Ottawa captain, already an Olympic MVP, charged up for 1st Winter Games of PWHL era
Brianne Jenner named to 4th Canadian women's team
Brianne Jenner is bearing down on her fourth Olympics with momentum from both the 2022 tournament and the current PWHL season.
The Ottawa Charge captain and leading scorer was the Olympic MVP in Beijing four years ago, scoring a record-tying nine goals en route to her second gold medal.
The 2026 Milano Cortina Games have a couple of key differences, one being the existence of the PWHL for high-level league play up to the Olympic break.
"I think we are going to see some of the best hockey that we've seen at an Olympics.… The best players in the world are getting to compete regularly in game situations," Jenner told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning in an interview airing Friday.
"We've never had this level of competition on such a regular basis."
Previously, players were scattered among leagues such as the National Women's Hockey League and the Canadian Women's Hockey League, which folded in 2019 and led to the travelling Professional Women's Hockey Players Association.
National teams would spend months together preparing, including taking on male junior A teams in exhibition games.
"It's a whole different ball game [now]," Jenner said.
Charge contingent in Italy
The Charge, currently one point out of the final PWHL playoff spot about halfway through their season, are sending eight players to the Olympics to represent Canada, the United States, Finland and Czechia.
Head coach Carla MacLeod is coaching the Czech team.
"We are a really international team," Jenner said. "The emotions have just been really proud and excited for each other. I think that emotion will switch pretty soon [after] we get out on the ice against each other."
The 34-year-old from Oakville, Ont., is second in the PWHL in goals and points, and leads Ottawa's forwards in ice time.
Jenner said it's a huge honour to make the Olympic team again.
"Every [four-year cycle] has its own kind of story and adversity you go through to make that roster and to be able to compete for a fourth spot was exciting," she said.
"This one will be special, this will be the first one I can bring my daughter to. The last time in Beijing we didn't have any family and friends there," she added, referring to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Charge's Olympic break begins after a home game on Jan. 28, and ends Feb. 28. Canada's first Olympic game is Feb. 5 against Finland.
