Knight, Coyne Schofield lead mix of experience, youth on US women world hockey championship roster

The United States is bringing a mix of familiar faces — starting with Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield — and youth to the women’s world hockey championship tournament in the Czech Republic next month.

Defenseman Lee Stecklein, a three-time Olympian who took the past year off to focus on her PWHL career, is back on the 25-player roster released by USA Hockey on Wednesday. And so is forward Jesse Compher, who was left off the past two world championship teams.

The 35-year-old Knight will be making her 15th world championship appearance. The four-time Olympian holds the tournament record with 65 goals, 111 points and 14 medals.

As for youth, the major transition the team’s undergone during John Wroblewski’s three years as coach is most evident in goal.

Led by returning starter Aerin Frankel, the goaltending trio is rounded out by 24-year-old Gwyneth Philips and University of Wisconsin sophomore Ava McNaughton. Philips and McNaughton fill the spots previously held by two-time Olympic goalies Nicole Hensley and Maddie Rooney.

Nine players are 23 or younger, with 19-year-old Ohio State sophomore Joy Dunne the youngest.

Meanwhile, PWHL rookie defenseman Anna Wilgren will make her national team debut after being among the last players cut from the 2022 Olympic roster.

“The depth of our player pool never makes these decisions easy,” U.S. women’s national team director Katie Million said. “But we’re excited to shift our focus on bringing a gold home.”

The 12-day, 10-nation tournament opens April 9 at Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, and represents the final major international tune-up before the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.

As in the past, the U.S. and Canada are regarded as favorites in continuing a long-standing fierce cross-border rivalry. Canada has won 13 world titles followed by the U.S. with 10 spanning the previous 23 tournaments.

Canada is the defending champion after a thrilling 6-5 overtime win over the U.S. in last year’s tournament held in Utica, New York. The Americans won in 2023, beating host Canada at the worlds held outside of Toronto.

Canada edged the U.S. in winning three of five meetings in the pre-world Rivalry Series that closed last month.

The second-year PWHL is well represented with 16 players making up the U.S. team.

Forward Grace Zumwinkle, the PWHL’s rookie of the year last season, reclaimed her national team roster spot after not making the team last year.

The remainder of the roster features college players, including Wisconsin junior Laila Edwards, who leads the NCAA with 30 goals and ranks second with 64 points. The 21-year-old Edwards made a huge splash in her world championship debut last year by scoring six goals and two assists in being selected the tournament MVP.

One notable player not selected to the roster is forward Hannah Bilka, who has been sidelined by an injury sustained in the Rivalry Series last month.

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AP Women’s Hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey