Canadian Danielle Serdachny heads into first women’s world hockey championship with assist from Sarah Fillier

Team Canada’s Danielle Serdachny will begin her first women’s world hockey championship in Brampton on Wednesday, but she isn’t nervous.

In fact, the rookie winger sounds confident having already scored some important goals in the Rivalry Series against the United States and earned a nomination for the top individual award in NCAA women’s hockey — the Patty Kazmaier Award, won by Toronto’s Sophie Jaques.

The 21-year-old Serdachny, who stars for Colgate University and led the NCAA in scoring this past season with 71 points, has also learned a lot in a short time with help from teammate Sarah Fillier, who travelled the same path that Serdachny is on now.

“We actually travel together, which is great, and I had a whole bunch of questions coming in. So it was awesome having someone (about) the same age who has been through it all,” she said of Fillier.

Fillier, 22, was invited to the national team centralization camp in May 2021, made the 2022 Olympic team (finishing with 11 points in seven games en route to the gold medal in Beijing) and has been touted as Canada’s next superstar, one of the top young talents in the world.

Born in Brampton — which is hosting the worlds at the CAA Centre through April 16 — Fillier has the green light from head coach Troy Ryan to use every trick in her skill set to score. And she has some advice for Serdachny.

“I would just be a sponge,” Fillier said. “Coming in as a rookie on the national team, there’s not a ton of pressure or expectations, but you should be a sponge, absorb the experience and absorb what the coaches are telling you, what their teaching points are.

“It really is the first step in her long road with the national team, and it’s exciting to see her come in and play with a ton of confidence. And she looks like she just has fun out there, and that’s exciting to see.”

The Edmonton-born Serdachny was voted ECAC player of the year twice in three seasons at Colgate. She’s also the first all-American in the school’s Division I history, a three-time conference all-academic selection and an active volunteer in the community in Hamilton, N.Y.

Her dad Steve is a hockey skills coach who works with the Edmonton Oilers. Mom Debra manages the business side of the family’s hockey school.

“My dad has a huge impact on the ice. And my mom, she doesn’t get enough credit for all she does off the ice, from driving us to practice to anything — me and my three siblings,” Serdachny said about growing up with brother Noah (20) and sisters Brooke (24) and Maya (18). “We’re all hockey players. So, as you can imagine, it was very busy.”

How the Canadian forwards will line up won’t be finalized until Wednesday, when Canada takes on Switzerland. Fillier, named one of the team captains after a 37-point season at Princeton, could be reunited with veteran Natalie Spooner, who is returning to the lineup four months after becoming a mother. Serdachny says she’s eager to play with whichever linemates the coach chooses.

“I’m a newcomer on the team, but it definitely doesn’t feel like that,” Serdachny said. “The girls have been super welcoming to me, very supportive. And as far as on the ice, I feel good. But I’m a newcomer, and that’s OK, too.”