hands and ability to drive the net add another dimension to her offensive game, as she’s able to receive passes and unleash accurate wrist shots to beat goaltenders low stick side. Overall, Thomas’s combination of passing accuracy, forechecking tenacity, and offensive instincts make her a valuable asset on the ice. Whether she’s setting up scoring opportunities with precise passes or capitalizing on chances with her scoring touch, Thomas is a dynamic forward capable of making an impact in various aspects of the game. Grade: A-

Ellie Dimatos #4 (Lawrenceville School, D, 2025, Princeton): Dimatos hits forwards on the fly with tape-to-tape passes to move the play up ice quickly. Her precise puck movement decisions on the powerplay create opportunities. She plays physically and takes the body. Dimatos jumps up to join the rush as an option. She controls the puck with poise to gain the zone and get deep in the zone to start the attack. Her slap shot from the point gets through traffic and to the net to create chances. Dimatos is quick on the puck and jumps into the play to apply offensive pressure by driving the net with shots on.  She makes crisp tape to tape passes in all zones and has the ability to thread passes through tight pressure. Grade: B+

Haley Box #25 (Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep, F): Box drives the net with her head up looking for her shot placement. She has a powerful slap shot that is utilized during the PP. Box cleanly executed a set face-off play, beating her defender and getting crease top to tap in the forward press. She finds and walks the seams to the net in the offensive zone getting quality shots on. BOX rushes the point to force errors. She has quick hands in tight. Her net-front presence and quick hands enabled her to bury a couple of rebounds for well-earned goals. Grade: B+

Anabella Fanale #28 (Rochester Youth Hockey – BK Selects U19, F, 2025, Minnesota): Fanale has great speed on the rush and forecheck. She opens up for 1-timer shots on the rush, creating 2 great scoring chances. She applied strong back pressure late in the game to take away a scoring chance from Finland. Grade: B+

Taylor Senecal #6 (Little Caesars U19, D, 2025, Colgate): Senecal is patient with the puck as she makes precise passes to exit the zone, move the play up ice, and create scoring opportunities in the attacking end. She moved the puck back and forth smoothly with her partner at the offensive blue line to set up the third goal in the gold medal game. Senecal drops in as an option on the attack. Grade: B+

Kendra Distad #14 (Minnetonka High School, F, 2024, Minnesota): Distad has a nose for the net. She set up two goals with crisp tape-to-tape passes and snagged a loose puck to jam home a goal as well. She is good around the crease and is okay with screening the goalie and looking for rebounds. Grade: B+

Rose Dwyer #9 (Rochester Youth Hockey – BK Selects U19, D, 2024, Cornell): Dwyer circles to escape pressure in the defensive zone and dish the puck to a winger to start the breakout. Her passes are crisp, hit the mark, and create opportunities. Dwyer controls the GAP well and is quick to jump on turnovers.  She makes clean tape to tape passes with her partner. Grade: B+

Rachel Gorbatenko #10 (Chicago Mission U19, D, 2025, Wisconsin): Gorbatenko uses her size to her advantage when controlling the puck and shielding opponents with her arm on net drives. Her passes are crisp and on target. She creates scoring opportunities from the high slot with precise passes and quick, accurate shots. Grade: B

Alanna Devlin #16 (NAHA White 19U, F, 2024, Boston College): Good heads up play, finding outlet passes from behind the net to create scoring opportunities. Devlin uses her speed to her advantage to capitalize on defensive miscues and be first to the puck. She is successful in the faceoff circle, winning over 60% of the draws to her teammates to start the play with possession. Devlin controls and handles the puck with soft mitts, especially when executing a toe drag for a challenging shot on net. She has a sweet touch around the net, spinning off a check to cradle a pass and send it five-hole to light the lamp and winning the puck to feather a pass to set up a shorty. Grade: B

Macy Rasmussen #20 (Orono High School, F, 2025, Ohio State): Rasmussen reads the play and steps up in the neutral zone to intercept give-away passes. She can play fast and handles the pace of the game well. Defensively she shined brightest and was a true asset towards her team. Grade: B

Slovakia

Livia Debnarova #1 (SKP Bratislava, G): Debnarova tracks pucks and plays beyond the top of the crease, gets square, cuts angles, and challenges the shooter. She battles and finds pucks in traffic and through screens to steer rebounds safely away from trouble areas. She stands firm and stays calm as she reads the puck carrier and uses her sick poke check to deny chances. She plays the puck. Debnarova can handle a high volume of shots. With a wide based stance, Debnarova is quick down and up, recovering for the next shot with great speed.  She tracks well and finds pucks in traffic. Straight shots are deflected well away from danger. She has a super aggressive challenge getting out of the crease on saves, greatly cutting the shot angle and holding rebounds. Her aggressive play rarely gets her in danger as she is so agile to recover quickly. Grade: A-

Nela Lopusanova #12 (Rochester Youth Hockey – BK Selects U19, F, 2026): Lopusanova’s game is marked by her tenacity and effectiveness in battles below the redline, where she consistently emerges victorious and initiates offensive opportunities for her team. Her ability to win puck battles and execute tape-to-tape passes to her teammates in prime scoring areas highlights her importance in generating scoring chances. Lopusanova’s aggressive forechecking style puts pressure on opposing defenders and forces them to make mistakes. As a playmaker, Lopusanova possesses exceptional patience, vision, and awareness on the ice. She has the ability to read the play and make precise passes with speed, allowing her to set up her teammates for high-quality scoring chances. Her calm and poised puck handling under pressure enables her to drive the net effectively and create scoring opportunities. On the power play, Lopusanova showcases her patience and creativity, cradling pucks, making precise passes, and snapping shots to create scoring opportunities. Defensively, Lopusanova understands the importance of positioning and support, as she consistently gets into the right areas to provide coverage and support for her teammates. Lopusanova has exceptional puck and skating skills. Her edging constantly alters her space (taking it away and giving it) and makes her moves very deceptive to opponents. She has a powerful shot that takes off quickly and accurately. She is patient with the puck and plays with her head up giving her great ice vision to be the great play maker and finisher she is. Battling an injury in this game she controlled the PP, distributing the puck and creating scoring opportunities. Grade: A-

Hana Krakorova #4 (HC Slovan Bratislava, D): Krakorova gets in the shooting lanes on the penalty kill and blocks shots. She is not afraid to put her body on the line for the team. We also think she is a strong asset in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill. Grade: B

Alexandra Mateickova #5 (RoKi Rovaniemi, D): Mateickova gets pucks through traffic and to the net from the point on the powerplay with a hard wrist shot and a quick snapshot. Mateickova has the size and strength to be a force along the boards. Off the blue line she gets hard shots on target to generate tips and rebounds. Grade: B

Ema Tothova #18 (SKP Bratislava, F): Tothova, standing tall with good size, utilizes her long reach to her advantage, both offensively and defensively. She effectively disrupts passing lanes with her stick, demonstrating her commitment to defensive play and her ability to anticipate opponents’ movements. Her success in the faceoff circle, winning battles and cleanly distributing the puck to her teammates allows her team to gain control. Her ability to protect the puck and create space for her linemates showcases her skillful puck-handling and playmaking abilities. Tothova’s offensive contributions are evident in her quick release and smooth reception of passes, allowing her to capitalize on scoring opportunities and facilitate offensive plays. Her defensive positioning and support further solidify her role as a reliable two-way player, ensuring that she contributes effectively on both ends of the ice. On the powerplay, Tothova’s agility and puck-handling skills shine as she navigates through the neutral zone with finesse, gaining the offensive zone and setting up scoring chances with well-executed passes. Tothova has great hands and agility, she dances through her opponents. Grade: B

Tatiana Blichova #19 (ZHK 2000 – SARISANKA Presov, F): Blichova is a feisty forward who plays physically and forces errors on the forecheck. She is a strong skater who uses her speed to drive hard to the net, receive a pass in the high slot, and quickly fire a shot on goal for chances. Blichova is frequently first to the puck. Blichova anticipates and gets herself into good positions to interrupt plays. With her active stick she causes turn-overs and turns them into scoring opportunities. Grade: B

Lilien Benakova #14 (Popradske Lisky, F): Benakova’s versatility and effectiveness are evident in both special teams situations and in general play. On the powerplay, she utilizes her active stick to disrupt passing lanes and block shots, contributing to her team’s defensive efforts while maintaining pressure on the opponent. Additionally, her ability to steal pucks on the penalty kill showcases her defensive acumen and her willingness to apply pressure to force turnovers and regain possession for her team. In the faceoff circle, Benakova demonstrates technique and timing, winning battles and cleanly distributing the puck to her teammates to initiate offensive plays with possession. Benakova’s strong skating ability, characterized by a powerful stride and good speed, allows her to stay focused on the puck and maintain control. This agility and focus enable her to effectively execute defensive maneuvers, such as utilizing a strong stick check in the neutral zone to take away pucks from opponents and initiate offensive transitions. Benakova showcases her vision and passing skills by delivering crisp, cross-ice passes to find open teammates on the fly. Grade: B

Lenka Karkoskova #26 (HC Slovan Bratislava, F): Karkoskova forechecks aggressively, forcing errors and causing turnovers. Her forecheck caused a turnover that ended up on her stick from a sweet pass, and she deposited it in the net with a sick backhand. Karkoskova is a speedy skater with good ice vision and puck skills to create scoring chances. Grade: B

Sandra Haluskova #6 (MHK Martin, D): Haluskova gets in the shooting lanes and blocks shots. She does her best work on the defensive side of the ice. Grade: B-

Livia Nogova #8 (MHK Martin, D): Nogova has success on the draw winning faceoff battles to her teammates to start the play with possession. She is also strong along the boards and can win pucks for her team. Grade: B-

Michaela Paulinyova #9 (OHA Tardiff Jrs, F, 2024): Paulinyova drives the net and gets shots on target in stride. She is fearless in the middle of the ice and wants to create offense for her team. Grade: B-

Bianka Maslakova #13 (ZHK Zvolen, D): Maslakova has good edging to make sharp turns and evade attackers. She passes tape-to-tape for clean break outs. Grade: B-

Ema Lackova #15 (ZHK 2000 – SARISANKA Presov, F): Lackova gets in the shooting lanes and blocks shots in the d-zone and gets in on the forecheck to cause turnovers with an active stick. Lackova willingly gets in the messy areas of the ice.  Battling and finding position net front and getting her stick on pucks to deflect and cause havoc for tenders. Grade: B-

Gabriela Lacna #27 (ZHK Michalovce, F): Lacna plays a physical game, battling in the corners. She will forecheck aggressively, and provide good coverage to her team support defensively. Grade: B-

Mariana Sumegova #30 (Popradske Lisky, G): Sumegova uses her flexibility and smooth lateral movement to cover the bottom of the net. She battles through traffic and screens to find pucks and get whistles. Grade: B-

Switzerland

Talina Benderer #30 (HC Davos Ladies, G): Benderer, an athletic goaltender, has a quick glove and battles in scrambles. She made some big saves on breakaways to maintain team momentum. Grade: B+

Ivana Wey #6 (EV Zug, F): Wey’s skill set is characterized by good speed and precise passing. Her ability to win faceoffs adds a valuable dimension to her play, allowing her team to start possessions with control. Wey employs effective stops and starts to navigate through pressure situations, showcasing her agility on the ice. One of her qualities is her puck control, executed with effortless ease. With her head up, she adeptly handles the puck, eluding checkers and contributing to smooth zone exits. This control extends to gaining the attacking end, where she positions herself to deliver well-timed passes to open linemates, facilitating offensive opportunities. In powerplay situations, Wey rips rocket snapshots from the half-boards,  contributing to the creation of chances in man-advantage situations. Overall, Wey emerges as a dynamic player, blending speed, precision passing, and a keen sense of situational awareness. Her contributions in faceoffs, puck control, and powerplay effectiveness make her a valuable asset on the ice. Grade: B-

Julia Naef #7 (EV Zug, F): Naef does a good job stepping up in the neutral zone to take the body and bump players off the puck. She has an active stick all over the ice and handles the pace of the game well.  Grade: B-

Norina Muller #12 (HC Fribourg Gotteron, F): Muller plays a good physical game, driving the net hard with and without the puck, blocking shots in the shooting lanes, and winning puck battles in the corners to create scoring chances. Grade: B-

Sonja Inkamp #15 (GCK Lions Zurich, D): Inkamp is a smooth puck-moving defender. Her passes are crisp and on the tape, hitting forwards on the fly cross-ice, sending wingers out of the zone with her first pass, and finding open teammates on the powerplay. She gets pucks through traffic and to the net from the point with a quick snapshot or a hard slapshot. Inkamp crushed a rocket from the point on the powerplay to find the back of the net against the US. Grade: B-

Alena Rossel #16 (SC Bern, D): Rossel quarterbacks the powerplay and makes smart puck moving decisions to create opportunities. She keeps her head up and stick handles with finesse as she exits the zone to move up ice and gain the attacking end.  Grade: B-

Elisa Dalessi #19 (HC Ambri-Piotta, F): Dalessi controls and handles the puck with soft mitts, putting passes in the tape, creating time and space, and taking the puck off the boards smoothly to exit the D-zone. She earns a net-front presence to deflect shots from the point. Grade: B-

Naemi Herzig #26 (EV Zug, F): Herzig’s playing style reflects a strong presence in front of the net, showcasing her ability to battle for positioning and create scoring opportunities. Combining physical play with strategic positioning, she disrupts opponents by effectively bumping them off the puck. Her versatility is evident in powerplay situations, where the left-shot forward adapts to the off-wing position to unleash powerful one-timers. She demonstrates keen vision on the powerplay, identifying open lanes to deliver crisp passes to her teammates. Part of Herzig’s offensive arsenal is her adeptness at ripping snapshots that challenge opposing goaltenders and play a role in creating goal-scoring chances for her team. Herzig showcases her determination and skill by driving hard to the net with the puck, fending off defensive pressure, and executing a backhand deke, highlighting her ability to navigate tight spaces and finish plays with finesse. Grade: B-