When local hockey fans check out the action at the World Para Hockey Championship at the Moose Jaw Events Centre at the end of May, odds are they’ll see some familiar faces when the next Paralympic Games kick off in Italy in 2026.
That’s because this is all the start of a new build-up toward the biggest event in the sport, with players both old and new looking to take the first steps toward playing in Milan and Cortina in three years’ time.
Things are looking good, too, with Hockey Canada manager of hockey operations Marshall Starkman impressed with what he’s seen from Team Canada in recent months.
“We just came off a three-game series with the Americans and it was a tremendous litmus test for us when it comes to our development and where we are against the best team in the world,” said Starkman. Playing the three-game series in Elmira, Ont., Canada lost 1-0 in overtime on Mar. 15, fell 9-3 on Mar. 17 and rebounded with a last-second 2-1 loss on Mar. 18.
“We’re really pleased with our progress to date, we turned over eight players or so from our roster at the Bejing Games, so we’ve been taking it steady as she goes,” Starkman said. “We’re taking the approach that it’ll take however much time it takes for us to become Team Canada. It’s a lengthy journey towards Milan and Cortina (Italy) in 2026, but this is a big first step and we’re happy with our development to date.”
With things as early as they are in the Paralympics quadrennial, there’s still lots of time for development and progression, with Starkman expecting to see more than one player on the ice in Moose Jaw also on the ice in Beijing.
“We’ll select the best players who we think will give us a chance at gold in Moose Jaw, and there will be players who will factor in much more substantially three or four years from now than they might at this particular event,” he said. “While our goal is to win gold, it’s still a development opportunity in the big picture going into 2026.”
The World Championships were first played in 1996 in Nynashamn, Sweden and have been to the United States in 2000 (Utah), 2008 (Marlborough, Mass.) and 2015 (Buffalo, N.Y.), with stops in Asia and Europe the other seven years it was played.
Like everyone involved in the program, Starkman is looking forward to seeing Team Canada play for a world medal on home ice.
“We’re really excited to be coming to Moose Jaw, we’re really looking forward to the World Championships coming to Canada for the first time and we couldn’t ask for a better place to host,” he said.
A major factor in playing in Moose Jaw and Canada in general is the overall development of the game. Starkman hopes potential players will see the sport live and in person and perhaps become interested in taking it up themselves.
“We really hope that with an opportunity for people to see the game played at the highest level that it inspires the next generation and we see more of an uptick in registration in Saskatchewan in the coming years,” he said.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to see the sport at this level and hopefully we have great local audiences to see the game, especially if they’re new and haven’t seen it before. And being on local time might make it easier for everyone to have a chance to check things out.’
For more on Hockey Canada’s Para Hockey program, be sure to visit www.hockeycanada.ca and click on the Para Hockey tab.
