PWHL Star Taylor Heise gets ready with Team USA for IIHF Women’s World Championship

Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise and other PWHL stars are gearing up for the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Ceske Budejovice, in southern Czechia. A Minnesota native, Heise will be skating for Team USA for the third consecutive year. She won gold with the squad in 2023.

Heise, a Walter Cup champion, is among 16 PWHL players selected to represent the USA at the tournament. Additionally, 18 other league players were also named to international rosters. The tournament begins tomorrow and runs through April 20.

Grace Zumwinkle (left), Abbey Murphy (center), Taylor Heise (right)/ via Instagram /@taylorheise9)

Heise shared a photo of herself with Team USA friends Grace Zumwinkle and Abbey Murphy, who donned their team sweaters to represent their country. Like Heise, Zumwinkle is also from Minnesota and plays for the Frost.

Murphy was a part of the gold-medal winning team with Heise, but does not currently play in the PWHL.

While the ladies smile for the camera, they play with grit and competitiveness on the ice. They aim to bounce back from last year’s loss in the final when Canada defeated Team USA 6-5 in overtime. Some familiar veterans playing for Team Canada this year include Montréal Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens between the pipes and Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner.

Natalie Spooner winning gold with Canada, Winter Olympics Day 13 - Source: Getty

Eight other countries, including Czechia, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Norway and Sweden, will participate in the tournament, in addition to the USA and Canada.

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Taylor Heise Among PWHL Stars Exploring Prague Ahead of Women's World Championships

Some familiar faces of the PWHL, including Taylor Heise and Natalie Spooner, are gearing up for the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia. The annual international tournament begins on Wednesday.

Last Friday, Heise, Natalie Spooner and a bevy of PWHL stars explored Prague, capturing the moments on their Instagram stories.

Emma Maltais views menu at Terasa U Prince in Prague (via Instagram/@taylorheise9)

Heise shared a snippet of Canadian forward Emma Maltais, who plays for the Toronto Sceptres, viewing the menu at Terasa U Prince, a bar and grill in Prague.

Spooner visits Prague Orloj (via Instagram/@natspooner5)

The captain of the Sceptres, Spooner, visited the magnificent Prague Orloj, also known as the Prague astronomical clock.

Sarah Nurse and Brianne Jenner in Tábor (via Instagram /@ambrose_13) / PWHL Stars at John Lennon Wall (via Instagram /@emmamaltais17, @pou29)

Canadian defender for the Victoire, Erin Ambrose, snapped footage of fellow countrywomen Sarah Nurse and Brianne Jenner in Tábor, a picturesque city south of Prague.

Maltais also added a photo of her, Spooner and Kristin O'Neill—of the Montréal Victoire—visiting the John Lennon Wall, a legal and historic graffiti wall in Prague.