Conclusion
The Canada Games, in particular those of 1991 and 1995, are inherently linked to the international success of women’s hockey and have been critical to the development of high-performance women’s hockey in Canada. Multiple Olympians and Hockey Hall of Famers have passed through the Canada Games; 15 of the 21 women to win a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics had played at the Canada Games.43 Now the question remains: who will be next? The Winter Games are returning to Prince Edward Island in 2023, where it all started for women’s hockey. In 1991, Hayley Wickenheiser scored the first golden goal in tournament history to begin a record setting career with the Canadian national team. Will the next Wickenheiser get her chance to shine at the 2023 Winter Games? That remains to be seen.