Canadian women’s under-18 hockey team bolstered by seven returning players

CALGARY – Defender Ava Murphy headlines the Canadian women’s under-18 hockey team in its bid to defend its world title in Sweden in January.

Murphy of Kitchener, Ont., compiled two goals and three assists in six games to lead Canada in the 2022 world under-18 championship in June in Madison, Wis.

She scored a goal and had an assist in a 3-2 win over the host U.S. in the final.

Murphy was among 23 players, including seven returnees, named to the roster Friday by Hockey Canada.

The 2023 championship Jan. 8-15 in Ostersund, Sweden, features eight countries.

Canada is in a pool with Finland, the U.S. and Sweden and opens Jan. 8 against the Finns.

Jocelyn Amos of Ailsa Craig, Ont., Alexia Aubin of Lévis, Que., Jordan Baxter of Coquitlam, B.C., Toronto’s Piper Grober, Alex Law of Whitby, Ont., and Emmalee Pais of London, Ont., are the other returning players from the 2022 squad.

Former national women’s team player Courtney Birchard-Kessel will coach Canada in Sweden.

Canada has won gold six times in the 14-year history of the tournament. The country’s last back-to-back titles were in 2013 and 2014.

The tournament was cancelled in 2021 and delayed in 2022 because of COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadian under-18 alumni include current Canadian women’s hockey team captain Marie-Philip Poulin and forward Sarah Nurse.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2022.