The 2025 USA-Canada Rivalry Series is upon us. Both nations have revealed their rosters ahead of the first game, which will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 6, in Cleveland, Ohio, at Rocket Arena. Several players in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) will be playing in the series, including five from the New York Sirens.
O’Brien Is the Sole Sirens Representative for the U.S.
Although the team is based in the United States, only one of the Sirens’ five players in the Rivalry Series is American. This honor is bestowed upon Casey O’Brien. This will be her first Rivalry Series.
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O’Brien also has yet to play for the Sirens. She was selected third overall by the Sirens after New York traded defender Ella Shelton to the Toronto Sceptres in exchange for their first-round pick. She played in both the 2023-24 and the 2024-25 Rivalry Series. Amongst the two series, she played in three games total but did not record any points. O’Brien also played in the 2024 Six Nations Tournament, where she scored one goal and recorded one assist.
Four Sirens Players Will Represent Canada
The four players that will represent Canada all have a wide variety of positions they play: two forwards, one defender, and one goaltender.
Sarah Fillier was a strong and important part of the Sirens’ core last season, and she will continue to provide an important presence at the Rivalry Series. She has a laundry list of national team appearances, including three past Rivalry Series.
In her first season in the PWHL, Fillier won several awards, such as Rookie of the Year, First All-Star Team, and All-Rookie Team. She also tied with Hilary Knight for the PWHL Points Leader Award. Filler was a great player already, but she really stepped it up in the PWHL. We’ll see what experiences Fillier takes with her from the PWHL into the Rivalry Series.
Kristin O’Neill was recently traded to the Sirens during the PWHL Draft. While she hasn’t played with New York yet, she has a lot of experience in both the PWHL and the Canadian National Team. O’Neill spent the first two seasons of the PWHL playing with Montreal. On top of this, she has participated as a member of Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship since 2020-21. This will be the first time she plays in a Rivalry Series, but her experience with Team Canada in the past will prepare her for this opportunity.
Defender Micah Zandee-Hart is no stranger to the Rivalry Series, partaking in four throughout her hockey career. Since 2014, she has played with the Canadian National Team when she was with the under-18 (U-18) group. While she has clearly grown out of the U-18 group, 10-plus years of playing on the Canadian National team will benefit the team greatly.
Kayle Osborne will also be in the lineup for Team Canada as a goaltender. She had a powerful performance in her first season in the PWHL, recording a shutout in just her second full game with the team. She will have to step up for New York in the upcoming season, as both Corinne Schroeder and Abby Levy have gone to different teams. While the Sirens have just selected Kaley Doyle and signed Callie Shanahan, Osborne will have to show these two rookies the ropes. Hopefully, she’ll pick up a thing or two from Emerance Maschmeyer and Eve Gascon in the Rivalry Series.
The 2025 USA-Canada Rivalry Series Is One to Watch
Just like in the past, the 2025 USA-Canada Rivalry Series is shaping up to be a great one. Two days after the first game, Game 2 will be played in KeyBank Arena in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday, Nov. 8.
The series will conclude in Canada in December, where the two teams will play in Edmonton on Dec. 10 and Dec. 13. The PWHL will take a week-long break while the Rivalry Series concludes in Canada.
This series will also help the two nations determine who will represent the U.S. and Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, from Feb. 6 through Feb. 22.
