Boston Pride forward Zoe Hickel will draw onto the U.S. National Team for the 2016 IIHF World Championship, USA Hockey announced Friday.
Hickel will replace Bemidji State’s Stephanie Anderson, who will be unavailable due to appendicitis. She underwent successful surgery Tuesday.
“This is unfortunate timing for Stephanie and the situation will prevent her from representing Team USA but Zoe has competed at this level and has been training and preparing for another opportunity to join the National Team,” said U.S. Women’s National Team general manager Reagan Carey.
Hickel was a part of the 2015 gold medal-winning U.S. team in Malmo, Sweden, and is only a week removed from the NWHL playoffs, so she should slot in seamlessly.
Hickel played for the Isobel Cup-champion Pride in the inaugural season of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) this year, the season after finishing a four-year career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. She finished the season with three goals and four assists through 15 games, adding a goal and three assists through four playoff matches.
The U.S. Team began pre-tournament camp in Everett, Washington on Friday. They will open the 2016 World Championship with a rematch of last year’s gold medal game against Canada on March 28.