USA Hockey tapped 25 players to represent the US at April’s 2025 IIHF World Championships in Czechia on Wednesday, as the team looks to avenge their overtime loss to Canada in the 2024 IIHF Final.
A total of 21 players from that silver medal-winning squad will return to this year's roster, which will be led by superstar forward Hilary Knight.
Knight already boasts 14 World Championship medals, more than any other athlete in IIHF history, and is poised to help the US make a record-extending 24th appearance in the IIHF championship game.
PWHL and NCAA stars comprise Team USA
Boston Fleet captain Knight is one of 16 PWHL athletes to make Team USA's lineup, showcasing the impact of an in-season domestic league while teams around the world compete for international honors.
While all six PWHL teams are represented on the roster, the inaugural Walter Cup-winning Minnesota Frost will send a league-leading six US athletes to Czechia.
Trailing just behind Minnesota with three IIHF-bound skaters apiece are 2023/24 runners-up Boston and the Toronto Sceptres, who currently sit in second- and third-place on the 2024/25 PWHL table.
Completing the lineup and, more generally, gaining the experience to keep Team USA atop the sport are an impressive nine NCAA players, led by five skaters from No. 1 ranked Wisconsin.
One of those Badgers, sophomore goaltender Ava McNaughton, will join 2024 Wisconsin grad and Montréal Victoire defender Anna Wilgren as the team's two IIHF World Championship debutants.
Additionally, Frost defender Lee Stecklein and Sceptres forward Jesse Compher will round out the four athletes who did not feature on the 2024 roster. Both players will make their first return to the IIHF stage following silver medal-winning performances at the 2022 edition in Denmark.
"The 25 players selected to represent the US bring skill, talent, and passion on the ice," said US Women’s Hockey GM Katie Million. "The depth of our player pool never makes these decisions easy, but we’re excited to shift our focus on bringing a gold home from Czechia."
Team USA's 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship roster
- Forwards: Alex Carpenter (New York Sirens), Jesse Compher (Toronto Sceptres), Kendall Coyne-Schofield (Minnesota Frost), Britta Curl-Salemme (Minnesota Frost), Joy Dunne (Ohio State University), Lacey Eden (University of Wisconsin), Taylor Heise (Minnesota Frost), Tessa Janecke (Penn State University), Hilary Knight (Boston Fleet), Abbey Murphy (University of Minnesota), Kelly Pannek (Minnesota Frost), Hayley Scamurra (Toronto Sceptres), Kirsten Simms (University of Wisconsin), Grace Zumwinkle (Minnesota Frost)
- Defenders: Cayla Barnes (Montréal Victoire), Laila Edwards (University of Wisconsin), Savannah Harmon (Toronto Sceptres), Caroline Harvey (University of Wisconsin), Megan Keller (Boston Fleet), Lee Stecklein (Minnesota Frost), Anna Wilgren (Montréal Victoire), Haley Winn (Clarkson University)
- Goaltenders: Aerin Frankel (Boston Fleet), Ava McNaughton (University of Wisconsin), Gwyneth Philips (Ottawa Charge)
How to watch the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship
The puck will drop on the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship on Wednesday, April 9th, and run through the tournament's 12 PM ET championship game on Sunday, April 20th.
Team USA will first take the ice against Finland at 9 AM ET on April 9th.
All US games will be air live on the NHL Network.
Team USA won the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship title on Sunday night in a thrilling come-from-behind victory. The U.S. defeated Canada, 6-3, at the CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario, to win its 10th women’s hockey world title — and first since 2019.
The final score was not indicative of just how tight the game was. Canada led three times on Sunday night, with the U.S. coming back each time.
Tied 3-3 with just over three minutes remaining in regulation, U.S. captain Hilary Knight scored the go-ahead goal on a 5-on-3 power play — her 100th career world championship point. Knight, who also scored Team USA’s second goal of the night, completed her hat trick just 27 seconds later.
Let's look at that @HilaryKnight game-winning goal one more time! #WomensWorlds pic.twitter.com/mEHeqKnu4J
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) April 17, 2023
Why stop at 100? Knight gets #101 less than a minute later!@HilaryKnight | #WomensWorlds pic.twitter.com/EY10NZ1DxS
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) April 17, 2023
Aerin Frankel anchored the U.S. in net, turning away 24 shots.
Canada entered the final with momentum in the cross-border rivalry, having won the last two world championship titles, plus Olympic gold in 2022. Then add in that Canada was on a five-game win streak versus the U.S., which included a nine-round shootout victory during the preliminary round.
For the 22nd time in 22 tournaments, the U.S. women’s hockey team will play in the final of the IIHF Women’s World Championship.
The U.S. defeated Czechia, 9-1, at CAA Centre in Brampton, Ontario, on Saturday to book a spot in this year’s championship game (Sunday 7pm ET, NHL Network). Team USA will play the winner of Saturday’s other semifinal (Canada vs. Switzerland).
The U.S. kicked off scoring into the first period with an Amanda Kessel power play goal (video embedded below).
Kessel putting the POWER in power play! 👊@AmandaKessel28 | #WomensWorlds pic.twitter.com/z3RQRupxyZ
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) April 15, 2023
While Kessel’s was the only goal scored in the first period, the U.S. opened the floodgates in the second with two goals from Hilary Knight, one from Abbey Murphy, one from Abby Roque, and another from Kessel.
Czechia also recorded its lone goal of the game the second period with this snipe from 16-year-old Adéla Šapovalivová, who is making her second senior world championship appearance in Brampton (video embedded below).
Adela Sapovalivova puts Czechia on the board!#WomensWorlds pic.twitter.com/Zks7jBomye
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 15, 2023
With the win, the U.S. women’s hockey team continues its unprecedented streak of World Championship finals appearances. Beginning with the first IIHF Women’s World Championship in 1990, the U.S. has qualified for the final each and every time, winning the world title on nine occasions.
Archrival Canada has made the world championship final every year save one: 2019, when the Canadians were upset by Finland, 4-2, in the semifinal round.
Women’s Hockey World Championship – Year-by-Year Finals History
- 1990: Canada def. United States, 5–2
- 1992: Canada def. United States, 8–0
- 1994: Canada def. United States, 6–3
- 1997: Canada def. United States, 4–3 (OT)
- 1999: Canada def. United States, 3–1
- 2000: Canada def. United States, 3–2 (OT)
- 2001: Canada def. United States, 3–2
- 2003: Tournament cancelled due to SARS outbreak
- 2004: Canada def. United States, 2–0
- 2005: United States def. Canada, 1–0 (SO)
- 2007: Canada def. United States, 5–1
- 2008: United States def. Canada, 4–3
- 2009: United States def. Canada, 4–1
- 2011: United States def. Canada, 3–2 (OT)
- 2012: Canada def. United States, 5–4 (OT)
- 2013: United States def. Canada, 3–2
- 2015: United States def. Canada, 7–5
- 2016: United States def. Canada, 1–0 (OT)
- 2017: United States def. Canada, 3–2 (OT)
- 2019: United States def. Finland, 2–1 (SO)
- 2020: Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19
- 2021: Canada def. United States, 3–2 (OT)
- 2022: Canada def. United States 2–1