Ice Hockey is deeply ingrained in Canadian culture and serves as the national winter sport of the country. The sport’s origin dates back to the early 19th century, with the first organized game being held in 1875. Canada’s cold climate and long winters made it an ideal place for ice hockey to flourish, and the sport has become a significant part of local life since then.
Ice hockey’s influence is evident in its dominance in international competitions, so let’s take a look at the four greatest women ice hockey players in Canada.
Jayna Hefford
Jayna Hefford is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time world champion. She scored the gold medal-winning goals at the Winter Olympics in 2002 and holds a number of records in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. The Jayna Hefford Trophy was established in her honour. She was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canada Sports Hall of Fame and is also a recipient of the Order of Hockey in Canada.
Marie-Philip Poulin
Marie-Philip Poulin is known for her performance in the Olympics as she won the gold medal twice and has led Canada to multiple World Championship titles. She is widely popular for scoring gold medal-winning goals in the Winter Olympics in both 2010 and 2014.
She has been named to All-Star teams several times and became the first female hockey player to win the Northern Star Award, which is the country’s highest honour for athletes.
Shannon Szabados
Shannon Szabados is one of the most iconic ice hockey players of all time. She won the gold at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. She also earned a silver medal at the 2018 Olympics. She holds the record for most gold medal games played by any goaltender (male or female) in the Canadian National Team’s history.
She holds the record for the most wins by a female goaltender in men’s professional hockey. She became the first female to play in both men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. She was inducted into Alberta’s Hockey Hall of Fame recently, in 2024.
Hayley Wickenheiser
Hayley Wickenheiser is widely regarded as one of the greatest female ice hockey players in the world. She is a five-time Olympic medallist with four gold and one silver medal. She’s also a seven-time World Champion.
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She was honoured with Canada’s highest civilian award, the Order of Canada, for her contributions. She was also named in the “Top 25 toughest athletes in the World” by Sports Illustrated.
Also Read: Top 4 Greatest Goal Scorers In International Hockey Of All-Time
