The 2023 IIHF World Hockey Championships begins today in Brampton, Ont. as Canada gets set to win a third consecutive gold medal. The host will be in Group A with their longtime rivals, the United States, alongside Czechia, Switzerland, and Japan. Group B will feature Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Germany, and France.
You can find full rosters on the tournament website and EliteProspects.com
Team Canada Storylines
Canada is fresh off coming back to win the Rivalry Series, recovering from a 0-3 deficit to win the next four games for the reverse sweep in dominant fashion.
Natalie Spooner, who has been a key player for Canada in the past, will be back with the team and making her return to action after giving birth to her new son. For Canada, they will rely heavily on team captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Canadian youngster Sarah Fillier.
Canada is the clear favorite to win it all for a third straight time, but in their way is a strong, young American lineup looking for revenge.
Biggest Rival - A Look at Team USA
Regarding the U.S., their players to watch are newly named Captain Hilary Knight and Amanda Kessel, while on defense, their top player is alternate captain Lee Stecklein.
The lone PHF player on the U.S. roster is forward Rebecca Gilmore of the Boston Pride, who played 11 games in her first season finishing with one goal and five assists. A notable omission on the roster for the US is that of Kendall Coyne Schofield, who is expecting her first child.
How to Watch
In Canada, TSN will provide extensive tournament coverage across the country. In the U.S., games can be seen on NHL Network and ESPN +.
Here is a list of places to watch in all 10 participating countries:
CANADA: TSN and RDS
USA: NHL Network
CZECHIA: Czech TV, Tipsports
SWITZERLAND: Swiss TV
FINLAND: Discovery
SWEDEN: SVT
GERMANY: Magenta Sport
HUNGARY: M4Sport
FRANCE: Sport en France and FANSEAT