If you're looking at the image to the left and thinking "that looks like an eye", you're looking at the Helix Nebula which is nicknamed the "Eye of God" or "Eye of Sauron" due to its shape! The nebula gets its eye-like shape from the glowing, gaseous remains of a dying star that has begun shedding its outer layers into space. Frankly, it looks awesome, but it's appropriate today because you're going to want to keep your eye on the following players listed below. Today, I present to you the 2026-27 recruits for each Canada West women's hockey team with my thoughts on the incoming class!
I spent a lot of time digging around social media and looking over websites as I collected names and information about the players joining Canada West's nine teams. It took a while, but here we are today. I'm not going to waste any further time, so here are all the known or announced players joining the nine Canada West teams!
Canada West Recruits
Alberta Pandas
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Cassia Severin | Edge | AB | F | 4 | 14 |
| Samantha Baker | Edge | AB | F | 8 | 23 |
| Saya Earl | Delta | BC | F | 4 | 7 |
| Hudson Bradley | Balmoral Hall | MB | D | 8 | 14 |
| Elise Miller | North Shore | BC | F | 11 | 23 |
| Sarah McNabb | Battleford | SK | F | 10 | 13 |
| Daniella Martorana | Merrimack (NCAA) | MA | F | 0 | 0 |
| Scarlett Jones | Toronto (OUA) | ON | F | 1 | 1 |
| Jaylah Bottle | Ottawa (OUA) | ON | D | 0 | 0 |
The Alberta Pandas recruited a pile of players long before Howie Draper announced his retirement, so I assume that this class will be the last of his era running the Pandas. With interim head coach Leah Copeland taking over, I would expect a similar brand of tenacious hockey that she played when suiting up for the Pandas, but don't expect her to replicate Howie's style. She has some high-end talent coming in along with a few players who have suited up at the university level elsewhere. Alberta's in a bit of a rebuild, but I expect them to still be a solid team as everyone settles in. Once again, the Pandas should be a playoff team in their temporary home in Nisku.
Calgary Dinos
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Madison Batch | Delta | BC | D | 3 | 25 |
| Brooklyn Blomquist | RINK Kelowna | BC | F | 4 | 9 |
| Katelyn Marshall | Regina | SK | F | 9 | 11 |
The Calgary Dinos are playing their cards close to their chests when it comes to recruiting. I know this can't be the entire class they're bringing in, but they haven't posted their recruit information anywhere that I could find or have seen. In saying this, the three recruits listed above are solid, and they will contribute for head coach Josh Gosling. Calgary's going to have to battle after some of their veterans graduated, but they'll be a handful for any opponent this season. The Dinos could still have a number of weapons they haven't announced, so we'll have to see who lands in Calgary.
MacEwan Griffins
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Olivia Stewart | Red Deer | AB | D | 3 | 4 |
| Sawyer McKay | Lloydminster | AB | F | 5 | 8 |
| Peyton Mages | North Shore | BC | D | 10 | 16 |
| Tristan Todosichuk | Weyburn | SK | F | 10 | 10 |
| Shannon MacLeod | Calgary | AB | F | 1 | 2 |
| Haley Braun | OHA Mavericks | ON | F | 12 | 10 |
| Vayda Rigaux | Eastman | MB | D | 8 | 17 |
| Delainey Rigaux | Eastman | MB | F | 25 | 16 |
| Mya Magowan | Calgary | AB | F | 2 | 3 |
| Paige Smith | Bemidji (NCAA) | MN | F | 0 | 1 |
The MacEwan Griffins will get a fresh start after Chris Leeming was replaced by interim head coach Izzy Cropper, and this recruiting class should give them a little more firepower and a little more tenacity on the ice. Cropper served as an assistant coach for the last two years, so she's going to have to find ways to get this squad to push the puck up the ice without abandoning their netminders. I like the scoring and grittiness in these new recruits, so we'll see if they can be the spark for the new-look Griffins this year as they get back on track.
Manitoba Bisons
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Addilyn Nohlgren | Winnipeg Avros | MB | F | 5 | 21 |
| Braya Kapusta | Winnipeg Avros | MB | F | 23 | 12 |
| Kadence Fleece | Calgary | AB | D | 1 | 2 |
| Brynn Hannula | Lovell | MA | F | 11 | 20 |
| Oda Austefjord | Stavanger | NO | D | 3 | 33 |
| Jamie Hensch | Lloydminster | AB | D | 1 | 6 |
| Addison Greve | Mt. Academy | PE | F | 4 | 8 |
The first recruiting class done by Jordan Colliton and her team have some high-end talent joining the Herd. I'm curious to see how Oda Austefjord jumps into the team because she was excellent in Norway, and Colliton has seen other Norwegian defenders thrive in Canada West. That being said, the Bisons get a number of solid additions to their forward group that should make the attack that much more lethal. If the Herd are looking to build on their showing at Nationals this year, this class of recruits should help them do that.
Mount Royal Cougars
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Castilla Rubin | North Shore | BC | F | 8 | 9 |
| Ayden Kehrig | Battleford | SK | D | 2 | 11 |
| Peyton Carter | OHA Edmonton | AB | F | 8 | 13 |
| Danelle Steffen | Saskatoon | SK | D | 9 | 10 |
| Skylar Heinrichs | Lloydminster | AB | F | 11 | 5 |
If there's one thing that head coach Scott Rivett gets with his recruits, it's talent and work ethic. All of his recruits will continue that trend for the Cougars this season, and I suspect we'll see the Cougars pushing for the top of their division. I am surprised that there isn't a Manitoban in Scott's recruits this year as he always seems to have one, but these five players will continue to keep the Cougars as one of the best teams in Canada West and across Canada.
Regina Cougars
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Summer Grenier | Edmonton | AB | F | 5 | 14 |
| Ivy Perkin | Westman | MB | F | 26 | 34 |
| Isabelle Luttmerding | Calgary | AB | F | 10 | 6 |
| Darby Marshall | Regina | SK | D | 7 | 6 |
| Aliyah Teixeira | Winnipeg Ice | MB | D | 5 | 13 |
| Aldawna Evers | Edmonton | AB | G | 1.70 | .921 |
| Raela Packet | Swift Current | SK | F | 11 | 19 |
| Jade Pelland | OHA Mavericks | ON | F | 7 | 13 |
Head coach Brandy West-McMaster did a superb recruiting job with her class this season, bringing in fantastic scoring and solid defenders who will look to push the Cougars to new heights. Recruiting a third goalie was needed, but I don't know what West-McMaster has in store for them when it comes to playing time. What I do know is her team will benefit from these players' talents as there are a lot of solid additions to the Regina lineup. The Cougars could be scary good.
Saskatchewan Huskies
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Reese Dyky | Saskatoon | SK | D | 2 | 11 |
| Anna Benoit | Regina | SK | F | 10 | 9 |
| Addison Tomes | Eastman | MB | G | 0.81 | .958 |
| Cambree Legge | Saskatoon | SK | F | 3 | 5 |
| Reese Overton | N. Capitals | BC | F | 4 | 12 |
| Cedar Swan | Saskatoon | SK | F | 7 | 8 |
| Alexa Roberts | North Shore | BC | F | 14 | 13 |
| Charlie Shearer | Westman | MB | F | 2 | 6 |
| Makayla Christmann | MacEwan (CW) | AB | G | 3.75 | .895 |
Head coach Steve Kook has done another marvelous job in recruiting high-end talent for his team, and it starts from the crease out again as he has one of Manitoba's best young netminders, a solid two-way defender, and a pile of forwards who can score, but will be defensively responsible in ensuring that the Huskies are successful. Don't expect a lot of high-scoring games from the Huskies in any season, but this group builds on the momentum that the Huskies were building last season. I don't expect them to win the division next season, but I do expect them to cause a lot of headaches for opposition coaches and players during the 2026-27 season.
Trinity Western Spartans
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Mika Higgins | Edge | AB | D | 6 | 5 |
| Jamie Sanford | Central York | ON | G | 1.78 | .923 |
| Ella Newton | Regina | SK | D | 5 | 5 |
| Dyllan Nelson | Fraser Valley | BC | F | 14 | 16 |
| Haley Waugh | Delta | BC | F | 6 | 5 |
| Avaya McCann | Edge | AB | F | 12 | 8 |
| Kamryn Reiber | SAHA | AB | F | 7 | 24 |
| Audrina Freeman | Okanagan | BC | F | 11 | 16 |
| Shae Laprade | Carleton (OUA) | ON | F | 4 | 5 |
| Tori Evans | Ottawa (OUA) | ON | D | 1 | 2 |
The evolution of the Trinity Western Spartans continues under Peter Hay, and they seem to be finding more and more fantastic players to add to their roster. Having another solid netminder joining the team is good for everyone, and I like the additions up front. The Spartans needed a little more defence from their blue line, and the players they recruited should be solid two-way players in their times. This year's group may not put Trinity Western over the top, but they'll be very close if they aren't there. Could this be the season for TWU?
UBC Thunderbirds
| Name | Current | Prv. | Pos | G/GAA | A/SV% |
| Tayah Wallace | Barrie | ON | F | 14 | 16 |
| Cassie Carvalho | Winnipeg Ice | MB | F | 19 | 15 |
| Payton Henwood | Balmoral Hall | | F | 13 | 30 |
| Kate Chuback | Balmoral Hall | MB | F | 25 | 16 |
| Maggie Rauckman | Battleford | SK | F | 15 | 14 |
| Sophie Brecht | Battleford | SK | F | 6 | 10 |
| Isabel Gollop | OHA Edmonton | AB | F | 13 | 6 |
| Alyssa Worsley | Shawnigan Lake | BC | D | 3 | 18 |
| Emma Kohl | Delta | BC | F | 10 | 22 |
| Ella Dunham-Fox | Edmonton | AB | G | 1.03 | .948 |
| Anslei Thistle | St. Albert | AB | D | 2 | 6 |
| Anna Rose | ECDC Memmingen | DE | F | 6 | 15 |
| Leila Sinclair | Toronto Leaside | ON | D | 4 | 22 |
| Adriana Almeida | Winnipeg Avros | MB | G | 2.04 | .939 |
| Hannah Dods | Lindenwood U. | MO | F | 5 | 2 |
This is what a complete rebuild looks like after half of one's team graduates. Head coach Graham Thomas is bringing in all sorts of talent who can push for roster spots immediately, and we'll likely see the same growth over the next five years as his previous core group of players did in the previous five years. This group has scoring, it has tenacity, it has goaltending, it has speed, and they'll move the puck, but it still needs some maturity when running into disciplined teams. We'll have to see how this group settles, but UBC looks like they're building another dynasty with the talent they recruited this year.
Now you might be saying, "Teebz, this is barely any insight on these players coming into these teams," and you're correct. There's a reason for me not spending a lot of time in crunching numbers and looking at who may emerge with the best class of rookies, and it starts and ends with one organization's specific actions towards me:
Some will say that I've been pretty rough on Canada West over the years, and that's likely true. I have tried over and over and over and over again to work with Canada West to help elevate the status of their conference, its member teams, and all of the coaches, players, and staff that make up their league. Not once have they responded to any interaction I've tried to have with them, so I'm done trying. If they don't want the help, so be it. I have zero obligation to continue to support Canada West women's hockey in any way, shape, or form.
To everyone who enjoyed
The Rundown on a weekly basis, it will make an appearance every now and again when needed, but it's painfully obvious that Canada West thinks it's doing a fine job with its efforts in promoting women's hockey and requires no help. For all of the stastical anaylses I did and for all of the fun segments I added to
The Rundown, no one at Canada West sees that as beneficial or helpful to sell their product, so I'm off the case as of right now.
Unless a bunch of athletes and coaches comment down below, the nine women's hockey programs are on their own when it comes to promotion and chatter about all the good the players and coaches do and all the interesting stats that make Canada West women's hockey so good. It's not like Canada West helps them in any way, so, as the old saying goes, "You never know what you have until it's gone."
Thanks for letting me have some fun, folks. Best of luck in the future.
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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