CALGARY – Hockey season is here for the University of Calgary Dinos, as the 2025-26 campaign gets underway this weekend.

The Dinos women's hockey team opens the conference season on the road with a trip to Regina for two games against the Cougars.

As is the case with the start of any new season, there is plenty of optimism in the Calgary locker room as they head into the first two games of their 28-game league slate.

"We're excited to build off of last year," Dinos third-year head coach Josh Gosling said. "Obviously last year wasn't what we wanted. We had a pretty young lineup and we had a lot of younger players playing higher situations. We're hoping that a year of growth and a year of development and understanding our league is going to allow us to take that step and allow them to take that step in their development."

The Dinos were certainly a young team a season ago. Of the 116 points scored for Calgary during last year's regular season, 65 percent came from athletes in the first three years of the program.

Fast forward to this season, and Calgary brings back 83% of its point scorers from a season ago.

Through preseason competition, it certainly looks like the Dinos have made some strides, going 4-1 overall and outscoring their opponents by an impressive 21-12 margin.

"I think they came into the season ready," Gosling said. "We put a big focus on off-ice development throughout the summer. We put a big focus on trying to find another gear, and as of right now, they've come into the season ready and they're excited to get going. I think everybody was a little bit disappointed last year and we're eager to get going to fix that.

"It's a village mentality. Everybody has to be pulling the rope the right way."

After graduating just three players from last year's roster, there wasn't a massive need for Gosling to bring in a huge recruiting class. Hence, this year's team will feature just four newcomers – three rookies and one transfer. 

The first years are Mackenzie Galick, Maisie Cope and Alyssa Barrette. Galick and Cope both come to Calgary from B.C. and played together at the Delta Hockey Academy. Galick is a 5-foot-2 defender, while Cope is a 5-foot-6 goaltender. Meanwhile, Barrette is also a goalie who played for the Calgary Northwest Bruins – a boys team – a season ago, where she posted a 9-3-4-1 record with a 0.923 save percentage.

Both Cope and Barrette figure to see time between the posts this season, joining Amelia Awad as the goalies on this year's roster. Awad – a fourth year from Halifax – started all but two games a season ago, collecting eight wins with a 2.75 goals-against average.

"Whoever is going to take the ropes and whoever is going to play is going to play," Gosling said. "If all three are playing well, all three will get looks. But at the end of the day, it's going to be completely up to them."

In addition to the three rookies, Alex Spence has transferred into UCalgary after graduating from crosstown Mount Royal. The 5-foot-3 defender from Lloydminster, Alta., has one year of eligibility remaining and will add a veteran presence to this year's defensive unit after playing in 113 total games for the Cougars over the past four seasons, tallying 28 points along the way.

"I think I'm most excited about the compete level that all four bring in," Gosling said of his newcomers. "The three incoming rookies all have played at a high-end program. They are detailed and very competitive. Spence coming over – again, another high compete player. I think we're excited just in terms of the level of competition we've added to the program."

One more key addition Gosling made in the offseason was hiring Mackenzie Ebel to the staff. A native of Airdrie, Alta., Ebel played collegiately for Princeton University and played two years professionally before turning her attention to coaching.

"Mackenzie brings a ton of energy," Gosling said. "She's got a very good outlook. She's a very smart hockey mind and she's got a personality that I think the team really appreciates."

A year after being in the West Division in Canada West's new conference alignment, the Dinos now move to the East Division this season. Calgary will be grouped with Mount Royal, Manitoba, Regina and Saskatchewan – meaning they will play each of those teams at least four times over the course of the year. The top three teams from each division will once again advance to this year's postseason.

Calgary's home opener will come next weekend, hosting Mount Royal Saturday (Oct. 11) at 5 p.m. from Father David Bauer Arena.

-UC-