Brief
Hockey Canada says Sarah Nurse unable to attend national camp
The organization said Nurse did not decline the invite but was unavailable, prompting a roster change ahead of the world championship.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Hockey Canada clarified on Saturday that forward Sarah Nurse did not decline an invitation to the national team’s camp ahead of the upcoming women’s world championship, but was unable to attend, the Canadian Press reported.
What happened
The camp began on Thursday at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City with a roster of 48 invited players. Nurse, a three‑time Olympian, was among those named on September 28. By Friday, the organization announced that college forward Alexia Aubin would replace Nurse, citing “circumstances that have changed” since the original roster was released.
What the reports add
Initially, a Hockey Canada spokesperson told reporters that Nurse had declined the invite, but the later clarification corrected that statement, emphasizing that Nurse was simply unavailable. The Vancouver Goldeneyes, Nurse’s PWHL team, and the player’s agent did not provide further details, and a message left with the agent went unanswered.
What was said
Team general manager Daniele Sauvageau told reporters at camp, “There may be circumstances that have changed between when we announced the team and now, leading to the replacement.” The spokesperson’s earlier email said the organization respected Nurse’s decision, but the updated comment stressed her inability to attend.
How it came about
Nurse missed almost eight weeks of the Goldeneyes’ inaugural PWHL season after an arm injury in the season opener, where she scored the franchise’s first goal. Her absence from camp follows that injury‑related layoff and precedes the selection of the 25‑player world championship squad from the camp participants.
Key facts
- Sarah Nurse was unable to attend the national team camp, not that she declined the invitation. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Alexia Aubin was named as Nurse's replacement for the camp. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The camp is being held at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City with 48 invited players. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Nurse missed eight weeks of the Goldeneyes’ season due to an arm injury. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “Hockey Canada clarifies that Nurse didn't decline invite, she's unable to attend camp”
