PWHL Players at the 2025 Worlds: Two Games In

Hey PWHL fans! With every country now having played at least two games at Worlds, I figured it was time for a (not-so) little update on how all your favorite players are doing. To avoid repeating myself too much, I’ve reorganized the list from my pre-tournament guide so players are listed by country and then by team. All stats and lineup positions are per the IIHF’s game centers.

Note: Finland and Czechia have each played three games, but to keep things consistent, only the first two games were factored into each player’s stats.

Canada

To the surprise of no one, Canada is off to another great start at Worlds. They’re 2-0, and both games were shutouts. They beat Finland 5-0 before downing Switzerland 4-0 the following day. The next test is the big one though, as they face the United States this afternoon.

Minnesota Frost

• Sophie Jaques (D)
• Claire Thompson (D)

Sophie Jaques was scratched for the tournament opener against Finland but joined Canada’s third pairing for the game against Switzerland, firing a shot on goal in 10:33. Meanwhile, Claire Thompson played on the second pairing against Finland, logging 16:43 while taking a penalty, before getting scratched against Switzerland.

Montréal Victoire

• Jennifer Gardiner (F)
• Kristin O’Neill (F)
• Marie-Philip Poulin (F)
• Laura Stacey (F)
• Erin Ambrose (D)
• Ann-Renée Desbiens (G)

Guess what? Poulin is terrorizing opponents at an international tournament. I know that’s shocking to hear. She leads the tournament with five points (1G, 4A) as the center of an all-Montréal top line featuring Gardiner (2G, 1A) and Stacey (1G, 2A). They’ve been straight nightmare fuel for opponents and that’s expected to continue all tournament.

As for the others, O’Neill has two shots on goal while playing 20:08 total. She started as the 13th forward in the tournament opener before moving up to the fourth line against Switzerland. Meanwhile, Ambrose has five shots in 39:36 as a member of the second blueline pairing. Finally, Desbiens saw her first game action since March 18, posting a shutout against Finland after turning aside 17 shots.

New York Sirens

• Sarah Fillier (F)
• Ella Shelton (D)
• Micah Zandee-Hart (D)

Fillier has been playing on Canada’s second line and has an assist against Switzerland to show for it. Meanwhile, Shelton has been an anchor on Canada’s top pairing, tallying a goal and an assist against Finland while logging 41:14 across both games. Last but not least, Zandee-Hart is Canada’s seventh defender, but that hasn’t stopped her from making an impact. She tallied an assist against Finland before scoring against Switzerland while logging 22:06 total TOI.

Ottawa Charge

• Emily Clark (F)
• Brianne Jenner (F)
• Danielle Serdachny (F)
• Jocelyne Larocque (D)

Clark and Jenner have been Canada’s third-line wing pairing this tournament. Jenner notched an assist against Finland, while Clark has been held to just two shots in 29:30 of ice time, which is 4:35 more than Jenner.

As for Serdachny, she started the tournament as the fourth-line center before swapping places with O’Neill and becoming the 13th forward against Switzerland. She has one shot in 19:32 TOI. Finally, Jocelyne Larocque has been on Canada’s third pairing, mentoring two young defenders in Jaques and Primerano, an 18-year-old NCAA player. The longtime national team stalwart is still seeing big minutes though, logging 37:36 through two games.

Toronto Sceptres

• Emma Maltais (F)
• Sarah Nurse (F)
• Natalie Spooner (F)
• Blayre Turnbull (F)
• Daryl Watts (F)
• Renata Fast (D)
• Kristen Campbell (G)

Nurse and Watts have been playing on the second line together. Both got on the board against Switzerland, although on different goals. Watts scored her first senior Worlds goal off a Fillier feed, while Nurse picked up a secondary assist on Spooner’s goal. Speaking of Spooner, she’s been on the fourth line along with Maltais, who scored against Finland.

Turnbull has been the third-line center this tournament, logging 28:45 while taking one penalty. On the back end, Fast has been in her usual top-pairing spot, picking up an assist in each game while heading to the box once against Switzerland. Finally, after being the third goaltender for several tournaments, Campbell made her first senior Worlds start against Finland, turning aside all 24 shots for the shutout win.

Czechia

Czechia got off to a hot start in this tournament, shutting out Switzerland 3-0 in the opener. However, things haven’t quite gone to plan since, as they came out flat in their 4-0 loss to Team USA. That score would’ve been much more lopsided had it not been for 19-year-old goaltender Michaela Hesová’s brilliance in her senior Worlds debut.

Boston Fleet

• Daniela Pejšová (D)
• Klára Peslarová (G)

Pejšová has been on Czechia’s second pairing this tournament, logging 35:10 while struggling to stay within the legal limits of IIHF contact, resulting in three illegal hit penalties. As for Peslarová, she turned aside all 26 shots to shutout Switzerland in the tournament opener before getting the second game off in anticipation of playing Finland the following day. There were some questions about how she would look after seeing just 40 minutes of PWHL action all year, but it’s safe to say she’s dispelled those concerns.

Minnesota Frost

• Klára Hymlárová (F)
• Denisa Křížová (F)

Hymlárová and Křížová started off together on Czechia’s second line, with Hymlárová scoring a goal to show for it. Křížová then moved down the third line against Team USA and in total, she’s fired three shots on goal in 32:57 TOI.

Montréal Victoire

• Dominika Lásková (D)

Lásková has been on Czechia’s third pairing in both games this tournament after playing just three PWHL games this season due to injury. She’s still seeing big minutes despite that, spending 41:52 on the ice through two games.

Ottawa Charge

• Kateřina Mrázová (F)
• Tereza Vanišová (F)
• Aneta Tejralová (D)

Mrázová tallied an assist in 16:52 on the top line against Switzerland. She then sat out of the matchup with Team USA to ensure she was ready to go against Finland the following day. As for Vanišová, she started the tournament on the second line before taking Mrázová’s spot in Game 2, logging 33:00 total. Last but not least, Tejralová anchored the top defensive pairing in both games, logging 38:54 while taking a penalty against Switzerland.

Toronto Sceptres

• Noemi Neubauerová (F)

Neubauerová was on Czechia’s third line for the first two games, logging 31:36 while taking two penalties.

Finland

Finland was dealt a brutal hand to start this tournament, playing the U.S. and Canada back to back. It did not go well, as they lost 7-1 to Team USA before getting shutout by Canada 5-0.

Boston Fleet

• Susanna Tapani (F)

Tapani has been centering Finland’s top line, logging 39:49 total while otherwise staying off the scoresheet aside from one shot against the Americans.

New York Sirens

• Noora Tulus (F)

Tulus is Finland’s second line center this tournament, firing five shots on goal in 30:50 TOI while taking one penalty against Canada.

Ottawa Charge

• Ronja Savolainen (D)

Savolainen has been on Finland’s second defensive pairing, where she’s logged 44:19 while landing four shots on goal.

Germany

Germany has seen mixed results to start their 2025 tournament. They fell to Sweden 5-2 in a rematch of last year’s placement game, which will hurt them for the knockout round seeding. However, they followed it up with a needed 5-2 win over Norway, so they should still be in position for a top-two Group B seed. 

Montréal Victoire

• Sandra Abstreiter (G)

Abstreiter has started both games for Germany, allowing six goals on 54 shots for a 0.889 SV% and 3.03 GAA.

Toronto Sceptres

• Laura Kluge (F)

Germany’s lone PWHL skater, Kluge has centered their top line in both games. She tallied an assist against Sweden and took a penalty against Norway in 45:11 total TOI.

Sweden

Sweden has put themselves in a strong position through the first two games of the preliminary round. Their opening game saw them take down Germany, their biggest Group B challenger, 5-2, and then they secured a 2-0 shutout win over Hungary the following day.

Boston Fleet

• Emma Söderberg (G)

Söderberg has started both games for Sweden, allowing two goals on 43 shots for a 0.954 SV% and 1.00 GAA.

Montréal Victoire

• Lina Ljungblom (F)

Ljungblom has been on the second line this tournament, tallying one goal against Hungary while spending 35:03 on the ice through two games.

Toronto Sceptres:

• Anna Kjellbin (D)

Kjellbin is on Sweden’s top pairing, where she has logged 45:16 while scoring a goal against Germany.

Switzerland

Switzerland finds themselves in a precarious spot after falling to Czechia 3-0 in their opening game and then 4-0 to Canada. As evidenced by the scores, offense has been a problem, and it’s one they need to figure out quick if they hope to hang onto a Group A spot for next year.

Boston Fleet

• Alina Müller (F)

Switzerland’s lone PWHL representative, Müller has been the team’s top-line center. She’s fired seven shots on goal in 43:36 TOI.

United States

Just like Canada, it’s no surprise that Team USA has been rolling right along in Czechia. They walloped Finland 7-1 in their opening game before shutting out the Czechs 4-0. As always, today’s USA-Canada game will be must-see TV.

Boston Fleet

• Hilary Knight (F)
• Megan Keller (D)
• Aerin Frankel (G)

Knight has been in her usual first-line wing spot, and she has two goals (one in each game) and an assist to show for it. Keller’s also been in her usual spot as a top-pairing defender, tallying three assists against Czechia. Last but not least, Frankel started the tournament opener against Finland, saving 19 of 20 shots for a 0.950 SV% and 1.00 GAA.

Minnesota Frost

• Kendall Coyne Schofield (F)
• Britta Curl-Salemme (F)
• Taylor Heise (F)
• Kelly Pannek (F)
• Grace Zumwinkle (F)
• Lee Stecklein (D)

Coyne Schofield and Pannek have been together on the third line this tournament, where Pannek tallied two goals against Finland and an assist against Czechia. On the other hand, Coyne Schofield has been limited to three shots in 29:25. Meanwhile, Zumwinkle was the 13th forward against Finland before moving up to a second line wing spot against Czechia. She tallied an assist against Finland in just 5:52 of ice time before notching two shots on goal in 11:03 against Czechia.

As for Heise, she’s been the team’s second-line center, tallying a goal and an assist against Finland. Meanwhile, Curl-Salemme is the fourth-line center, firing five shots on goal in 25:11. Last but not least, Stecklein’s return to the international stage got off to a hot start when she skated in and scored five-hole against Finland, which is not something you see her do every day. Outside of that, she’s been a third-pairing defender, firing two shots on goal while logging 30:05 TOI.

Montréal Victoire

• Cayla Barnes (D)
• Anna Wilgren (D)

Barnes has been lined up alongside Stecklein on the team’s third defensive pair this tournament, where she’s notched an assist and four shots in 27:37. Meanwhile, Wilgren has yet to get into a game.

New York Sirens

• Alex Carpenter (F)

Carpenter remains the top-line center for Team USA, assisting on both Knight’s goals while adding one of her own against Czechia and firing six shots on goal.

Ottawa Charge

• Gwyneth Phillips (G)

Phillips made her first senior Worlds start against Czechia, where she turned aside all ten shots for the shutout win in a great confidence builder for the young netminder.

Toronto Sceptres

• Jesse Compher (F)
• Hayley Scamurra (F)
• Savannah Harmon (D)

Compher was scratched for the tournament opener against Finland before drawing in as the 13th forward against Czechia, where she was held off the scoresheet in 8:31 TOI. Scamurra, on the other hand, had a hot start to the tournament, potting two goals in the first 5:39 of their game against Finland. She’s been one of the team’s fourth-line wings, firing four shots on goal in 20:32 total time on ice. Last but not least, Harmon has been the seventh defender in both games, tallying an assist against Finland while logging a combined 26:47.