Galandy named MVP during silver medal at World Championship

By Melissa Piche Times Contributor

For most athletes, stepping onto the ice to represent their country is a lifelong dream, one earned through years of discipline, sacrifice and unwavering passion. 

For Tessa Galandy, that moment arrived this year at the World Ringette Championships in Finland, where she and Junior National Team Canada captured silver in an intense international showdown. 

Though proud of her team’s achievement, Galandy admits the result is still settling in.

“Right now, it’s still a bit of a sore spot,” she said. “But I’m really proud of everyone. And I’m proud of how hard we worked. I know down the road, I will feel better about it.”

Representing Canada on a world stage brought a wave of emotions. For Galandy, the magnitude of the moment struck her the second her skates hit the ice. 

“It was kind of surreal for me,” she said. “It was probably the best experience of my life up until this point, that’s the moment that I’ve been waiting for, for the past 10 years.” 

Among the unforgettable highlights was a special on-ice moment with long time teammate Dylan Pighin, whom Galandy has played with for seven seasons. In one of the team’s early games, both players created scoring opportunities for each other, an experience she called especially meaningful. 

“She assisted my goal and I assisted her goal, and I think it was just special for us to have that moment on the international stage,” she said.

Although this wasn’t her first time facing elite competition, having played on the national team two years ago, Finland still presented new challenges. Galandy said that facing familiar opponents helped Team Canada prepare. 

“Some of the Finnish girls that were on that U18 team, made the U21 team,” she explained. “So, we knew on some level what we were expecting and not just going in and being blind to what the competition looks like.”

Galandy emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest standouts, earning Overall Tournament MVP. The moment, however, was overshadowed by the team’s emotional post-game atmosphere. 

“I think I was just more, taking in being there with the team after the loss,” she said. “But I am super, super grateful. I think part of why I had such a good performance was the support from my teammates, my coaching staff, (and) my parents, being in an environment that allowed me to perform so well.”

Looking ahead, Galandy is already focused on the next chapter; earning a spot on Canada’s senior national team. With the next world championship set for 2027 in New Brunswick, she’s driven by unfinished business. 

“I don’t want another silver medal,” she said. “I want to represent my country again, and I want to work my butt off to make sure that we can get the best outcome that we can.”