Follow any international women's hockey tournament and one thing is constant -- plenty of current and former University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey players spread across any number of different national teams.

The start of the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship kicks off in Brampton, Ontario Wednesday, and the Bulldogs will continue their international presence with four current UMD players on rosters, and four former players for a total of eight players on seven different rosters. Three current Bulldogs will make repeat appearances in the tournament -- graduate goaltender Emma Soderberg (Sweden), graduate goaltender Blanka Skodova (Czech Republic), junior defenseman Nina Jobst-Smith (Germany). Graduate senior center Gabbie Hughes will make her debut with the U.S. National Team just days before she finds out if she is the Hockey Humanitarian winner Friday.

Four other former Bulldogs will suit up for four different countries – former UMD All-American defenseman Jocelyne Larocque (Canada), former All-American forward Lara Stalder (Switzerland), standout Katrina Mrazova (Czech Republic), and forward Marie Delarbre (Germany).

The tournament opens with Hughes, Larocque and Stalder hitting the ice today – Hughes and the U.S. takes on Japan at 2:00 p.m., and Canada and Larocque will face Stalder and Switzerland at 6:00 p.m. All games will be played at the CAA Centre.