The 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship in Brampton, Ontario is sure to feature a ton of highlight-reel goals. And with the IIHF’s Inspire the Next campaign to turbocharge women’s hockey in full swing, it’s time to spotlight the top 10 active IIHF stickhandlers in the female game.
 
Lists like these can shift quickly.
 
In 2018, the U.S.’s now-retired Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson scored the spectacular shootout winner in the Olympic gold medal game with her signature “Oops! I Did It Again” move (named in honour of Britney Spears). Canada’s Melodie Daoust, whose last IIHF Women’s Worlds was her 2021 MVP outing, countered with a Peter Forsberg-style one-handed goal. If active, both women would likely contend for a top-10 spot this year.
 
Ask folks around the women’s hockey world and you’ll get love for the puckhandling prowess of Canada’s Sarah Nurse and Jamie Lee Rattray, the U.S.’s Amanda Kessel and Megan Keller, Finland’s Petra Nieminen, and Switzerland’s Alina Muller. Worthy candidates abound.
 
So who cracked our top-10 list for 2023? Read on to find out. Players are listed in alphabetical order. We’ve compiled a selection of stickhandling highlights from IIHF, college, and pro competition – as well as more informal settings.
 

Fanni Gasparics (HUN)

Fun fact: Fanni Gasparics is currently completing her Master’s degree in chemical engineering in her native Budapest. With seven points in eight career Women’s Worlds games, the Hungarian ace is also the offensive engine that has kept her underdog nation chugging along in the top division for a third consecutive year.

Admire Gasparics’ heads-up puckhandling as she scores a late goal versus Czechia at the 2021 Women’s Worlds in Calgary.
 

Caroline Harvey (USA)

At age 20, Caroline Harvey has already become an offensive leader on the U.S. blue line. Effortless skating is a calling card for this elite talent, who owns an Olympic silver medal and two IIHF Women’s Worlds silver medals.

Harvey also boasts amazing hands, as shown by this sweet backhand deke in the U.S.’s 10-1 opening win over Switzerland at the 2022 tournament in Denmark.
 

Taylor Heise (USA)

Taylor Heise has three IIHF U18 Women’s Worlds gold medals, but few foresaw the University of Minnesota star leading the IIHF Women’s Worlds in her 2022 debut with a whopping 18 points en route to MVP honours.

The Gophers senior, who won the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Award, maintained a torrid pace in NCAA play again this year. Enjoy Heise’s faked slap shot and toe drag leading to a playoff goal versus St. Thomas in February.
 

Rebecca Johnston (CAN)

Rebecca Johnston has experienced a renaissance since Troy Ryan took the reins as head coach of Team Canada in 2021. The speedy forward still has plenty to give at age 33.

Watch as Johnston, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, skates the length of the ice and splits the defence before scoring in PWHPA action.
 

Hilary Knight (USA)

In the 2010’s, Hilary Knight cemented her reputation as the top power forward in women’s hockey. The 2018 Olympic gold medalist and eight-time world champion now leads the IIHF Women’s Worlds in all-time goals (53). She’s also the all-time points leader (89).

As seen in this video featuring a Bosu balance trainer and a treadmill, Knight enjoys using innovative approaches to enhance her stickhandling skills.
 

Nela Lopusanova (SVK)

Nela Lopusanova exploded into the hockey world’s consciousness with her MVP offensive performance (9+3=12) at the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship in Sweden. The 14-year-old Lopusanova put on a stickhandling clinic, including multiple dazzling breakaway goals.

Naturally, the Zilina native’s big viral moment was this jaw-dropping goal versus Sweden. She became the first player ever to do the “Michigan” in an IIHF women’s hockey competition.
 

Sarah Nurse (CAN)

From setting a new single-Olympics scoring record (18 points) to gracing the cover of NHL 23 by EA Sports, 2022 was a big year for Sarah Nurse. The Canadian ace has kept her momentum going in 2023, including an appearance in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition in Florida.

Her one-handed goal against Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers, the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner, became the talk of Twitter.
 

Sarah Potomak (CAN)

It’s been a challenge for Sarah Potomak to stake out a roster spot on the Canadian national team. In fact, the nifty native of Aldergrove, British Columbia endured a five-year gap between her two IIHF Women’s Worlds appearances (2017, 2022).

Even though Potomak, 25, isn’t on the Brampton squad, she showcased her world-class dipsy-doodling on this goal in a 3-0 quarter-final win over Sweden in 2022.
 

Marie-Philip Poulin (CAN)

Still the consensus top player in women’s hockey, Marie-Philip Poulin will likely never be surpassed as the only skater – either female or male – to score in four Olympic gold medal games.

The Canadian captain showcased her Hall of Fame-worthy touch with this slick shootout tally in PWHPA play back in the fall.
 

Kirsten Simms (USA)

 The kids are all right. Like Nela Lopusanova, Kirsten Simms is a human highlight reel, showing how the next generation of women’s hockey stars will elevate stickhandling to a true art form. An admirer of Decker and Kane, the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s Worlds silver medalist has some of the filthiest moves you could ask for.

Last month, Simms potted the lone goal as her Wisconsin Badgers edged Ohio State 1-0 in the Frozen Four for a record-setting seventh national title. In February, the 18-year-old also scored the winner versus Ohio State (seen above) with a clever shootout dangle.