Surrey’s Jenn Gardiner has been named to the Team Canada women’s Olympic hockey team.
The Pride of Cloverdale has enjoyed early success with the expansion Vancouver Goldeneyes in the PWHL. She’s notched five points in 12 games, two goals and three assists. And although her team is sitting in eighth place, in a very competitive league, the squad is only six points out of third and seven points out of second.
Gardiner—the only B.C.-born player on the team—said she was “speechless” when she first heard she was named to the Olympic squad.
“I was so happy, overwhelmed,” she told the Cloverdale Reporter. “It’s hard to describe it. It’s something I’ve chased my whole life. So to be named now, it’s a dream come true.”
Gardiner was cautiously optimistic she’d be put on the squad—having been named to the 30-player national team training roster, taking part in the recent rivalry series with the U.S., and helping Canada to a silver-medal placing at the world championships last April—but she didn’t take anything for granted.
“You hope you’ll be named, but you never know until it’s official,” she said. “But it’s an honour to wear the maple leaf for your country and to do that in the Olympics. I’m just incredibly thankful to my coaches, family, friends, and all those who’ve helped me along the way and believed in me.”
Gardiner, 24, will make her Olympic debut in Italy in February during the 25th Winter Olympiad.
Just last year, in April 2025, she made her international debut for Canada at the Women’s World Hockey Championships held in Czechia. She won a silver there with the team.
At worlds, Gardiner racked up 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists), which was good for second in tournament scoring behind Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin (12). But Gardner was the tournament’s leading goal scorer.
Canada won the Olympic gold in 2022. Canada has won four straight golds (2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014). The national women’s team took silvers in 1998 and 2018.
In Italy, women’s hockey will take place Feb. 5-19. Canada is in a group with Czechia, Finland, Switzerland, and the U.S. (Group A). Canada will open the Olympics against Finland Feb. 5 at 12:10 p.m. They’ll play Switzerland Feb. 7 also at 12:10 p.m. The squad will battle Czechia Feb. 9 at 12:10 p.m. before closing out round-robin action against the United States Feb. 10 at 11:10 a.m.
In total five Goldeneyes were named to Team Canada: Jenn Gardiner (F), Sarah Nurse (F), Sophie Jaques (D), Claire Thompson (D) and Emerance Maschmeyer (G).
FULL ROSTER
Canada’s 23-player roster includes three goaltenders, seven defence, and 13 forwards.
Goaltenders:
Ann-Renée Desbiens (Clermont, QC/Montréal, PWHL), Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, AB/Vancouver, PWHL) and Kayle Osborne (Ottawa, ON/New York, PWHL).
Defence:
Erin Ambrose (Keswick, ON/ Montréal, PWHL), Renata Fast (Burlington, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Sophie Jaques (Toronto, ON/Vancouver, PWHL), Jocelyne Larocque (Ste. Anne, MB/Ottawa, PWHL), Ella Shelton (Ingersoll, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Kati Tabin (Winnipeg, MB/ Montréal, PWHL) and Claire Thompson (Toronto, ON/Vancouver, PWHL).
Forwards:
Emily Clark (Saskatoon, SK/Ottawa, PWHL), Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, ON/New York, PWHL), Jenn Gardiner (Surrey, BC/Vancouver, PWHL), Julia Gosling (London, ON/Seattle, PWHL), Brianne Jenner (Oakville, ON/Ottawa, PWHL), Emma Maltais (Burlington, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, ON/Vancouver, PWHL), Kristin O’Neill (Oakville, ON/New York, PWHL), Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, QC/ Montréal, PWHL), Natalie Spooner (Scarborough, ON/Toronto, PWHL), Laura Stacey (Kleinburg, ON/Montréal, PWHL), Blayre Turnbull (Stellarton, NS/Toronto, PWHL) and Daryl Watts (Toronto, ON/Toronto, PWHL).