Team Canada Women’s Hockey Stays Steady Amid Uncertainty in Milan
MILAN - The women’s Olympic hockey tournament hit an unexpected snag this week when the Canada-Finland opener was postponed due to a norovirus outbreak within the Finnish roster. Health and safety are, of course, the top priority - but for Team Canada, this curveball is just the latest in a series of challenges they’re ready to meet head-on.
This is a battle-tested Canadian squad, heavy on experience and built for adversity. And if there’s one thing they’ve learned over years of international competition, it’s that unpredictability is part of the Olympic script.
“One thing we know is that Games are always unpredictable,” said Canadian general manager Gina Kingsbury. “This group, when they see an obstacle or a challenge, they kind of smirk and say, ‘OK, we’ve got this.
What are we going to do? How do we turn this into an advantage?’”
That mindset - the ability to pivot, adapt, and find fuel in the chaos - is something that defines elite athletes. And for Canada, it might be exactly what they need right now.
Let’s be honest: the road to Milan hasn’t been smooth. For the first time since women’s hockey joined the Olympic program in 1998, Canada enters the tournament as a clear underdog to a surging U.S. team.
The Americans have owned the recent head-to-heads, including a dominant sweep in the four-game Rivalry Series. Canada’s six-game losing streak to their southern rivals has only amplified the outside noise - whispers that this team is too old, too slow, and unable to keep pace with the younger, faster American roster.
Inside the locker room, though? That narrative doesn’t fly.
The Canadians have gone inward, blocking out the chatter and leaning into their identity - a gritty, veteran group that thrives in the hard areas of the ice. They’ve come to Milan with confidence, ready to grind it out in the tight corners of Rho Arena and reignite the fire in one of hockey’s fiercest rivalries.
“As a group, adapting has always been a strength of ours,” Kingsbury said. “We’re making sure we’re putting ourselves in the best position to be successful.”
That adaptability is being tested early. With the Finland game off the schedule for now, Canada’s tournament rhythm has already been disrupted.
The next key moment comes Saturday, when Finland is slated to face the U.S. If Finland can’t go - and that’s a real possibility - the ripple effects could throw the entire group stage into flux.
“I think the concern competitively would be, what happens now with Finland?” Kingsbury said.
“Are more games going to get canceled? What happens next?”
Those are the questions hanging over the tournament. But for Team Canada, the focus is clear: control what you can, stay ready, and keep the internal fire burning. The path to gold rarely goes according to plan - but this group knows how to navigate the chaos.
They’ve done it before. And they’re ready to do it again.