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Grande Prairie's Taylor Wasylchew (#5) and her teammates on the Red Deer Chiefs will play in Saturday's gold medal game at the Esso Cup. (Image Credit: Hockey Canada/Facebook.)

By Curtis Galbraith

Hockey

Two Grande Prairie players to go for gold at Esso Cup

Apr 24, 2026 | 5:11 PM

Two players from Grande Prairie are taking part in the Esso Cup, the national championship for U18 women’s hockey teams, and both have a chance to win the gold medal.

Defender Taylor Wasylchew and forward Kasey McLeod are both with the Red Deer Chiefs.

Red Deer beat the Atlantic Canada representative, the Northern Selects, 7-4 in one of the semi-final games on Friday, April 24.

The gold medal game will start at 3 p.m. Alberta time on Saturday, April 25. The schedule and updated scores can be found here.

Grande Prairie’s Kasey McLeod (#16) and the rest of the Red Deer Chiefs play for gold on Saturday at the Esso Cup. (Image Credit: Hockey Canada/Facebook.)

Red Deer finished in first place in the preliminary round with four regulation-time wins and another victory in overtime.

Wasylchew had the game-winning goal in a 3-1 win over the Stoney Creek Sabres from Ontario in the final preliminary round game on Thursday. She has recorded a goal and an assist in the tournament. McLeod has three assists.

The 2026 Esso Cup is being played in Dieppe, New Brunswick.

Two players from Grande Prairie were part of the 2025 Esso Cup champions.

by Curtis Galbraith