Jason La Rose
The busy summer for Hockey Canada comes to a close with Canada’s National Women’s Team hosting its annual Fall Festival in Calgary and Dawson Creek.
Here’s how it breaks down: 52 players will attend, with hopes of impressing enough to crack the Canadian roster for the 2018 4 Nations Cup in Saskatoon, Sask., in early November, and the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Finland next spring.
Take a closer look at the attendees…
2: Broderick Trophy winners; Sarah Bujold was recognized as the best player in U SPORTS women’s hockey in 2016-17, posting a nation-leading 24 goals and 43 points with St. Francis Xavier University, while Mélodie Daoust was Canada’s best with McGill University in 2012-13, pacing the country with 54 points.
2: Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winners; Daryl Watts became the first freshman to be named the best player in NCAA women’s hockey last season, posting an NCAA-best 82 points in 38 games with Boston College, while Jamie Lee Rattray took home the honour with Clarkson University in 2014.
3: players who helped Clarkson University win its second-consecutive NCAA national championship – Loren Gabel, Josiane Pozzebon and Ella Shelton. Four other campers, Erin Ambrose, Renata Fast, Erica Howe and Jamie Lee Rattray, also won a national title with Clarkson in 2014.
5: alumna of the Esso Cup, Canada’s National Female Midget Championship; Jade Downie-Landry (LHFDQ Nord, 2013) and Brigette Lacquette (Westman Wildcats, 2009) won national titles and Sophie Shirley (Saskatoon Stars, 2015) earned bronze, while Sarah Bujold (Moncton Rockets, 2014) and Katherine Purchase (Metro Boston Pizza, 2013) finished off the podium.
5: players who helped the Markham Thunder win the Clarkson Cup; Laura Fortino, Jocelyne Larocque and Laura Stacey returned from the Olympics to join Erica Howe and Jamie Lee Rattray and edge Kunlun Red Star 2-1 in overtime in the championship game, with Stacey netting the extra-time winner.
6: members of the U SPORTS all-star team that competed at Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp last month – Sarah Bujold (St. FX), Jade Downie-Landry (McGill), Catherine Dubois (Montréal), Claudia Dubois (Concordia), Katherine Purchase (Concordia) and Kaitlin Willoughby (Saskatchewan).
8: 2018 CWHL draft picks; Sarah Nurse was the first, going to Toronto at No. 2, followed by Victoria Bach (3rd, Markham), Halli Krzyzaniak (4th, Calgary), Shea Tiley (6th, Toronto), Brittany Howard (8th, Toronto), Rebecca Leslie (10th, Calgary), Hannah Miller (15th, Shenzhen) and Kaitlin Willoughby (37th, Calgary).
9: players who have worn the ‘C’ with Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games, IIHF Women’s World Championship, Nations Cup or IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship – Erin Ambrose, Mélodie Daoust, Sarah Fillier, Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Leslie, Marie-Philip Poulin, Lauriane Rougeau, Jill Saulnier and Micah Zandee-Hart.
12: members of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for a three-game series against the United States last month – Jaime Bourbonnais, Sarah Fillier, Emma Maltais, Allie Munroe, Kristin O’Neill, Sarah Potomak, Josiane Pozzebon, Ella Shelton, Sophie Shirley, Kati Tabin, Daryl Watts and Micah Zandee-Hart.
17: Olympic silver medallists in PyeongChang – Emily Clark, Mélodie Daoust, Renata Fast, Laura Fortino, Brianne Jenner, Rebecca Johnston, Brigette Lacquette, Jocelyne Larocque, Sarah Nurse, Marie-Philip Poulin, Lauriane Rougeau, Jill Saulnier, Natalie Spooner, Laura Stacey, Shannon Szabados, Blayre Turnbull and Jennifer Wakefield.
26: Ontario natives, more than any other province; it is followed by Quebec (7), British Columbia (5), Manitoba (4), Nova Scotia (4), Saskatchewan (3), Alberta (2) and New Brunswick (1).
91: combined gold medals won at the Olympic Winter Games (13), IIHF Women’s World Championship (10), Nations Cup (43) and IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship (25); Rebecca Johnston, Jocelyne Larocque and Shannon Szabados are the individual leaders with six top-of-the-podium finishes each.