Canada’s Danielle Serdachny takes Olympic hockey hopes into her hometown

U.S. defender Laila Edwards (10) reaches for the puck controlled by Canada forward Danielle Serdachny (92) in the third period of a Rivalry Series women's hockey game Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) (Sue Ogrocki)

EDMONTON — Danielle Serdachny gets to wear the Maple Leaf in her hometown in hockey games carrying weight in her Olympic future.

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The 24-year-old from Edmonton and her Canadian teammates complete the four-game Rivalry Series against the United States with games at Rogers Place on Wednesday and Saturday.

The U.S. outscored Canada 10-2 over two wins to open the series in Cleveland and Buffalo, N.Y., in November.

Serdachny, who has represented Canada in the last three world championships and scored the overtime golden goal in 2024, is in her second season in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, but her first with the expansion Seattle Torrent.

Facing the U.S. in Canada’s last games against its archrival before the Olympic Games, and in a place where she grew up, layers on the magnitude for Serdachny.

“It means a lot,” Serdachny said. “If you would have asked me many years ago, even when they were in Edmonton a few years ago, if I’d be in this situation, I’d be a little bit doubtful but hopeful, so really excited for the opportunity of bringing the best on best to Edmonton.”

Serdachny was attending high school and playing hockey at the Pursuit of Excellence academy in Kelowna, B.C., when Canada’s Jennifer Wakefield scored the overtime winner Dec. 17, 2017, at Rogers Place against the U.S. in a tune-up for the 2018 Winter Games.

The Edmonton Oilers were prominent in Serdachny’s childhood because her father Steve was the NHL team’s skills coach for a dozen years. Danielle Serdachny is an ambassador for the Oilers’ community foundation.

Serdachny felt the support, and extra attention, when she played at Rogers Place with the Ottawa Charge in a PWHL neutral-site Takeover Tour game last season.

“I was definitely a little bit more busy than any other Takeover Tour game,” she recalled.

The five-foot-nine, 157-pound forward is among 30 players in Canada’s core pool of Olympic candidates. The 23-player roster for Milan and Cortina, Italy, is expected to be announced in early January.

Canada opens defence of its gold medal Feb. 5 in Milan against Finland.

“The last games before the Olympics, so a lot of girls are still competing for spots, but always an honour to represent my country, especially in my hometown,” Serdachny said.

A player’s body of work both with the national team and in the PWHL are among selection criteria. A 25-goal scorer in her senior years at Colgate, Serdachny posted two goals and six assists in 30 games for Ottawa in her rookie season, plus two assists in eight playoff games.

The second overall pick in the PWHL’s 2024 draft by Ottawa was also the second player behind U.S. star Hilary Knight to sign with the expansion Torrent when she and the club agreed to a two-year deal in June.

Serdachny was still looking for her first goal in both the Rivalry Series and with the Torrent when she landed in Edmonton.

“Last year, I learned a lot about the physicality, the speed, just decision making, all those sorts of things, just continuing to evolve your game in any way you can,” was Serdachny’s assessment of her pro debut. “Sometimes I would say like scoring, that sort of thing doesn’t always show up on the board, but learning to be a really good player away from the puck, kind of contributing to the team success in any way you can and normally the rest of that stuff takes care of itself.

“Still kind of a work in progress, but I think this year has been a good start for that.”

Like others vying to be Olympians in 2026, Serdachny needs to stand out and show versatility, said Canada’s general manager.

“We’ve always seen her as an offensive player that brings that ability,” Gina Kingsbury said. “She’s come into the league and has had to adjust her game I would say, just with the level of play at the league level.

“What you need to bring to the table is the ability to play up and down the lineup and the question when you’re making an Olympic team is who am I bumping off to to be able to play in that position?

“We’ve been testing what can she do in different roles with different kinds of combinations.”

Clusters of blue flags line Edmonton’s Gateway Boulevard trumpeting both the Rivalry Series and more PWHL Takeover Tour games Dec. 27 between the Minnesota Frost and Vancouver Goldeneyes, and April 7 involving the Boston Fleet and Goldeneyes.

Alas for Serdachny, the Torrent won’t play at Rogers Place this season.

“When I heard Edmonton was doing Takeover Tour games, I was definitely hopeful that we’d maybe get one,” she said. “A little disappointed, but honestly with the Rivalry Series coming to Edmonton, that definitely helps things out a bit.”

Serdachny wants to both raise her Olympic stock and for Canada to beat the U.S. in Edmonton.

“It’s really important, for myself as someone who’s competing for a spot on the team, but also just for the team’s confidence,” she stated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2025.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press