By Mark Janzen /
While the Canadian men’s hockey team gets all the publicity and hype leading up the Olympics, in terms of pressure to win gold, the women are playing on the exact same ice surface.
Although Canada is the two-time defending Olympic champion, there will be no questions of complacency.
Canada has been forced to settle for silver at each of the last two World Championships as both times they lost to their bitter American rivals.
And as for the USA, the 2006 Olympics marked the first time in a major championship they failed to make it to the gold medal game after getting knocked out by Sweden in the semi-final.
Let’s just say it’s going to get heated in Vancouver.
Canada’s roster has been whittled down to 26 players who will look to impress the coaching staff enough in the next few months to garner a spot on the final roster in Vancouver.
And leading the way offensively, once again, will be Hayley Wickenheiser. The Shaunavon, Sask.-native is the undisputed queen of women’s hockey and she’ll be looking to lead Canada back to the top of podium.
Veterans like Jayna Hefford, Caroline Ouellette and Becky Kellar will still be around in Vancouver, but possibly in a lesser on-ice role, as Canada’s youth movement starts to roll.
Players like Sarah Vaillancourt, Meghan Agosta, Meaghan Mikkelson and Tessa Bonhomme will look to play big roles in 2010.
Between the pipes, familiar names Kim St-Pierre and Charline Labonte are back and ready to regain hockey prominence.
Feb. 13, 5:00 p.m. PST: Canada vs. Slovakia. |