Hockey: Canadian women glad to be back on ice together

CALGARY—What Marie-Philip Poulin looks forward to the most at the Canadian women’s hockey team camp is simply lining up for drills and seeing her teammates’ faces. It has been 10 months since the national women’s hockey team was on the ice together.

Hockey Canada obtained the necessary exemptions from Alberta Health to hold a 14-day camp in Calgary amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poulin, Canada’s captain, has missed the competition and camaraderie desperately.

“It means a lot. It’s been a long time coming,” said the 29-yearold forward from Beauceville, Que. “Just being back here as a group in Calgary, it’s going to be awesome just to get back on the ice and really connect.”

All players and staff were told to quarantine for seven days and get tested for the virus before heading to Calgary. Of the 47 players invited, 35 arrived Sunday to quarantine in their hotel rooms and be tested four times over five days.

The players were scheduled to start skating in groups of three Tuesday before larger groups hit the ice Thursday.

“These women want the opportunity to just compete a little bit against each other,” head coach Troy Ryan said. “It brings a little bit of normal life back to them. Although it looks totally different, I think it kind of gives them a little bit of hope.”

The dozen invitees not in Calgary were classified as “unable to attend”, which ranges from injury, college commitments and COVID exposure, but they’ll participate in virtual meetings and activities, said Hockey Canada director of women’s national teams Gina Kingsbury.

Canada’s last international game was Feb. 8, 2020, against the United States.