The upcoming final pre-Olympic matches in Edmonton will see a return of familiar faces to the Canadian women’s hockey team. The last two games of the 2025-26 Canada-United States Rivalry Series are scheduled for December 10 and 13 at Edmonton’s Rogers Place, starting at 9 p.m. ET.
Twenty players who participated in the first leg of the Rivalry Series last month will be back on the 25-player roster as the Canadian coaching staff prepares to make final decisions on the roster composition. The 23-player Olympic team is expected to be announced in January before the team’s first match on February 5 against Finland.
Canadian GM Gina Kingsbury emphasized the importance of the upcoming games, stating, “These last two games are crucial in our preparations with the Milano Cortina Games less than 70 days away.” Thirty players have been part of the Canadian team’s training sessions leading up to these games, allowing the coaching staff to evaluate all contenders for a spot on the Olympic team.
Among the notable players returning for the upcoming matches are Ottawa Charge forward Emily Clark, who will be making her Rivalry Series debut after recovering from an injury that sidelined her in November. Veterans such as Jocelyne Larocque and Brianne Jenner, both of whom hold leadership roles for Team Canada, will also feature in the roster, along with starting goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens and rookie defender Nicole Gosling from the Montreal Victoire.
However, Vancouver Goldeneyes forward Sarah Nurse will miss the second leg of the Rivalry Series due to a lower-body injury sustained during the Goldeneyes’ inaugural game. Several players who participated in November, including Vancouver forward Hannah Miller, Montreal defender Kati Tabin, New York captain Micah Zandee-Hart, and goaltender Ève Gascon, have not been included in the current roster.
The United States currently leads the Rivalry Series 2-0, following convincing wins in Buffalo and Cleveland in November, outscoring Canada 10-2. Kingsbury expressed confidence in the team’s ability to perform well in front of the home crowd.
The final Canadian roster selection will also consider performances in the PWHL and NCAA, with the PWHL season pausing for the Rivalry Series and set to resume on December 16. The article concludes with the detailed list of players included in the Canadian roster for the upcoming matches.