Blenheim's Abby Stonehouse has once again been invited to Team Canada's training camp next month as the team prepares to defend its gold medal at the upcoming Under-18 Women's World Hockey Championships in Switzerland from January 6-14, 2024.
The gold medalist is one of 69 players invited to the selection camp in St. Catharines.
The team has announced a total of 46 players made up of six goaltenders, 14 defence, and 26 forwards will compete for a spot to represent Canada in a three-game series against the United States from August 14-20, 2023 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Finland’s national women’s under-18 team will also provide the under-18 Canadian group an opportunity to experience international competition, according to team officials.
The team said Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team invitees will be split into two teams (Red and White) for practices, intra-squad games, and off-ice sessions.
Twenty-three other players (three goaltenders, seven defence, and 13 forwards) will also be at the development camp in St. Catharines from August 9-13, 2023 ahead of the three-game series against the United States.
A total of nine Canadian players, including Stonehouse, who won gold at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship have been invited to the selection camp.
“We are thrilled with this group of 46 talented athletes who will participate in selection camp,” said Vice-President of Hockey Operations Gina Kingsbury. “We are confident this group will come ready to compete for a spot to wear the Maple Leaf in international competition as we work towards winning a third-consecutive gold medal at the world championship.”
The Canadian Under-18 women's hockey team won back to back gold medals in 2022 and 2023.
“We have an exciting group of accomplished athletes joining our development program this year in St. Catharines,” Kingsbury added. “We are looking forward to watching this group return to the ice for a competitive camp in preparation for our series against the United States.”
