After helping British Columbia earn bronze at November's U18 nationals, Chloe Primerano (centre) aims to win gold with Canada at the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women's World Championship.
photo: Erica Perreaux / Hockey Canada Images
Chloe Primerano is big on firsts.
The dynamic 16-year-old defender from North Vancouver led the tournament scoring race when British Columbia won its first Canada Winter Games gold medal ever in women’s hockey in March. In 2022, she made history as the first female skater ever drafted by a WHL club. The Vancouver Giants took her in the 13th round (268th overall) and she has attended their training camp twice.
And the notion that Primerano could become the first blueliner to stand alone as an IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship tournament points leader isn’t inconceivable. (The U.S.’s Cayla Barnes finished in a four-way tie with six points in 2017.)
Primerano is poised to make her U18 Women’s Worlds debut in Zug, Switzerland when Canada opens against Germany on 6 January, 2024. The 173-cm phenom hopes it’s just the first of many IIHF tournaments to come for her.
“My goals are to go to the Olympics and play on the national team for a long time,” said Primerano, who also won bronze with British Columbia at November’s U18 nationals in Dawson Creek. “I want to play in the new pro league [PWHL] as well and play hockey as long as I can.”
The dynamic 16-year-old defender from North Vancouver led the tournament scoring race when British Columbia won its first Canada Winter Games gold medal ever in women’s hockey in March. In 2022, she made history as the first female skater ever drafted by a WHL club. The Vancouver Giants took her in the 13th round (268th overall) and she has attended their training camp twice.
And the notion that Primerano could become the first blueliner to stand alone as an IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship tournament points leader isn’t inconceivable. (The U.S.’s Cayla Barnes finished in a four-way tie with six points in 2017.)
Primerano is poised to make her U18 Women’s Worlds debut in Zug, Switzerland when Canada opens against Germany on 6 January, 2024. The 173-cm phenom hopes it’s just the first of many IIHF tournaments to come for her.
“My goals are to go to the Olympics and play on the national team for a long time,” said Primerano, who also won bronze with British Columbia at November’s U18 nationals in Dawson Creek. “I want to play in the new pro league [PWHL] as well and play hockey as long as I can.”
Chloe Primerano aspires to wear the Canadian uniform for many years
photo: © Hockey Canada Images
She’s already had a taste of performing for Canadian U18 head coach Tara Watchorn, who led all defenders in scoring at the inaugural 2008 U18 Women’s Worlds in Calgary and became an Olympic gold medalist in 2014. The 33-year-old bench boss’s Canadians swept the U18 Americans in a
three-game summer series in Lake Placid.
“She’s an amazing coach,” Primerano said. “She pushes us. At every practice, she gives us lots of tips. So I’m truly grateful for that.”
Primerano’s statistics are eye-popping. In 2022-23, she led Rink Hockey Academy (RHA) Kelowna with 20 goals and 48 points in 30 games. This season, she eclipsed those totals in less than half the number of games. She now tops the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) U18 women’s scoring parade.
three-game summer series in Lake Placid.
“She’s an amazing coach,” Primerano said. “She pushes us. At every practice, she gives us lots of tips. So I’m truly grateful for that.”
Primerano’s statistics are eye-popping. In 2022-23, she led Rink Hockey Academy (RHA) Kelowna with 20 goals and 48 points in 30 games. This season, she eclipsed those totals in less than half the number of games. She now tops the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) U18 women’s scoring parade.
If you believe that you learn from the best to be the best, Primerano is Exhibit A. Byron Ritchie, who played 332 NHL games, serves as her family advisor with Creative Artists Agency (CAA). He identified her as a unique talent with the Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 boys’ team, worked with her at RHA, and now billets her in Kelowna.
Primerano broke new ground as the first female skater ever to participate in the annual Creative Artists Agency (CAA) summer camp in Los Angeles. She hit the ice with the likes of WHL rookie of the year Ryder Ritchie and 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup points leader Berkly Catton. She also enjoyed honing her skills under Jim Hughes, the father of Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, her NHL idol.
Asked about what stands out most for Primerano, Ritchie said: “Her skating ability and edge work. At our camp, Jim Hughes was doing some D-specific skating drills. He came over to me and said: ‘Wow, she might be the best defensive skater out here.’ And her brain, she’s a hockey nerd. We watch hockey every night on TV. She understands what elite defenders do with their footwork on the blue line, with their retrievals, after they make their first pass, where they’re jumping into space to get the puck back. It’s because she studies the game.”
Primerano broke new ground as the first female skater ever to participate in the annual Creative Artists Agency (CAA) summer camp in Los Angeles. She hit the ice with the likes of WHL rookie of the year Ryder Ritchie and 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup points leader Berkly Catton. She also enjoyed honing her skills under Jim Hughes, the father of Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, her NHL idol.
Asked about what stands out most for Primerano, Ritchie said: “Her skating ability and edge work. At our camp, Jim Hughes was doing some D-specific skating drills. He came over to me and said: ‘Wow, she might be the best defensive skater out here.’ And her brain, she’s a hockey nerd. We watch hockey every night on TV. She understands what elite defenders do with their footwork on the blue line, with their retrievals, after they make their first pass, where they’re jumping into space to get the puck back. It’s because she studies the game.”
Primerano’s favourite movie is 2004’s Miracle, but her success stems from conscious effort rather than hoping for miracles. She has taken specific steps to level up her offensive game this year. She prefers a shorter Bauer hockey stick with a 55 flex, and she’s putting it to good use.
She also has a world-class women’s hockey role model who anchored Canada’s top defensive pairing with Jocelyne Larocque enroute to the 2022 Olympic gold medal and Women’s Worlds titles in 2021 and 2022.
“I admire Renata Fast,” Primerano said. “She’s an amazing defender. Really great defensively and offensively. She just drives the game. So I love watching her.”
With her skill, work ethic, and attention to detail, Primerano could soon be mentioned in the same breath as Canada’s Claire Thompson and the U.S.’s Caroline Harvey. Those two were named Best Defender at the 2022 Olympics and 2023 Women’s Worlds respectively.
She also has a world-class women’s hockey role model who anchored Canada’s top defensive pairing with Jocelyne Larocque enroute to the 2022 Olympic gold medal and Women’s Worlds titles in 2021 and 2022.
“I admire Renata Fast,” Primerano said. “She’s an amazing defender. Really great defensively and offensively. She just drives the game. So I love watching her.”
With her skill, work ethic, and attention to detail, Primerano could soon be mentioned in the same breath as Canada’s Claire Thompson and the U.S.’s Caroline Harvey. Those two were named Best Defender at the 2022 Olympics and 2023 Women’s Worlds respectively.
Canada’s Chloe Primerano has a powerful shot
photo: © Hockey Canada Images
“She’s so driven to be the best,” Ritchie said. “She’s at the academy all day, on the ice for over two hours and the gym for over an hour. She does her off-ice skills and goes to school. When she gets home, she’s got my [10-year-old son] in the garage after dinner shooting pucks, working on stickhandling or pass reception. She lives the game.”
“Around peewee or bantam hockey, I started working out a lot more, lifting weights, taking the gym just as seriously as the ice,” Primerano added. “I think it's extremely important to be able to go out there and perform as a strong and well-conditioned athlete.”
Her bright future includes committing to the University of Minnesota for 2025-26. Primerano, whose favourite subjects include science and social studies, doesn’t know yet what she’ll study. But she’s looking forward to playing on the Golden Gophers with Gracie Graham, her D partner with RHA.
Still, right now, the focus is squarely on Canada’s quest for its first U18 Women’s Worlds three-peat since 2012-14. Primerano celebrates her 17th birthday on 2 January. A first-rate performance by this budding superstar could help the Canadians celebrate first place again.
“Around peewee or bantam hockey, I started working out a lot more, lifting weights, taking the gym just as seriously as the ice,” Primerano added. “I think it's extremely important to be able to go out there and perform as a strong and well-conditioned athlete.”
Her bright future includes committing to the University of Minnesota for 2025-26. Primerano, whose favourite subjects include science and social studies, doesn’t know yet what she’ll study. But she’s looking forward to playing on the Golden Gophers with Gracie Graham, her D partner with RHA.
Still, right now, the focus is squarely on Canada’s quest for its first U18 Women’s Worlds three-peat since 2012-14. Primerano celebrates her 17th birthday on 2 January. A first-rate performance by this budding superstar could help the Canadians celebrate first place again.