A Quick Glance at the 2025 U18 Women’s World Championship Rosters

The 2025 U18 Women’s World Championship will take place in Vantaa, Finland from January 4 through January 12.

This will be the second year that the two Groups will be organized in a snake fashion based on the previous year’s results, rather than Group A containing the most successful teams of the year before. Last year, the United States took the gold, Czechia earned silver, and Canada won bronze, with Finland taking fourth place. Thus, Group A this year will include Canada and Finland, with Czechia and Canada in Group B, and so on through last year's standings.

While the presence of agents and other assistance is growing in the women’s game, for a number of players the U18 tournament is their best chance to showcase their abilities to potential college or professional coaches. A strong performance can put someone in the running for a roster spot in the NCAA, the SDHL, or other strong leagues. That could mean opportunities that a player may not have access to in their home country, and in the increasingly competitive world of pro women’s hockey, a leg up at this moment could make a big difference down the line. These athletes will be focused on representing their countries, rather than making their own names, but it’s helpful for observers to think about where this event fits in the broader scheme.

Group A:

USA

Eight members of last year’s championship team are returning, while Bella Fanale and Megan Healy will compete in their third U18 tournaments. A family legacy will continue as defender Sloane Hartmetz, the younger sister of two-time U18 medalist and Boston Fleet defender Hadley Hartmetz, will play in her first U18 tournament.

Players on this team are already committed to top NCAA schools like Ohio State, Princeton, Penn State, Minnesota, Quinnipiac, Harvard, and St. Cloud State.

Players to watch:

16-year-old Mary Derrenbacher, who had eight points in six games last year, is one to watch for a breakout tournament; she will be eligible to play next year as well. Kylie Amelkovich and Hartmetz are both coming from Shattuck St Mary's and can be expected to contribute. I’m also looking forward to seeing Morgan Stickney, out of Shattuck as well, get a start or two. If you’re interested in betting on this tournament: I advise you that Bella Fanale will be in the mood to score some goals.

Sweden

Eight of Sweden’s players will play in their second U18 Women’s World Championship, including goaltender Maja Helge, who played three games last year. Many of Sweden’s players are already active in the SDHL, while some play for junior club teams or in the second league.

Players to watch:

Forward Edit Danielsson will be a top line player and likely a top scorer for Sweden. Defenders Wilma Georgny and Elsa Åberg have played over 50 SDHL games for their clubs, and as returning players to this tournament they will no doubt carry a lot of responsibility for this Swedish team. Also, keep an eye out for promising talent like 16-year-old Tilde Grillfors, who already has almost 50 SDHL games to her name and is currently sixth in scoring for Brynäs.

Finland

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Nine of Finland’s players are returning to the tournament for the second time. While most of their roster boasts experience in the Aurora Liiga, Finland’s top league, they are also the only team to bring two 14-year-olds: Fanny Kyrkkö and Tuulianna Artti. 15-year-old Tinja Tapani, a cousin of the Boston Fleet's Susanna Tapani, will be playing in her second U18 tournament after scoring a goal at her debut last year.

Players to watch:

Two of Finland’s biggest players to watch are returning for their third U18 tournaments. Goaltender Kerttu Kuja-Halkola has been Finand’s starter for each of the last two years and played her first games with the senior team during this year’s European Hockey Tour. She has been one of the more impressive starters in the Aurora Liiga this season. Forward Abigail Byskata was second on the team in scoring last year, with two goals and eight points in six games. Expect to see her wearing an A or a C for Finland this year.

Japan

Japan has been a bubble team since the U18 Women’s World Championship tournaments began. Only twice have they managed to stay in the top division for a single year after earning promotion. This year, with 10 members returning from their team who earned promotion from Division 1A last year, they will fight to tie or surpass their all-time-best sixth place finish from 2010. Japan will be bringing the shortest, lightest, and youngest roster to this year’s tournament, and they will bring one of the tournament’s youngest players in 14-year-old goaltender Rin Kawaguchi.

Players to watch:

Azumi Numabe and Kika Terauchi are two of Japan’s four players who played on the U18 squad that found themselves relegated from the top division two years ago. Umeka Odaira was Japan’s top scorer on last year’s team that earned promotion. They were the top scorers on Japan’s silver medal-winning team at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in South Korea. 

Group B:

Czechia

Nine players from last year’s silver medal-winning team will return for their second U18 Women’s World Championships, while Veronika Hujová and Linda Vocetková will come back for a third tournament. Czechia also has on their roster one of the youngest players in the tournament, 14-year-old Klára Šrámková. 

As Czechia’s top women’s league is not as challenging as the home leagues in some of the other countries in this tournament, a number of the girls on this roster are playing abroad even at age 16. Of those playing within Czechia, nearly every one supplements their play in the women’s league with games in U15 or U17 boy’s leagues. For players who aspire to play with the senior team, experience outside the country is becoming increasingly vital.

Players to watch:

I would expect top-six play and solid contributions from forwards Julie Jebousková, Adéla Pánková, and Tereza Gildainová, who are performing well on their club teams in the US. Gildainová’s team will also send three players to Vantaa on Team USA’s roster. Vocetková’s club team in the SDHL is not having a great season, but she has been a solid contributor at this tournament in the past, and I expect she will be again. On the back end, Aneta Paroubková currently boasts 18 goals in eight games in Czechia's top women's league and will likely feature on Czechia’s top pair.

Canada

Canada will return all five of their age-eligible players from last year’s bronze medal squad. This year, 15 of the 24 players on Canada’s roster will come from the Ontario Women’s Hockey League, an increase of one from last year. 

Players on this team are already committed to top NCAA schools like Northeastern, Minnesota-Duluth, Ohio State, Colgate, UConn, Clarkson, and Wisconsin. 

Players to watch:

The MVP of last year’s tournament, Chloe Primerano, will likely challenge for the title again. You can also expect some points out of her former RINK Kelowna teammates Alida Korte and defender Danica Maynard. Maxine Cimeroni didn't get much of a chance to stand out at last year's tournament, but I think she'll shine brighter this year. And watch for one of the only two skaters coming out of Québec in defender Anaïs Leprohon. Lastly, if you’re interested in betting on this tournament: I advise you that Stryker Zablocki will be in the mood to score some goals.

Slovakia

More than half of Slovakia’s roster from last year’s tournament will return in 2025, including five players who will compete in their third U18 tournament. Ema Tóthová, who has played with the senior national team for three years, will return for her fourth and final U18s.

Players to watch:

All eyes will be on Nela Lopušanová, a 2026-27 commit to the University of Wisconsin, whose highlight-reel goals have garnered international attention. Expect to see her on the top line alongside Tóthová. 16-year-old Lenka Karkošková has scored a goal at each of her previous U18 tournaments and is currently leading Slovakia's senior women's league in scoring by a solid margin. She has played at both forward and defense in the past, but as Slovakia is only bringing 12 forwards this year, I would expect to see her play up front.

Switzerland

Switzerland will bring back seven players who had their debuts at last year’s tournament, two players who first represented the country in 2023, and two players—forwards Naemi Herzig and Jael Manetsch—who will participate in their fourth U18 tournaments. Switzerland will bring one of the youngest players at this year's tournament in 14-year-old Sarah Mettler.

Players to watch:

Last year’s captain, Herzig, is the only member of this team to have also competed with the senior national team at last year’s senior World Championship in Utica, New York. Expect her to play on the top line with Norina Müller, who had a goal at last year’s tournament. Elisa Dalessi, returning for her third U18s, could also be a source of offence for a team which recorded only three goals last year. 

None of Switzerland’s three goaltenders have played at this tournament before. I would expect 17-year-old Amaya Iseli to be the starter here.