Hannah Miller chose to reflect more on her selection to Canada's roster for the women's world hockey championship than the International Ice Hockey Federation rule that knocked her off it.
The 29-year-old forward from North Vancouver, 小蓝视频, was among 25 players named to the Canadian team March 21.
Canada opens defence of its gold medal April 10 against Finland in Ceske Budejovice, Czechia.
Miller would have represented Canada for the first time in over a decade, but she ran afoul of IIHF transfer rules. She was under contract to a club in another country less than two years ago.
Her 2022-23 season with China's KRS Shenzhen was over by March, but her contract didn't expire until May 31, 2023.
Hockey Canada included her in the 2025 world championship lineup, but because of the IIHF's two-year rule, Miller was replaced by Julia Gosling earlier this week.
"Extremely disappointed, but at the same time, honoured that I was named to that team," Miller said Thursday in Toronto.
Miller was aware when she was named to Canada's squad there was an eligibility hurdle, and that women's team general manager Gina Kingsbury was working on clearing it.
"She was fully transparent and honest with me that although we were feeling pretty confident 鈥� it ultimately had to go through the IIHF and it wasn't a 100 per cent green light," Miller said.
"Throughout this whole time, it's just been kind of a bit of a waiting game for me. I was trying my best not to really get my hopes up too much, but at the same time, I was very excited at the possibility to go and represent my country."
Miller was an intriguing selection as she hadn't worn the Maple Leaf since the women's world under-18 championships in 2013 and 2014.
She represented host China in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing and in a Division 1 world championship that year.
Miller played for Chinese clubs for most of five seasons, with a stint in the Swedish women's league, before becoming a foundational player in the Professional Women's Hockey League.
The five-foot-nine, 179-pound forward was signed to back-to-back, one-year contracts by the Toronto Sceptres.
Miller ranks second in points for the Sceptres this season with 10 goals and 14 assists in 26 games, and garnered the attention of Canadian team staff.
"I was a little surprised, but just ultimately proud. My journey, it's been a different route than most and just kind of proud how I've stuck with it," Miller said.
"Nobody has a crystal ball, right? You're kind of just going through life and taking opportunities as they come and in stride. My time overseas, before the PWHL, we didn't even have a league over here in North America.
"I don't regret any decisions I made. It was completely the right call for me to go over there and play. I wouldn't be the person or player I am right now without all of that. You can play that game about shoulda, woulda, coulda, but ultimately I kind of just made the decisions that were in front of me, and the opportunities that were presented to me."
Canada's head coach Troy Ryan, also head coach of the Sceptres, said Miller's size, versatility and two-way talent were the reasons for her initial selection to the national side.
"She's having a great year and deserves the recognition," Ryan said. "We named Hannah to the roster in the hopes that she could potentially be eligible."
As Miller watches Canada and seven Sceptres teammates attempt to defend gold in Czechia, she finds solace in her return to Hockey Canada's radar.
The IIHF's two-year timeline would no longer be a barrier to her inclusion on the Olympic team in 2026, but the IIHF also states a player can switch national eligibility just once in that player's career.
"All of that stuff is pretty much out of my control." Miller said. "I can collect the documents, collect the paperwork needed, present all the information. If I'm able to, whatever that looks like, go to a Hockey Canada camp and take those steps, then that's awesome.
"I am a Canadian. The dream is to play and represent your country. We'll see what happens. I'm just focused on playing hockey right now, on the PWHL and growing my game, getting better, and having a successful playoff run in the PWHL with the Sceptres."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2025.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
