The Rundown - Extended Family

With it being the holiday season, there's likely a chance that you'll be at a family gathering where you'll encounter extended family. Most of these people you know, but there could be that odd aunt, uncle, or cousin whose attendance at those family functions isn't as regular. That's what today's edition of The Rundown is all about - catching up with those former U SPORTS players who are playing in faraway lands, but still helped to build the programs into what they are today.

I started this last season, but it seems appropriate for us to ask an obvious question: what happens after players graduate or leave programs? As we know, some will have earned degrees and can go off and work in those chosen fields, but a lot of women want to keep playing hockey as the competitive fires continue to burn. Where are they doing that? Who might be looking for talented hockey players to improve their standing in their respective leagues and capture a championship? We'll answer some of those questions today.

Once more, I spent time scouring all the leagues as I went looking at all the former U SPORTS players who are off playing professionally at some level across the planet. Some leagues have many former U SPORTS players playing while other leagues do not, but the coolest part, I think, is seeing how many women are still pursuing their hockey dreams while, in some cases, travelling to amazing places to play hockey. I won't lie when I say I'm envious of some of these players based on where they call home for this season, but that's the benefit of being an outstanding player whose talents are coveted.

Let's get into these leagues and see which U SPORTS players are playing, and we'll work through as many leagues as possible. What should be noted is that a number of the schools who once had these women playing for them have done very little to draw attention to the success they're having after these players left those respective campuses, so I'll once again fill that void as I normally do.

Without further adieu, let's take a look at who's playing where.

SWHL - Switzerland

This league is also named the PostFinance Women's Hockey League.

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Estelle Duvin	SC Bern	13	17	19	Montreal
Joelle Fiala	HC Davos	5	11	23	UBC
Lea MacLeod	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Langenthal‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	6	9	25	StFX
Lauren Dabrowski	Fribourg	5	14	23	StFX
Kaleigh Quennec	SC Bern	3	5	14	Montreal
Jessika Boulanger	Langenthal	3	2	24	Montreal
Dominique Scheurer	ZSC Lions	1	1	19	MacEwan

There are less former U SPORTS players playing in Switzerland than there was last season, but there are still good players who are scoring points for their teams. The only conference not represented in Switzerland is the OUA, and we may see both Kaleigh Quennec and Dominique Scheurer skating in Milano-Cortina for the Swiss team come February. French-born Estelle Duvin sits sixth-overall in scoring after winning the scoring title last season with 54 points.

EWHL - Central Europe

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Ashley Taciuk	SKN Sabres	12	15	16	Nipissing
Lauren Nicholson	Almaty	11	14	15	TMU
Jaime Magoffin	SKN Sabres	10	14	16	Guelph
Breanne Trotter	Almaty	9	12	17	Mount Royal
Léonie Philbert	EV Bozen	4	17	16	Concordia
Maggie Peterson	Kärnten	8	12	18	Windsor
Emily Baxter	Budapest	7	12	12	TMU
Katherine Birkby	Almaty	11	7	17	Ottawa
Emma Hall	Kärnten	7	7	18	UBC
Rebecca Clarke	Salzburg	4	10	18	Calgary
Megan Breen	Budapest	3	8	12	TMU
Majorie Bolduc	Kärnten	5	4	9	Bishop's
Meaghan Chittick‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	SKN Sabres	3	5	15	Guelph
Kate Wagner	Almaty	3	5	17	Calgary
Mariah Hinds	Almaty	1	4	13	TMU
Alex Gowie	SKN Sabres	2	2	8	Calgary/Alberta
Kate Gallant	Kärnten	0	0	7	Saint Mary's
Roxanne Rioux	Almaty	1	5	17	Ottawa

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	GP	University
Alice Philbert	EV Bozen	n/a	1.55	.936	16	Concordia
Rachel Seeley	Almaty	n/a	2.25	.895	10	TMU

There's definitely a wider range of players skating in the EWHL when it comes to conferences. Ashley Taciuk sits in second-place for league scoring while Lauren Nicholson is third-overall. For the shortage of OUA players in Switzerland, the league that plays in Poland, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, and Kazakhstan boasts the most U SPORTS players in Europe this season! And there's probably room for more!

SDHL - Sweden

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jaycee Magwood‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Luleå‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	8	14	26	Regina
Mathea Fischer	SDE	8	12	27	UBC
Sarah Bujold	Luleå	8	8	25	StFX
Erica Rieder	Luleå	4	9	26	Manitoba
Emma Bergesen	Brynäs	0	1	5	Mount Royal
Sophie Lalor	HV71	0	0	3	Saskatchewan
Chanreet Bassi	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Linköping‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	0	0	3	UBC

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Camryn Drever	Skellefteå	8-8-0	2.29	.918	Saskatchewan

Five Canada West schools have players skating in the SDHL which is considered the second-best women's league on the planet. Sarah Bujold is a former U SPORTS Player of the Year, so she can clearly hold her own as well. Magwood is eighth-overall in league scoring, but she finds herself eleven points back of the leaders. Between the pipes, Camryn Drever is keeping Skellefteå in the hunt at sixth-overall, but it's a four-way race for first-place between Luleå, Brynäs, SDE, and Frölunda in the ten-team league. HV71 appears to be eliminated from the playoffs despite mathematically being alive.

DFEL - Germany

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Madelyn Walsh	Eisbären Berlin	2	7	18	Brock
Shani Rossignol	Mad Dogs Mannheim	6	1	18	Moncton
Lore Baudrit	ERC Ingolstadt	3	2	12	Montreal
Alix Yallowega	ERC Ingolstadt	2	4	18	Dalhousie

There are less U SPORTS players playing in Germany this season, but credit goes to the four players who are calling Germany home. Madelyn Walsh is having a solid campaign as she has nine points from the blueline for the Eisbären Berlin as the leading U SPORTS player, but Memmingen has a 14-point lead over Budapest and a 15-point lead over Berlin in the standings. Mannheim might be out of the race.

NDHL - Sweden

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Cassidy Maplethorpe	Rögle SK	21	28	12	BRK/ALB
Hunter Mosher	Södertälje	7	13	12	Nipissing
Scout Southward	Almtuna IS	11	8	10	QUE/TOR
Sophie Lalor	Troja-Ljungby	10	6	9	Saskatchewan
Aimee O'Neill	Hammarby	8	6	12	Saint Mary's
Mackenzie Drake	Troja-Ljungby	7	2	11	Dalhousie
Jesse Jack	Troja-Ljungby	3	0	2	MacEwan

A handful of U SPORTS players are playing in Sweden's second-division professional league, and all of these teams are looking for promotion to the SDHL this season. Former Badgers and Pandas sniper Cassidy Maplethorpe is torching the league by leading in goals and assists, and has a nine-point lead over second-leading scorer Sara Boucher who plays with Maplethorpe for Rögle SK. Rögle SK, it should be noted, is 11-0-0-1 while Hunter Mosher's Södertälje squad is tied for first-overall with a 10-0-2-0 record. Keep an eye on those teams!

PWHL - North America

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jade Downie-Landry	Montreal Victoire	0	0	0	McGill
Rylind MacKinnon	Boston Fleet	0	0	5	UBC
Emmy Fecteau	New York Sirens	0	0	6	Concordia
Catherine Dubois	Montreal Victoire	0	0	3	Montreal
Kaitlyn Willoughby	Montreal Victoire	0	1	5	Saskatchewan
Alexandra Labelle	Montreal Victoire	0	1	5	Montreal
Kelly-Ann Nadeau	Montreal Victoire	0	0	5	Montreal
Jade Downie-Landry	Montreal Victoire	0	0	0	McGill

When Montreal has 75% of the U SPORTS players in the league and they're the only Canadian team to boast Canadian university-trained players, it would appear that selling the PWHL dream to Canadian university players might be a pipe dream. That being said, good on Danièle Sauvageau for believing in these players. As you can see, none of them have exploded out of the gates when it comes to filling the net, but they're all contributing in their own various ways.

IHLW - Italy

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Gabriella Durante	Real Torino	n/a	1.69	.947	Calgary

Gabriella Durante has played in just four games this season, but she's continuing her strong play that we saw in Canada West and last season in Italy. It would be ridiculous for me to suggest she'll be a starter for the Italian team when they have Martina Fedel, Elisa Biondi, and Margherita Ostoni competing for spots, but the two U SPORTS netminders - Fedel and Durante - should have the inside track on an Olympic roster spot when it comes to Milano-Cortina!

Naisten Suomi-Sarja - Finland

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Miressa Mäkelä‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎HIFK Challenger‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	1	1	2	Manitoba

Mäkelä is playing her second season in Finland's Division-II level of hockey, but "playing" might be more of a fill-in role when she's needed as she has five games in just over a season to her name. She was injured in her only season of Canada West hockey, and she didn't make it until the end of the season. She returned home and rejoined her old team prior to the Canada West season ending.

Women's Extraliga - Czechia

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Martina Maskova‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎HC Banik Pribram‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	2	1	2	Regina

Maskova has barely played this year, but she's back with Banik Pribram for another season. Like Mäkelä above, she seems to be playing either on a part-time basis. Maskova has been playing with Banik Pribram since leaving the University of Regina in 2021. She does not play on the Czechia national team so no Olympics for her.

FFHG Féminin Élite - France

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Emmanuelle Passard	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Jets d’Evry-Viry‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	12	9	6	Montreal

There are no Canadians playing in France this year, but the Université de Montréal does have a player skating in her home country. Passard is third-overall in league scoring, and three points back of the leader. It seems that playing for les Carabins may have paid off for her!

LIHH - Spain

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Courtney Kollman‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎CG Puigcerdà‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	21	18	10	MRU/CAL
Annaliese Meier‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎CG Puigcerdà‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	7	6	9	Calgary

Kollman and Meier have helped CG Puigcerdà to a tie for second-place in the Liga Nacional de Hockey Hielo femenina while Kollman sits in second-place for league scoring behind a 20 year-old named Eva Aizpurua who has a 13-point lead on Kollman. Both have sat a few games here and there, but I don't think Puigcerdà will complain about either's production considering the team is 9-2-0 on the season with games in-hand. Spain has been good to these two former Dinos.

AWIHL - Australia

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jordan Kulbida‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Adelaide‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	8	7	10	Regina
Danielle Butler‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Melbourne‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	10	2	10	Windsor
Katherine Bailey‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Perth‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	2	5	10	Guelph
Kelsie Lang‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Sydney‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	1	10	10	Calgary
Madison LaPlante‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Brisbane‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	3	4	6	Windsor
Alison Carlisle‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Brisbane‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	1	0	6	Trinity Western

It's actually pretty impressive to see this many former U SPORTS players continuing to play the game in Australia. With the growth of men's hockey in that country, the women's game has followed with most of the Australian women's national team playing at home. Jordan Kulbida leads the Rush in scoring, and she's tied for sixth-overall in league scoring. She was a big part of the Rush offence last season, and she continues to carry that offensive load this year!

NZWIHL - New Zealand

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Brooke Patron‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Auckland Steel‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	8	5	8	Saskatchewan

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Alexa Gibson	Auckland Steel	4-0-0	1.61	.939	Ottawa

It should be noted that these numbers are from the 2024-25 season that concluded in the summer as the NZWIHL plays during the southern hemisphere's winter as opposed to the summer which is happening now. Regardless, I wanted to make sure these two players got the recognition they deserve because Patron was third-overall in league scoring this past season while Gibson had the top GAA and save percentage. Auckland won the NZWIHL championship this season with Patron being named the top defender! Congratulations to her!

There's the list of players I could find who are playing professionally in some corner of the globe. There are 68 total players who represent 25 U SPORTS schools out of the 35 schools that have varsity hockey teams! That's a heckuva testament to the skill level being produced across this country when 71% of the schools have someone playing professionally! Will there be more players in new homes next season?

More locally, all nine teams in Canada West are represented by at least one player, and 29 former Canada West athletes are playing professional hockey. That's an amazing achievement that's only equalled by the four-team RSEQ conference, so Canada West certainly deserves some kudos. The Calgary Dinos have seven players skating professionally, UBC has five players, Saskatchewan has four players, Regina and Mount Royal have three each while each of Manitoba, Alberta, and MacEwan have two skaters, and Trinity Western has one player who is playing professionally. Again, well done, Canada West, on developing these outstanding athletes!

To all the players who opted to either take a season off or move on to another chapter of life, you're not forgotten either. As stated above, you laid the bricks for the path that future generations will follow, and those efforts will not be ignored by this writer. Your circumstances may have changed for any number of reasons, but your contributions at the university hockey level and beyond will always be appreciated. Thank you for laying the path for the next stars!

The Last Word

This was a long entry that took a lot of time to compile and write, so I hope you enjoyed the look at all the players who are skating professionally somewhere this season. These women still are, in this writer's view, some of the best to have ever played the game at any level, and I wish them all the best this season and beyond, even if that beyond takes them away from the game at some point.

For all players, coaches, staff, fans, parents, and former players who make this game so good, I hope everyone has a very merry holiday season, that health and happiness find you in whatever form you desire, and that everyone is surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones during this season. It's the most wonderful time of year, and then we get the rush of playoff races before the big dance starts!

Happy holidays, everyone! All the best to you and yours including extended family no matter where they find themselves this year!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

One Week From Games

Officially, we're one week away from U SPORTS hockey starting in the four respective conferences again. Yes, there are some scheduling notes that will see teams start at different times during October, but the start of the month means that university hockey is back in rinks across the Canadian map. Normally, you'd come here looking for a season preview of some sort, but that's not happening on HBIC. I've tried to get people to work with me with zero responses, so I'm under no obligation to promote anything. There are women, though, who went to the Canadian schools who are already playing hockey, and that's my focus today as we look at the women who have moved on to professional hockey across the globe!

I want to be clear that this early look at the women playing overseas will be mostly incomplete due to a handful of leagues who have yet to get underway officially. Like last year, I'll do a full look at all the former U SPORTS players who are skating in women's leagues across the planet in December assuming that this blog is still running. For now, here's who is having a great start to their 2025-26 seasons!

As stated last season, the EWHL is a great landing spot for former U SPORTS athletes, and this season appears no different. A number of former U SPORTS players have started their seasons with impressive work, so here are those women from the 2025-26 EWHL rosters:

• Lauren Nicholson (Ryerson/TMU) - 5G, 4A in 4gp (Almaty, KZ)
• Breanne Trotter (Mount Royal) - 4G, 4A in 4gp (Almaty, KZ)
• Jaime Magoffin (Guelph) - 3G, 4A in 3gp (St. Pölten, AT)
• Ashley Taciuk (Nipissing) - 2G, 3A in 2gp (St. Pölten, AT)
• Alice Philbert (Concordia) - 0.68 GAA, .967 sv% (Bolzano, IT)

I'll keep an eye on these players and this league as the season progresses, but there are some solid numbers to start the season. And don't correct me on the Ryerson thing - that was the name of the school when Nicholson went there, so I wanted to note it accurately. Yes, they're the TMU Bold now, but not while Nicholson was there.

There are far less players skating in Sweden than there once was, but U SPORTS still has a number of players who have landed in Swedish communities for hockey. Here are the athletes who are doing their best work to start the 2025-26 SDHL season in Sweden:

• Jaycee Magwood (Regina) - 3G, 2A in 8gp (Luleå)
• Mathea Fischer (UBC) - 1G, 4A in 7gp (SDE)
• Erica Rieder (Manitoba) - 1G, 3A in 8gp (Luleå)
• Sarah Bujold (StFX) - 2G, 0A in 5gp (Luleå)
• Camryn Drever (Sask) - 2.86 GAA, .895 sv% (Skellefteå)

The SDHL has always been regarded as one of the top leagues on the planet, so seeing the reduced scoring numbers and inflated goaltending numbers shouldn't worry anyone. Seeing some good Canada West representation on this list is encouraging for the next wave of players coming out of the western U SPORTS conference!

The PostFinance Women's League in Switzerland is also underway, and there are a handful of U SPORTS players plying their trade there. We saw some outstanding performances last year in this league by a few former U SPORTS players, so here's this year's early progress:

• Estelle Duvin (Montreal) - 4G, 4A in 5gp (Bern)
• Lauren Dabrowski (StFX) - 2G, 4A in 7gp (Fribourg-Gottéron)
• Lea MacLeod (StFX) - 2G, 2A in 7gp (Langenthal)
• Joelle Fiala (UBC) - 1G, 3A in 5gp (Davos)
• Jessika Boulanger (Montreal) - 1G, 0A in 7gp (Langenthal)

With a few players opting to play elsewhere this season, there are certainly less former U SPORTS athletes skating in Switzerland this season. That being said, the talent level is still high in SWHL, so we'll see if they rise to the occasion on the stats sheet again this year!

The good news is that a number of European leagues start their seasons over the next couple of weeks, so we should see more updates with U SPORTS players from places like Spain, France, and Germany coming up this month as those countries get their women's leagues started. Of course, this leaves the PWHL standing on their own as they're reportedly going to begin their season in the third week of November, making them the last league to begin their season on the planet. Even Australia's AWIHL begins before them!

In any case, HBIC will likely have a full report on who is playing where for the 2025-26 season in December once all the leagues get going. It's always nice to see where some of these players land because they worked hard to get there, and HBIC is still big fans of these players! Here's hoping all these players have big seasons!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Rundown - Going Pro

Today, we'll take some time to look at another aspect of women's university hockey that a lot of people seem to ignore: what happens after these players graduate? As we know, they have degrees and can go off and work in those chosen fields, but a lot of women want to keep playing hockey as the competitive fires continue to burn. Where can they do that? Who might be looking for talented hockey players to improve their standing in their respective leagues and capture a championship? Today's all about who's playing where (and how you can watch them) on The Rundown!

I spent some time scouring all the leagues I could find as I was looking at all the former U SPORTS players who are off playing professionally at some level across the planet. Some leagues have many while other leagues do not, but the coolest part for me is being able to see how many women are still pursuing their dreams while, in some cases, travelling to amazing places to play hockey. I won't lie when I say I'm envious of some of these players based on where they call home for this season, but that's the benefit of being an outstanding player whose talents are coveted.

Let's get into these leagues as I'll start with the leagues who have the most former U SPORTS players and work down to the leagues with very few players. What should be noted is that the schools who once had these women playing for them have done very little to draw attention to the success they're having after left those respective campuses, so I'll once again fill that void. Without further adieu, though, let's take a look at who's playing where.

SWHL - Switzerland

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Elizabeth Lang	HC Davos	19	18	18	Calgary
Estelle Duvin	SC Bern	15	20	20	Montreal
Joelle Fiala	HC Davos	12	19	18	UBC
Courtney Kollman	HC Davos	8	23	18	MRU/CAL
Maggie Burbidge	Fribourg	11	9	17	StFX
Lea MacLeod	SC Bern	9	14	20	StFX
Lauren Dabrowski	Fribourg	7	8	17	StFX
Rosalie Begin-Cyr	Neuchatel	8	5	19	Concordia
Kaleigh Quennec	SC Bern	7	7	19	Montreal
Holly Reuther	Langenthal	6	4	16	Calgary
Jessika Boulanger	Langenthal	5	0	8	Montreal
Dominique Scheurer	ZSC Lions	0	3	15	MacEwan
Sophie Lalor	ZSC Lions	0	0	5	Saskatchewan

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	GP	University
Sandy Heim	ZSC Lions	n/a	2.31	n/a	10	MacEwan
Dayna Owen	Langenthal	n/a	4.12	n/a	9	ALB/CAL

There is an immense amount of talent that U SPORTS has produced that is currently playing in Switzerland. As it stands, all of Lang, Duvin, Burbidge, Begin-Cyr, and Reuther lead their respective teams in scoring while Lang leads the entire PostFinance SWHL in scoring. Former MacEwan Griffins netminder Sandy Heim is among the top goalies in the circuit, and former StFX X-Women defender Lauren Dabrowski is second in scoring among all defenders.

You should be watching these games as the hockey is fast, entertaining, and quite fantastic. The good news? You shouldn't have any problem doing that as every game is offered for free via Red Sport in Switzerland and online. You can watch games on Red Sport's website or via the PostFinance SWHL site.

There are lower Swiss leagues that players can be moved to and from, and it should be noted that Sophie Lalor started with EHC Brandis in the SWHL-B league where she simply scored 25 goals and ten assists in ten games. As it stands, she's still 18 points ahead of the next closest scorer after being called up to Zurich, so Lalor was absolutely dominating that league before Zurich called.

Jessika Boulanger started with Lausanne HC in the SWHL-B where she had four goals and four assists in three games before moving up to SC Langenthal whereas Dayna Owen started the season with SC Rapperswil-Jona where she sports a 2.00 GAA in three games only to get bumped up to SC Langenthal where she's been serving mostly as a backup netminder. Life as a hockey player in the Swiss league means there could be player movement!

EWHL - Central Europe

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Hannah Tait	SKN Sabres	17	18	18	Guelph
Cassidy Maplethorpe	Almaty	18	14	16	BRK/ALB
Lauren Nicholson	Almaty	11	14	13	TMU
Breanne Trotter	Almaty	6	10	17	Mount Royal
Olivia Atkinson	Budapest	5	7	12	McG/CON
Rylee Davison	SKN Sabres	4	7	18	Guelph
Emma McKnight	SKN Sabres	6	4	7	Queen's
Roxanne Rioux	Almaty	5	4	17	Ottawa
Mariah Hinds	Almaty	3	6	8	TMU
Marie-Camille Theoret	Neuberg	4	4	6	Bishop's
Alex Gowie	Neuberg	4	4	10	CAL/ALB
Katherine Birkby	Budapest	3	3	12	Ottawa
Justine Larkin	Karnten	0	4	15	Carleton

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	GP	University
Rachel Seeley	Almaty	n/a	0.99	.963	9	TMU

We're got ourselves a good, old-fashioned OUA scoring race as former Guelph Gryphons forward Hannah Tait leads the EWHL in scoring while former Brock Badgers and Alberta Pandas forward Cassidy Maplethorpe sits three points back. There are a lot more OUA players skating in the EWHL than anywhere else, the Kazakhstan-based Aisulu Almaty has a lot of U SPORTS players, and it seems everyone is doing their parts for their respective teams while Rachel Seeley is the lone former U SPORTS goalie in the league. Her stats, however, may have other teams looking for Canadian talent!

The EWHL doesn't livestream every game, so it's harder to follow one specific team with the lack of streams they offer. That being said, they do have livestreams of their games linked on the EWHL website at times, and I often watch games on OnHockey.tv. There are some teams who stream through YouTube - EVB Eagles South Tyrol, SportFanAustria, and Women's Hockey as examples - but there doesn't seem to be one specific place to get all the games.

SDHL - Sweden

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jaycee Magwood	Lulea	4	11	24	Regina
Erica Rieder	Lulea	4	10	24	Manitoba
Emma Bergesen	SDE	2	10	21	Mount Royal
Lillian George	Leksand	2	3	21	UNB
Isabella Pozzi	Skelleftea	1	1	14	Saskatchewan
Sarah Bujold	Lulea	0	1	2	StFX
Audrey-Anne Veillette	HV71	0	1	1	Montreal
Mathea Fischer	SDE	0	0	0	UBC

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Camryn Drever	Skelleftea	5-8-0	2.20	.929	Saskatchewan

In a league considered to be the second-best professional women's league based on the number of Olympians and high-level players on the rosters, it's encouraging to see three former Canada West players doing well. Magwood, Rieder, and Bujold play for the league's best team while Bergesen has been a bright spot for a struggling SDE team. George is doing all she can in Leksand where that team is almost mathematically eliminated from the playoffs already, and Veillette joined HV71 who are battling Pozzi and Drever's Skelleftea team for the eighth-place spot in the standings. The weird one is Mathea Fischer who hasn't played yet this season despite her being listed on SDE's roster, and there seems to be no information as to why she's not on the ice for the Swedish club.

Almost all of the SDHL's games are behind paywalls despite them having a pile of players that fans want to see, but you can find games on OnHockey.tv at times. The SDHL schedule is here, so keep an eye on the offerings on the OnHockey.tv site to see some of these games!

DFEL - Germany

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Lindsey Donovan	HK Budapest	2	6	11	StFX
Lore Baudrit	ERC Ingolstadt	3	4	12	Montreal
Alix Yallowega	ERC Ingolstadt	2	1	12	Dalhousie
Dana Wood	EC Bergkamen Baren	1	2	11	Calgary
Isadora Quirion	Eisbaren Juniors Berlin	1	2	13	Moncton
Cassandra Call	Eisbaren Juniors Berlin	1	0	13	Moncton
Annalise Meier	EC Bergkamen Baren	0	1	11	Calgary

Germany is playing host to a number of former U SPORTS players as the AUS and the University of Calgary are well-represented. Lindsey Donovan is helping Budapest in the standings in their first season in the DFEL while Lore Baudrit has played all over the world since leaving France for the University of Montreal so her experience is paying off. Yallowega, Wood, Quirion, Call, and Meier are all finding their way through a very competitive DFEL for four teams. The major exception is Bergkamen where they've scored just seven goals in eleven games thus far while sitting with an 0-10-0-1 record.

The schedule for the DFEL can be found here, and it seems they have their games on the German version of Red+. It appears one may have to pay on this version of Red+, so I'm not signing up for the service. In saying that, I've never seen the DFEL on the OnHockey.tv site, but I'm going to start looking a little more for it moving forward.

NDHL - Sweden

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Alli Borrow	Farjestad BK	14	16	11	LET/CAL
Hunter Mosher	Sodertalje SK	11	12	12	Nipissing
Kara Kondrat	Team Uppsala HC	3	3	5	Saskatchewan
Adela Juzkova	Farjestad BK	1	5	11	Regina
Olivia Hilton	Rogle BK	1	2	11	Toronto
Maddie Nicholson	Team Uppsala HC	1	1	6	Brock

We head back to Sweden where the Division-1 Swedish league known as the NDHL features a handful of U SPORTS players. Alli Borrow, who seems to be scoring at will, is actually fourth in league scoring while Mosher is second on her team in scoring. Kondrat has only played a handful of games for some reason, Juzkova has become more of a defensive defender, Hilton always was a solid defensive defender, and Nicholson was moved up from Division-2 Sollentuna to join Uppsala. Perhaps that's possibly to fill in for Kondrat if she's injured?

Like the SDHL, finding places to watch these games without logins or payments seems to be a tougher ask than to find out where players are playing, so I'm going to throw it back to the OnHockey.tv site as I've watched a handful of games there. Honestly, the schedule isn't easy to follow either, so do your best when looking for NDHL games.

PWHL - North America

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jade Downie-Landry	New York	1	1	4	McGill
Rylind MacKinnon	Toronto	0	2	5	UBC
Emmy Fecteau	New York	1	0	4	Concordia
Catherine Dubois	Montreal	0	1	3	Montreal
Kaitlyn Willoughby	Toronto	0	0	5	Saskatchewan
Alexandra Labelle	Montreal	0	0	4	Montreal

The U SPORTS numbers in the PWHL should concern Hockey Canada who apparently are going to try to help U SPORTS develop more athletes at a high level, but the six players skating on three teams have certainly carved out impressive university careers. While the PWHL hasn't played very many games this season to this point, it should be noted that there's also a pile of former U SPORTS talent working behind the benches and in front offices in the PWHL.

As you're likely aware, the PWHL signed Canadian national broadcast partnerships with TSN, CBC, and Prime Video while exclusive French-language coverage will be provided by RDS and Radio-Canada for all 30 Montréal Victoire games. The schedule of all of these broadcasts can be found here. Depending on where you live and what you have available in your cable package, Boston can be seen on NESN, New York can be seen on MSG Networks, and Minnesota has a deal with FanDuel Sports Network. Or, if you want a one-stop shop, the OnHockey.tv site carries all the broadcasts as well.

IHLW - Italy

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Olivia De Ciantis	AHC Eurospar Lakers	4	12	12	York

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Gabriella Durante	Real Torino	n/a	1.40	.964	Calgary

De Ciantis is playing a big role in helping AHC Eurostar get out to a 9-4-0-0 record and first-place in the IHLW. While former McGill head coach Kayla Tutino had announced her retirement from professional hockey in 2018, she's back and leading AHC Eurostar in scoring while De Ciantis is third in team scoring and tied for third-overall in assists.

Gabriella Durante has also played a major role in Torino's climb up the standings to a 5-5-1-0 record and fifth-place out of eight teams. Her GAA is third among goalies with six-or-more games played, and her save percentage is tops among goalies with six-or-more games played. In short, she's been a key part of Torino's success!

The IHLW schedule is here, but it seems they have no broadcast partners who are showing games. The few times I've been able to catch a game were on the OnHockey.tv site, so you may be best to check there if you want to watch either Olivia or Gabriella play.

Auroraliiga - Finland

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Emma Hall‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	KalPa (Kalevan Pallo)	4	3	13	UBC

Emma Hall is the lone U SPORTS skater in Finland's top league, and she has helped KalPa to a 7-13-2-3 record. KalPa's had an up-and-down season so far where they win one and lose two, but they just don't seem to have consistent scoring.

If you want to watch Auroraliiga games, you have to pay for Leijonat TV. I just watch streams on the OnHockey.tv site. Save your cash.

Naisten Suomi-Sarja - Finland

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Miressa Makela‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎HIFK Challenger‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	3	2	2	Manitoba

Regarded as Finland's Division-II level of hockey, Miressa was injured in her only season of play with Manitoba before heading back home. She did take some time off, but it looks like she's back on the ice with HIFK's team in Finland's lower division. Two games isn't a lot of history, but those five points shows why Manitoba wanted to see what she could do as a player in Canada West.

This league is not being broadcasted anywhere. I couldn't even find a proper schedule, so these games will be tough to find.

Women's Extraliga - Czechia

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Martina Maskova	HC Banik Pribram	2	6	3	Regina

Maskova never really found her game in southern Saskatchewan, but she went home and joined a Pribram team that's been pretty solid over the years including a 12-0-0-0 run this season to begin Extraliga play. While she's certainly not the top scorer just three games into her season, Pribram does have the top six scorers in the league and seven in the top-ten scoring list. Needless to say, Maskova has a pretty nice setup going back in Czechia.

Not surprisingly, there aren't many broadcast options for the Women's Extraliga. That might be ok, though, as the league is on a break until January 25, 2025. In any case, there's a login and cost on the Czech Ice Hockey TV site. I have yet to see the games shown on the site, but the OnHockey.tv site might be your best bet.

WCIHL - China

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Danielle Fox‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎KRS Shenzhen ‎ ‎ ‎	12	15	24	TMU

Don't expect much information on this league. Danielle Fox is part of the Shenzhen team which seems to be stacked with North American talent every year, and Shenzhen usually wins the WCIHL every season. Take nothing away from what Danielle is doing there, though, as 27 points in 24 games is nothing to shrug off.

Because it's China, there are no TV feeds nor is there even a schedule of games that I can find without learning Mandarin.

FFHG Féminin Élite - France

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Emmanuelle Passard	Jets d’Evry-Viry	34	32	7	Montreal

No, I didn't miss a number in the games played number above. Emmanuelle Passard really does have 66 points in seven games. She leads the Jets in points, and they currently have 113 goals-for and only eight goals-against. I'm not saying that the Jets are the favorite in the FFHG Women's Elite league, but they do have seven players in the top-ten scorers in jumping out to a 7-0-0 record.

The schedule for the French women's league is here, but their YouTube channel seems filled with only men's hockey. That being said, you can try your luck with the OnHockey.tv site, but French women's hockey may be tougher to find.

In total, there are 64 former U SPORTS players shown above playing in twelve professional leagues across the globe, representing 35 professional teams and 26 U SPORTS programs. If that's not an impressive number to you, I'm not sure what else I can say to convince you that U SPORTS women's hockey has a pile of talent in it. My hope is that Hockey Canada would notice this, but I'm very aware that they don't read this blog.

Every Canada West team except Trinity Western has at least two players playing professionally this season, and I'm pretty sure they could have had one had Neisha Germann gone back to Neuberg in the EWHL as she did last season. Calgary leads the way with nine players who wore Dinos colours, but they do share three of those players with other teams as Courtney Kollman suited up for Mount Royal and both Dayna Owen and Alex Gowie were Pandas. Saskatchewan has five players playing pro, UBC has four, all of Regina, Mount Royal, and Alberta can claim three, and both Manitoba and MacEwan have two players in the professional ranks. In total, 27 former Canada West players are skating professionally.

Potentially, there could be a lot more playing as well, but circumstances change. As mentioned, Neisha Germann didn't go back to the EWHL, all of Anna Purschke, Tatum Amy, and Autumn MacDougall aren't in the SDHL any longer, Alex Poznikoff retired from the PWHL, and Bailee Bourassa is following her nursing career rather than playing another season in the SDHL. Danielle Stone's situation in the SDHL changed last year, Lilla Carpenter-Boesch moved on from the SWHL, and Jordan Kulbida left the EWHL behind.

As you can see, the talent coming out of Canada West and the other three conferences is considerable, and these players need to be recognized for what they're doing now and what they did at their schools while attending those campuses. Once again, The Rundown is proud to post this kind of information and recognize these women for all that they've accomplished, and I hope that you'll watch them play with their new teams just as did when they were playing for the U SPORTS team(s) you follow.

The Last Word

This was a long entry that took a lot of time to compile and write, so I hope you enjoyed the look at all the players professionally. These women still are, in this writer's view, some of the best to have ever played the game at any level, and I wish them all the best this season and beyond, even if that beyond takes them away from the game.

For all players, coaches, staff, fans, parents, and former players who make this game so good, I hope everyone has a very merry holiday season, that health and happiness find you in whatever form you desire, and that everyone is surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones during this season. It's the most wonderful time of year, and then we get the rush of playoff races before the big dance starts!

Happy holidays, everyone! All the best to you and yours!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Pro Scoring Totals

As the PWHL continues to forge a path forward, we shouldn't forget that there are other U SPORTS players who are playing in other leagues across the planet. While the numbers vary from a handful of players to single players, focusing on one league as being the only place to play does a disservice to those who are making waves in those other professional leagues. Today, I'll spend a little time digging through scoring totals for players with U SPORTS roots who are showing those scoring talents in other countries. The players who aren't playing in the PWHL is impressive based on accomplishments, so let's give them some credit by recognizing their efforts too!

We'll start over in the SDHL where there are a handful of players who are showing their skills in a number of Swedish cities. These players are probably familiar to you, so let's see who's doing what over in Sweden!

• Jaycee Magwood (Luleå) - 10G, 15A in 21 games.
• Mathea Fischer (SDE) - 9G, 16A in 24 games.
• Shae Demale (SDE) - 15G, 4A in 24 games.
• Anna Purschke (Leksands) - 8G, 6A in 21 games.
• Lauren Dabrowski (SDE) - 5G, 8A in 24 games.
• Lore Baudrit (Leksands) - 3G, 6A in 25 games.
• Autumn Macdougall (Leksands) - 3G, 5A in 23 games.
• Tatum Amy (Leksands) - 6G, 1A in 25 games.


• Kate Stewart (SDE) - 3-5-2, 3.13 GAA, .880 sv% in 10 games.

Former Regina Cougars forward Jaycee Magwood is having a very solid season with the SDHL-leading Luleå squad as she's brought her net-front presence, rocket of a shot, and her ability to drive plays to an already-formidable team. Former UBC Thunderbirds forward Mathea Fischer has also found her scoring touch with SDE in being one of the league's better playmakers, and former Saint Mary's Huskies forward Shae Demale has continued filling the net in Sweden for SDE as she did in Canadian university hockey. Demale is currently tied for third in overall goal scoring with Michelle Karvinen, and she's just two goals back of MoDo's Lina Ljungblom for the overall lead.

Former Mount Royal Cougars forward Anna Purschke exploded for goals over the Christmas break to push her up the scoring ranks despite Leksands' struggles. Lauren Dabrowski is showing why she was a threat from the blue line with the StFX X-Women as she's been quarterbacking their team at times. Former Montreal Carabins forward Lore Baudrit continues to play solid two-way hockey, former Alberta Pandas forward Autumn MacDougall is finding more offensive chances, and former Mount Royal Cougars forward Tatum Amy continues to score goals like she did in Canada for the Leksands squad. Former UBC Thunderbirds netminder Kate Stuart hasn't played often, but she's been solid when called upon by SDE.

We'll jump to the next league that has a number of U SPORTS players who joined, and that's the EWHL which has teams all over Europe. Whether it be Austria, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Germany or Czechia, the EWHL has teams in all five of those countries. Here are the former U SPORTS players who are putting on a show in those countries!

• Lauren Nicholson (Aisulu) - 11G, 9A in 17 games.
• Lindsay Donovan (KMH) - 2G, 12A in 12 games.
• Alex Gowie (Sabres) - 10G, 2A in 14 games.
• Olivia Atkinson (MAC) - 6G, 6A in 14 games.
• Kassandra Roache (MAC) - 4G, 8A in 14 games.
• Neisha Germann (Neuberg) - 5G, 6A in 16 games.
• Jordan Kulbida (BJA) - 7G, 3A in 14 games.
• Lauren Steele (Sabres) - 2G, 4A in 14 games.
• Jordyn Burgar (Neuberg) - 3G, 1A in 16 games.
• Sophie Vandale (MAC) - 2G, 2A in 13 games.


• Rachel Seeley (Aisulu) - 2.30 GAA, .919 sv% in 18 games.

Former TMU Bold forward Lauren Nicholson is leading all U SPORTS players in scoring in the EWHL with third-place Aisulu Almaty. Former StFX X-Women defender Lindsay Donovan is showing off her scoring talents with second-place Hokiklub Budapest who are undefeated so far, going 12-0-0 this season. Former Calgary Dinos and Alberta Pandas forward Alex Gowie has played in the EWHL before, and she's filling the nets for SKN Sabres St. Pölten as she sits tied for fourth-overall in goals in the EWHL. Former McGill Martlets forward Olivia Anderson and former Toronto Varsity Blues forward Kassie Roache are having good seasons for sixth-place MAC Budapest.

Former Trinity Western Spartans forward Neisha Germann is having a good campaign for a weaker KSV Neuberg Highlanders team while former Regina Cougars forward Jordan Kulbida is burying pucks for a weaker Budapest Jegkorong Akademia squad. Former Mount Allison Mounties forward Lauren Steele has shown flashes of brilliance with SKN Sabres St. Pölten, former Calgary Dinos forward Jordyn Burgar is settling into life in Germany with KSV Neuberg Highlanders, and former PEI Panthers defender Sophie Vandale has brought her defence-first style of play to MAC Budapest. Former TMU Bold netminder Rachel Seeley is having a very good campaign with Aisulu Almaty in Kazakhstan where she's the starter.

Sweden seems to be a good landing spot for a lot of players, though, as the Division 1 teams - the league below the SDHL - also has a pile of U SPORTS players skating for teams. Let's take a look at who is skating for whom and how their seasons are going!

• Alli Borrow (Färjestad) - 16G, 20A in 13 games.
• Ashley McCabe (Falu) - 12G, 18A in 14 games.
• Siobhan Birch (Malmö) - 15G, 13A in 18 games.
• Hunter Mosher (Södertälje) - 15G, 11A in 11 games.
• Ellen Laurence (Södertälje) - 16G, 9A in 11 games.
• Mary McDonald (Södertälje) - 10G, 10A in 11 games.
• Alexa McMillan (Färjestad) - 0G, 12A in 10 games.
• Emma Hall (Björklöven) - 8G, 3A in 10 games.
• Keagan Goulet (Falu) - 2G, 7A in 7 games.
• Alex Anderson (Färjestad) - 1G, 8A in 10 games.
• Madeline Stanley (Falu) - 3G, 4A in 8 games.


• Julianna Thomson (Karlskrona) - 1-14-1, 4.88 GAA, .890 sv%.

Without a doubt, Färjestad has to be the favorite to move up to the SDHL next season as they currently are 12-0-2-0 on the season, and former Calgary Dinos forward Alli Borrow is a big part of that. Former Saint Mary's Huskies defender Alexa McMillan and Manitoba Bisons defender Alex Anderson are a large reason why Färjestad is currently +157 in goal differential through 12 games! The Malmö RedHawks are 15-3-0-0 with former Saint Mary's Huskies forward Siobhan Birch helping their cause. Södertälje is a perfect 12-0-0-0 so far this season with former Nipissing Lakers forward Hunter Mosher and a pair of former Saint Mary's Huskies in Ellen Laurence and Mary McDonald all pacing their success. All of Färjestad, Malmö, and Södertälje lead their respective divisions to this point.

Falu sits in third-place behind Färjestad, but they're getting good contributions from former Lethbridge Pronghorns forward Ashley McCabe and former Calgary Dinos Keagan Goulet and Madeline Stanley. Former UBC Thunderbirds forward Emma Hall has helped Björklöven with her strong two-way play to a second-place standing behind Skellefteå AIK in their division. Unforunately for former York Lions goaltender Julianna Thomson, Karlskrona has had the roof caved in a number of times on them, and her stats have paid the price as they've scored just 18 goals in 18 games this season as they sit 40 points back of first-place Malmö in their division.

Another solid European league that may get forgotten is the PostFinance Swiss Women's National League that features teams all over Switzerland. Not surprisingly, those teams also boast a few U SPORTS players who have made the jump from the Canadian landscape to living in the Alps! Let's see who is playing some hockey in Switzerland!

• Lilla Carpenter-Boesch (Neuchâtel) - 8G, 4A in 13 games.
• Holly Reuther (Langenthal) - 7G, 2A in 19 games.
• Dominique Scheurer (ZSC) - 1G, 6A in 16 games.***


• Sandy Heim (ZSC) - 1.00 in 18 games.***

Lilla Carpenter-Boesch finished up her career with the Regina Cougars as one of the more lethal goal scorers in Canada West, and it seems she's becoming the same player in the Swiss League! Holly Reuther was another clutch forward with the Calgary Dinos, and she's showing her abolity to find twine in Switzerland as well. The only problem is that Neuchâtel Hockey Academy sits in fifth-place while SC Langenthal Damen is in eighth-place out of eight teams. Nonetheless, both Carpenter-Boesch and Reuther are having excellent seasons.

I asterisked the last two names on the list because they technically didn't play for a U SPORTS school despite the school currently being part of U SPORTS. Both Scheurer and Heim were part of the ACAC MacEwan Griffins who helped the team achieve their goal of joining Canada West, so I felt it was important to include them in the list. Scheurer and Heim are Swiss-born players, and they're helping the ZSC Lions Frauen push for top spot in the Swiss League. Currently, ZSC is 16-3-0-0 on the season, and they sit one point back of SC Bern for the league's top spot. Heim, it should be noted, is also the league's top netminder by goals-against-average as well. Needless to say, Scheurer and Heim are having a solid impact for the Zurich Lions.

If there's one league you certainly won't find many U SPORTS players in, it's the Zhenskaya Hockey League in Russia. With Russia virtually being cut off from the hockey world by the IIHF, virtually any and all players not of Russian descent left the league. There is one player, however, who is playing in the league that had an incredible run in U SPORTS, so here's that player's season so far.

Former Calgary Dinos forward Alexandra "Sasha" Vafina is still playing in Russia after returning home to the country due to being homesick following the 2016-17 Canada West season. She's found a home with Dynamo-Neva St. Petersburg where she has six goals and nine assists in 30 games this season, but those totals are far off her point-per-game totals since arriving in 2021. Nonetheless, Vafina was always a solid defensive forward while being an exceptional offensive force, and I suspect we'll see her numbers start to trend upward.

Of course, China is still trying to keep its international hopes alive, and they have their own league as the WCIHL is playing. The hard part about this league is that the details online are few and far between. However, there are two players who are suiting up regularly for HC Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star that skated for U SPORTS teams, but details of their scoring talents are seemingly impossible to find.

That being said, former Saint Mary's Huskies defender Kiana Wilkinson and former TMU-Bold-for-one-season forward Danielle Fox are both pushing HC Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star to new heights while helping their Chinese teammates acquire more skills so they can make a bigger impact on the international stage. Again, I can't tell how their season is going statistically, but every update I've seen has Shenzhen on the winning side of the scoreboard. Things seem to be going well.

While the lack of U SPORTS players in the PWHL is a still a cause for concern about the level of play seen in U SPORTS, it shouldn't be the only level of play we can use to judge how well the Canadian university league is doing in its efforts. As shown above, there are women not only playing in leagues across the world, but they're thriving and having a ton of success in those leagues. Because we don't get to see them play often or at all, we're apt to forget that a lot of programs across Canada are developing some incredible talent!

With U SPORTS hockey starting up again this weekend, get down to your local university rink and cheer on the women or watch from the comfort of home with the streaming feeds offered by each conference. After all, one of the women playing this weekend for your local U SPORTS team might be playing in one of the above leagues next season, and you can say you saw her play before she hit the big leagues!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!