Some Unfamiliar Foes?

For the umpteenth time in hockey history - all but for 2019, if I recall - two very familiar foes will square off for IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship supremacy in what figures to be a quick, exciting game after having the women sit on the sidelines for far too long. Canada defeated an plucky Swiss team that refused to go quietly into the night while the Americans delivered another heartbreaking loss to the Finns who couldn't match the magic they created in Finland back in 2019 when they upset the Canadians in the semifinal. What may differ in this gold-medal final from past finals is that there is entirely a new cast of characters contributing for both teams, and we're starting to see some players that seemingly were stuck in neutral in their careers take big steps forward.

Before we talk about a few players who have stepped into the spotlight, this entire tournament goes back to what Jason and I were talking about on The Hockey Show this past week where the Canadians and Americans have had little trouble scoring goals when needed, yet every other team has struggled to dent twine on the two superpowers. Both the US and Canada shut out their opponents in semifinal games, and the shots-on-goal were decidedly in favour of both the North American squads.

This isn't to say that the Americans or Canadians got exponentially better during the long layoff, but the number of retirements and players who moved on from the rest of the world following 2019's tournament certainly has changed the balance of power. While Canada and the US can fill those voids with good, young players from the NCAA and U SPORTS regularly, there are less international players who can fill the voids left by veteran stars on other international teams. The IIHF needs to be cognizant of this issue, especially heading into Beijing for the Olympics in 2022 where it seems pretty obvious that Canada and the US, if nothing changes in six months, will play for the gold medal there as well.

That's what brings me to today's chatter in that Canada and the US have seen some players step up and deliver big tournament performances despite all the stars surrounding them. Yes, Marie-Philip Poulin and Hilary Knight are there. Yes, Natalie Spooner and Kendall Coyne Schofield are getting their points as well. However, the success of these teams in this tournament has had a lot of newer names contributing.

Again, it should be no surprise that names like Knight, Decker, and Coyne are leading the way for the Americans. It might be more of a surprise to see two defenders in Lee Stecklein and Megan Keller in the mix among the top US scorers after they were often seen as less of a threat than defenders like Monique Lamoureux-Morando or Megan Bozek in the past.

Stecklein, at 27, and Keller, at 25, have been playing at the international level long enough that they know what it takes to win at this level. The fact that they're playing on the top pairing and logging the most minutes shows the coaches trust their defensive play, but the offence they're adding to the potent US attack can't be overlooked. Their eleven points in six games is the same amount as the other five US defenders combined, and their three goals is two more than the other five defenders combined. Needless to say, the Canadians should expect a lot of Stecklein-Keller in the gold medal game tomorrow.

Perhaps the other major star to break out for the Americans is not Abby Roque, who took the US portion of the PWHPA tournament by storm, but Grace Zumwinkle who has had a heckuva 2021 thus far. Back in March as she was lighting the lamp regularly for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Zumwinkle was named a top-three finalist for the Patty Kazmeier Award. Her 17 goals were second in the nation at the collegiate level, and it put her squarely into Hockey USA's focus as a legitimate goal scorer based on seasons of 17, 25, and 25 goals in the previous three campaigns. Needless to say, Zumwinkle knows how to find the net.

She's carried that lamp-lighting skill with her to Calgary where she leads the US roster in goals with four, but there's a second player who is hot on her heels with three goals and has seen her USA Hockey dreams renewed with an excellent camp and a solid tournament as well. That would be Alex Carpenter who was cut prior to the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics from Team USA, but Carpenter is back with some fire under her skates as she looks to reclaim a spot on the Olympic roster. Scoring three goals and playing solid defensive hockey will help her case, and it appears she's likely headed for China based on her performance at this World Championship.

If you've been watching the World Championship via TSN's broadcasts, you've likely heard Cheryl Pounder talking about the "eight new faces" over and over again for Canada. There's no denying that there is an influx of new talent on this Canadian roster - something I've been begging for now for years - as Canada aims to end the US's five-year grip on the gold medal, and we're seeing a handful of younger players step up in a big way.

While she's been a mainstay on the team for a few major tournaments, Mélodie Daoust is starting to resemble the same type of player Danielle Goyette was - confident with the puck, pinpoint passing, and a nose for the net. Daoust was always an exceptional player, but there were tournaments where she played and no one noticed her presence. That's changing in a big way in Calgary, and there's a lot to be excited about if Daoust can bring that same approach to the game in Beijing. Whether it's being a mom or being more comfortable with herself or simply finding linemates that allow her to play to her strengths, this is the best that Daoust has played in recent memory and head coach Troy Ryan needs to squeeze every last ounce of that play out of Daoust for as long as he can as she leads the tournament in scoring with six goals and 12 points!

We'd be missing a big mention if Sarah Fillier wasn't on this list, but it's not because Fillier is all over the scoresheet. Her three goals and two assists are respectable for a first-time player by any measure, but it's how she plays the game that has really seen her turn heads. She's been a force in the face-off circle and she's allowing her wingers to elevate their games in a big way. She fits on multiple lines as her skills compliment those around her, and she's proving that she needs to have opponents' eyes on her with her speed and hands.

Jamie Lee Rattray, a player I felt Canada has overlooked for far too long, is proving her worth with her gritty play along the boards and in front of the net, and she's got a scoring touch that was seen often in the CWHL. Rattray has three goals and an assist, but her line is more of a "grind line" where she and her linemates simply wear down opponents. The key is that she's good at this - she's a tough player to move when she digs in, she fights for every inch of ice, and makes life hell for defenders and goalies. Every team needs a player like this, and Rattray is the type of player Canada has needed in its lineup for some time.

Finally, let's not overlook the adds on the blue line where Brigette Lacquette, Meghan Mikkelson, and Micah Zandee-Hart once patroled. In their places are players like Ashton Bell, Jamie Bourbonnais, and Ella Shelton which has given Canada a different look with their abilities to jump up into the offence, play with speed, and cut off opposing forwards with their footwork. That's not to say that Lacquette, Mikkelson, nor Zandee-Hart weren't able to do this, but these younger defenders seem to bring the best of both the offensive and defensive worlds to the ice in Calgary in this tournament.

While we still cherish players like Poulin, Knight, Spooner, Decker, Hiirikoski, and Sosina, there are new players emerging as stars on the international scene, and you'll likely hear their names in both the bronze medal and gold medal games tomorrow. The changing of the guard, so to speak, hurts some teams more than others, but quality and the talent of the kids who are filling those voids can't be overlooked.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!