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Watch USA vs Japan Women Ice Hockey Live Free TV broadcast

Watch coverage of the 2023 Women’s Worlds on Wednesday, starting with France vs. Finland at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT, followed by USA taking on Japan at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT and Canada facing Switzerland at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. ET LIVE on TSN5 and streaming on TSN.ca and the TSN App.

Don't miss the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship match up you've been waiting for! Watch 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship Live on DIRECTV! The 2023 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship is set to kick off in Brampton, Ont., with Canada as the reigning champions two years in a row.

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While Canada and the United States remain the heavy favourites, Czechia will look to keep the momentum going after winning bronze in 2022. Finland and Switzerland will be aiming for better results this time around.

Here are 10 players to watch for as the tournament gets underway.

Brianne Jenner – Canada

It was Jenner who played the hero for Canada in the gold-medal game at the 2022 worlds, scoring both goals in the final en route to the program’s third major title in a year after winning the 2021 worlds and Olympic gold at the 2022 Beijing Games.

Now 31, Jenner is a player whose game has managed to find new levels the last few years. She had 11 points in six games at the 2021 worlds, including a tournament-leading eight assists. She soared to new heights at the Olympics with nine goals and 14 points in seven games, winning MVP and making the All-Star team.

While her output was more modest in Denmark (five points in seven games), it was her performance in the final that affirmed why Jenner is consistently one of Canada’s MVPs.

Taylor Heise – United States

The 23-year-old burst onto the scene at the worlds last year, dominating from start to finish with seven goals and 18 points, leading to MVP and best forward honours as the Americans claimed silver.

The University of Minnesota captain had 29 goals and 65 points in 38 games in her fifth NCAA season, second in the nation only to Canada’s Danielle Serdachny (71 points).

With six new faces on the roster with Brianna Decker retiring and Kendall Coyne Schofield pregnant, Heise will be relied upon heavily as a returning player.

Alina Muller – Switzerland

The Swiss star has been on the radar since she won bronze with Switzerland at the 2014 Olympics as a 15 year old.

The Northeastern centre finished fourth in scoring in the NCAA this season with 27 goals and 60 points in 38 games.

The last two world championships have been shortened for Muller due to an ankle injury in 2021 and COVID in 2022. At the Olympics in 2022, she had four goals and 10 points in seven games.

The Swiss have finished fourth the last two worlds and a healthy Muller could be the key to helping them make a stronger push as a medal contender.

The 16-year-old was the youngest player in the tournament last year, netting three goals and an assist, as she helped Czechia win the program’s first-ever medal as they skated away with bronze.

Sapovalivova has bounced around the various levels of the Czechia women’s Extraliga this season, including a dominant two-game stint in the top division with HC Pribram where she scored six goals and 12 points.

At the U18s in January, she had four goals and an assist in five games as Czechia finished fifth.

Sanni Vanhanen – Finland

The 17-year-old appeared in the worlds and Olympics last year for Finland, winning bronze.

Vanhanen took a big step forward in 2022-23, scoring 18 goals and 40 points in 22 games with HIFK in the top women’s Finnish league. In nine playoff games, she had 12 goals and 20 points as HIFK won the league championship and she was named playoff MVP.

The Finns struggled mightily at the worlds in 2022, finishing a program-low sixth. The teenager is a big piece of Finland’s present and future as they look to get back on track.

Fanni Gasparics – Hungary

The 28-year-old made the jump to North America this season, joining the Premier Hockey Federation’s Metropolitan Riveters. She had seven goals and 14 points in 24 games and also appeared in the PHF All-Star Game for Team World.

The Hungarian national team finished eighth in last year’s tournament, a program high, and this is the third year in a row they remain in the top division. Mira Jungaker – Sweden

The 17-year-old defender made her worlds debut last year and finished the tournament as Sweden’s second-leading scorer with one goal and four assists in six games.

In the SDHL with HV71 this season, Jungaker had three goals and nine points in 24 regular-season games.

Wearing an A for Sweden at the January U18s, she had three goals and two assists in five games as Sweden earned silver.

Nina Jobst-Smith – Germany

Born in North Vancouver, B.C., Jobst-Smith represents Germany on the international stage. Her hockey career thus far has spanned playing in Canada, Germany and the United States, including two seasons as a teenager in the DFEL with ECDC Memmingen.

Now in her third season at Minnesota-Duluth, the 21-year-old defender had a career season as a junior, scoring five goals and 25 points in 39 games.

This year marks her third appearance at the worlds. She had two assists in four games last year as the Germans finished ninth.

Chloe Aurard – France

Aurard enjoyed a strong season in her final NCAA campaign with Northeastern in 2022-23, tallying 20 goals and 54 points in 38 games.

The 24-year-old winger helped France get promoted to the top division of the worlds, netting four goals and four assists in eight games to win the Division IA championship in 2022.

Akane Shiga – Japan

Shiga was a major reason why Japan remained in Group A for the 2023 worlds after a strong tournament last year.

With three goals and five points in seven games, the 22-year-old forward helped Japan secure victories over Sweden and Finland.

Shiga has consistently performed for Japan internationally. She had four goals in seven games at the 2021 worlds as well as three points in five games at the 2022 Olympics.

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