Peninsula乌鸦传媒檚 homegrown talent, Micah Zandee-Hart, is returning to New York with a silver medal from the 2025 IIHF Women乌鸦传媒檚 World Hockey Championship, held in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.

While the ultimate goal after every international tournament is to bring home gold, Zandee-Hart was quick to acknowledge that silver still carries weight.

乌鸦传媒淲hen you represent Canada in hockey, you want to come home with a gold medal,乌鸦传媒� said the 28-year-old blueliner. 乌鸦传媒淪o it乌鸦传媒檚 easy to look at the colour of our medal and feel like the tournament was a bit of a disappointment, but that乌鸦传媒檚 not really the case overall.乌鸦传媒�

Zandee-Hart recorded one goal and one assist in seven games during the tournament. Her goal against Switzerland marked the first international goal of her career.

But her journey with Team Canada began long ago when she first represented the country at the 2014 U18 Women乌鸦传媒檚 World Hockey Championship. Since then, she has played 62 games wearing the Canadian maple leaf, growing alongside some of the sport乌鸦传媒檚 most iconic figures.

乌鸦传媒淲hen I look back, I realize that players like Marie-Philip Poulin, Brianne Jenner, and Jocelyne Larocque kind of raised me in a sense,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭hey taught me what it meant to be a champion 乌鸦传媒� the habits, the little things you do every day 乌鸦传媒� knowing that you're not always going to come out on top, but it乌鸦传媒檚 about the next time we represent Canada.乌鸦传媒�

The Canada-U.S. rivalry remains one of the fiercest in all of sports, and Zandee-Hart has seen it evolve 乌鸦传媒� especially with the rise of the Professional Women乌鸦传媒檚 Hockey League (PWHL).

As a member of the New York Sirens, she illustrated how playing alongside teammates, such as Alex Carpenter, during the PWHL season and then facing them internationally adds a new layer to the experience.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a lot of energy, a lot of nerves, and whether it乌鸦传媒檚 hockey or any sport, we definitely feel the Canada乌鸦传媒揢SA rivalry,乌鸦传媒� she explained. 乌鸦传媒淚 play with Alex every day, and then I go and play against her. That乌鸦传媒檚 definitely changed the dynamic.乌鸦传媒�

As Zandee-Hart continues to carve out her professional career, the PWHL乌鸦传媒檚 recent announcement of a Vancouver franchise struck a personal chord.

乌鸦传媒淲hen I heard that yesterday, I almost teared up thinking about the fact that we have a professional women乌鸦传媒檚 hockey team in Vancouver,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淕irls can go to the rink, check out a practice, and connect with the team."

For Zandee-Hart, the expansion of women乌鸦传媒檚 professional hockey, alongside a growing wave of girls entering the sport, marks a new and promising chapter.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 everything for young girls to be able to watch games regularly and think, 乌鸦传媒業 could do that someday,乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淲hen I was growing up, I never thought that would be possible, but now it乌鸦传媒檚 becoming a reality for them.乌鸦传媒�

Though she is now playing in her second season with the Sirens, Zandee-Hart乌鸦传媒檚 connection to Vancouver Island remains strong.

Last summer, she returned to skate at the Panorama Recreation Centre 乌鸦传媒� her old home rink. Her name now sits in the arena乌鸦传媒檚 main entrance alongside other notable Peninsula Eagles alumni, including Jamie Benn, Jordie Benn, and Matt Irwin.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e been back to Panorama a couple of times now, and skating on that ice again was surreal,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 funny because I never thought I乌鸦传媒檇 be on the board as a notable Peninsula Eagles alum, but here I am.乌鸦传媒�

She hopes her story will inspire not just the next generation of athletes but anyone who finds value in being part of a community and pursuing what they love.

乌鸦传媒淚 didn乌鸦传媒檛 have someone to look up to in my sport growing up, but I hope to be that person for someone else,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚f I can get kids involved in the game and help them experience all the benefits I乌鸦传媒檝e gotten from it, that乌鸦传媒檚 the coolest thing to me.乌鸦传媒�

Now, Zandee-Hart turns her focus back to the Sirens as they continue to fight for a spot in the PWHL postseason.

New York乌鸦传媒檚 next game is set for Sunday, April 27, against the Minnesota Frost.

Sitting six points back of the final playoff spot, the Sirens are in must-win mode. They'll need to sweep their remaining three games 乌鸦传媒� and get help from elsewhere 乌鸦传媒� if they hope to clinch their first postseason appearance.