Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, France was the first nation to announce its women’s ice hockey roster. The nation is extremely proud of the team, which has been in the works since 2022. “Through this journey towards the Olympics, we’ve also gained the experience of playing high-stakes matches together. It’s a strong group where everyone knows their role and place, and beyond our differences, we unite around a shared passion and objective,” said head coach Grégory Tarlé.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Women’s Hockey Tournament
The country’s roster is chock-full of talented athletes who play all over the world. There is both a strong veteran presence on the team and a wealth of younger talent from the NCAA. Among the depth of talent, three players stand out as ones to keep an eye on through the tournament.
Alice Philbert
Quebecois goaltender Alice Philbert is an elite talent with a unique journey to success in the hockey world. She made a name for herself at the college level, playing with the Concordia Stingers in Canada’s USports division. She won the USports championship in 2022, where she recorded seven shutouts in her last 10 games. Throughout her time in college, she had a 1.65 goals-against average (GAA) and an astounding .930 save percentage (SV%).
The French national team knew they wanted Philbert on their roster ahead of the Olympics. After her college career ended, she was approached by the French Hockey Federation and told she needed to play at least two seasons in the country to be eligible. She took the offer and joined the Lions of Wasquehal — a men’s hockey team — and became their starting goaltender.
She has most recently been playing in Italy with the EV Bozen Eagles, where she has started 16 games this season. Her success continues with the team, as she has a 1.55 GAA and a .936 SV%. She will be a force to be reckoned with in the Olympic tournament and should be a challenging puzzle for opponents to solve.
Estelle Duvin
Estelle Duvin is one of the more seasoned players on France’s roster. At 28, she brings a wealth of experience at many different levels of hockey and has been representing her home country in international tournaments since 2011-12. She is an astounding offensive performer. Since graduating from college in 2020 and beginning her professional career, there has not been one season in which she has averaged less than a point per game.
In fact, Duvin often averages nearly two points per game. This season alone, she has amassed 46 points in 26 games with SC Bern Frauen. This is her third season with the Swiss squad, and she has accumulated 167 points in her time there. She has appeared in numerous international competitions, including the Women’s World Championship, with France. She is sure to be a player that opponents will want to stop and one that fans will love to cheer for.
Jade Barbirati
Quinnipiac forward Jade Barbirati is a fast, high-scoring skater. She is young, just 22, but has achieved incredible success in her four years at the college level. Her best season came in 2023-24 with the John Cabot College Islanders. She tallied 57 points (23 goals, 34 assists) in 30 games. This season with Quinnipiac, she has nine points (four goals, five assists) in 13 games.
The Olympics will be the seventh time she has joined Team France for a tournament, either at the junior or adult level. It is rare that Barbirati lets a game pass by without registering at least one point, and she tends to be a playmaker. She will be the perfect addition to the Olympic roster and will more than likely etch her name on the scoresheet with high frequency.
These are just three among the highly talented French roster who will make massive contributions to the team as they look for the quarterfinals and, ultimately, a gold medal. The French team is in Group B, meaning they will face Sweden, Germany, Italy, and Japan to make it to the quarterfinals. They begin their chase on Feb. 5 against the host country. Quarterfinals begin on Feb. 13.
