PWHL Vancouver’s Hannah Miller relishing time at Canadian Olympic camp while awaiting IIHF ruling

As she sat on a plane bound for Hockey Canada’s orientation camp in Calgary at the end of the summer, Hannah Miller felt grateful.

Back in the Canadian senior national hockey team mix at age 29, after her hockey career has taken her across the globe, the PWHL Vancouver forward felt excited for the opportunity. Being one of 30 players chosen to try out for the Canadian Olympic team, the pinnacle of women’s hockey, means competing with the best every single day.

“I think that’s something that’s pretty special and doesn’t happen a lot of the time,” Miller said earlier this month in Toronto, where Hockey Canada held its second Olympic training block.

“Just trying to not take a drill for granted, basically, because it’s a pretty high pace. You should be able to learn something from every rep out there.”

But there was also uncertainty.

Six months ago, Miller made the Canadian world championship team. It would have been her first time playing in the red and white in more than a decade, when she competed on the Canadian Under-18 team.

Instead, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) deemed Miller ineligible to play for Canada at the world championship. Miller had competed with Chinese Olympic team, including at the 2022 Olympics, as that country tried to build its women’s hockey program.

“I’m not going to lie. It was tough,” Miller said about being deemed ineligible to play for Canada.

“I told myself during that whole process to try not to get my hopes up. But at the end of the day, it’s a pretty hard thing to do. I was honoured and excited to be named to the team, and was really looking forward to getting the opportunity to go to [the Czech Republic] and ultimately be with this group and try to help them win a gold medal.”

Waiting for answers

It seemed like Miller’s eligibility issue would be settled once two years had passed since she last played for the Chinese team, a bar she cleared after May 31. But there’s another hiccup. 

The issue is a clause that says you can’t transfer more than once to another country, according to Canadian GM Gina Kingsbury. In the eyes of Hockey Canada, Miller isn’t transferring. She’s asking to be reinstated to her home country, where she was born, previously competed for Canada and currently lives.

“That’s kind of the holdup is a rule that’s not clearly written in the bylaws but is explained on the [IIHF] website,” Kingsbury said. “We’re trying to get to the bottom of where does that rule really lie, and is this a transfer or reinstatement in her own country.”

Hockey Canada has filed an appeal with the IIHF. All that’s left to do is wait for a decision.

The uncertainty has left Miller in a unique position: working to make a team that she isn’t 100 per cent guaranteed to be allowed to play on yet.

“At the end of the day, it’s kind of out of my control,” Miller said. “It still is. Looking back, I made the decisions I did just based on the opportunities that were in front of me and what I thought was the best decision at that time for my career. That’s kind of where we’re at now is just taking it day by day and enjoying the process throughout this as well.”

A winding path

Miller’s journey to the PWHL and senior national team hasn’t been a straight one.

In addition to playing in China, Miller also played a season in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL).

She was drafted by Toronto in the 13th round (74th overall) of the PWHL’s inaugural draft, and ended up being a steal of a pick.

Last season, Miller finished second in team scoring on Toronto, with 24 points in 29 games. She’s established herself as the type of player who can do it all: kill penalties, snipe on the power play, and whatever else her coach asks of her. She can line up at centre or on the wing, top six or bottom six.

Her versatility earned her an invite to the team’s Olympic camp, even though her eligibility is up in the air.

“We were willing, with her agreement as well, to go through the process and hopefully in the end, she’s eligible and can be considered to be named to the team,” Kingsbury said. “We’re willing to work through that in the time frame that it takes to get that cleared up.”

In the past, it would be unlikely for a player to make the senior national team in her late 20s. But the PWHL has changed that, and given players like Miller a chance to prove they belong.

It’s also proof that there’s more than one way to get to the top.

“When I look back at my experience, I just wanted to be able to keep playing hockey for a living, no matter what that was,” Miller said. “I was willing to do anything. Now at 29, you can see it come full circle and it’s paying off.”

The Canadian team will have one more training block next month in Montreal, culminating in Rivalry Series games against the U.S. in Cleveland on Nov. 6 and Buffalo on Nov. 8.

Preparing for the PWHL

Players will then head to PWHL training camps. The league’s third season begins on Nov. 21.

Miller signed a three-year contract with her hometown team, PWHL Vancouver, during the off-season. The league’s two newest teams will debut on opening night of the PWHL season, with Vancouver hosting Seattle inside Pacific Coliseum.

The final two Rivalry Series games are set for Edmonton on Dec. 10 and 13, before Kingsbury, head coach Troy Ryan and the rest of the Canadian staff will have some hard decisions to make.

As Miller awaits a ruling from the IIHF, she’s trying not to worry about something she can’t control. She’s trying to focus on soaking up every day with the best players in the country.

“Regardless of what happens, this is incredible preparation for the PWHL season and for what’s to come, and a great experience getting to know this group of fantastic players but also incredible people,” she said.