Women's Hockey Connections To The Men's World Juniors

The World Junior Championship is underway in Ottawa, with the brightest stars in men's hockey in attendance. The tournament however, has many women's hockey connections. Not only were players including Aneta Tejralova and Katerina Mrazova, members of the PWHL's Ottawa Charge in the stands for the opening game of the tournament for Czechia, but there were many on-ice connections as well.

Beginning with the ice itself, many of the games are being played on the home ice of the PWHL's Ottawa Charge at TD Place Arena. The rink was also home to the first ever women's World Championship in 1990.

Looking at the players on the ice, Czechia's Rozalie Sale (2010) is one of the top young Czech prospects who will continue to carry her nation forward in the women's hockey world. Erlier in the month the forward, who plays for WHC Valkyries Brno in Czechia's second women's league, led Czechia's U-16 team to a title at the Visegrad Four Olympic Hopes Tournament. Sale's brother, Eduard, was a first round pick, 20th overall of the Seattle Kraken in 2023, and is captaining Czechia at the World Juniors. This season he's playing in the AHL with the Coachella Valley Firebirds putting together a strong season with 13 points in 23 games.

Another young European hockey star with a sibling in the tournament is Ebba Hedqvist, who captained Sweden's team at the 2024 U-18 World Championships, and is in her third season as a member of Sweden's senior national team. The 18-year-old plays for MoDo in the SDHL and is part of a wave of young talent in Sweden lifting their nation into the conversation as one of the best in the world. Her brother Isac, cracked Sweden's World Junior roster after a strong start with Lulea in the SHL.

Moving to the North American teams, Canada and USA both have multiple women's hockey connections to the tournament. With Canada, Concordia University Wisconsin standout Brooke Gibson, who currently leads all NCAA DIII players in scoring with 22 points in 13 games, is watching her brother Andrew Gibson patrol Canada's blueline. Andrew Gibson, a 6-foot-4 blueliner for the OHL's Soo Greyhounds, was a second round pick, 42nd overall by the Detroit Red Wings before being acquired by the Nashville Predators. Hailing from LaSalle, Ontario just outside Windsor, where Brooke Gibson played her junior hockey for the Southwest Wildcats, the Gibson's are both having spectacular seasons.

Perhaps there are no names on the Canadian men's roster drawing more attention than future NHL stars Gavin McKenna and Porter Martone. Representing Team Yukon at the Canada Winter Games and Arctic Games, Whitehorse product Kasey McKenna, is a 2010 born prospect who we could be seeing more of soon. Across the country in Ontario, 2009 born Audrey Martone is playing for the Durham West Lightning U-18 AA team. She's played a handful of games in the OWHL.

From the USA, Liliane Perreault is in her second season of pro hockey in Sweden after completing her NCAA career at Mercyhurst. Perreault, who is playing for SDE this season in the SDHL, appeared in the 2023 PWHL preseason and signed as a reserve with PWHL Montreal to close out last season. Her brother Gabe was a first round pick of the New York Rangers and is playing on USA's World Junior roster for the second time. Gabe is in his second season at Boston College. Finally with USA, Emma Hagens who plays for Portledge School, and Team Long Island has a brother, James Hagens who also plays for Boston College, and is the likely first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

While it's a men's hockey tournament, there are plenty of familial connections to watch on the women's hockey side of the World Juniors