Hockey Canada asks who gets to choose who wears the Maple Leaf?

Hockey Canada and USA Hockey are entangled in an ongoing legal dispute with the International Ice Hockey Federation over commercial rights and jersey branding. After the national federations lost a Swiss court case in September seeking to protect their commercial autonomy, simplified, generic jerseys reading only "Canada" and "USA" were unveiled for the Women's World Championships in Denmark.

The Province reports that the dispute stems from the IIHF's efforts to control domestic merchandising rights, which traditionally belonged to national governing bodies. The article also highlights uncertainty regarding the IIHF's uniform partnership with True Hockey, noting that the newly revealed tournament uniforms completely lack manufacturer branding.