BUFFALO, N.Y. — Harborcenter is anything but quiet in the early weeks of August. While the Buffalo Sabres are away, more than 100 of the best American women’s hockey players are taking the ice in hopes of making the national team rosters for their age groups ahead of the IIHF Women’s World Championships and Rivalry Series against Canada.

The World Championships in Denmark later this month will be head coach John Wroblewski’s first at the helm of the women’s program. The Neenah, W.I. native was most recently with the Los Angeles Kings organization but also headed up the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2016-20.

"We’re starting a new quad here,” told said ahead of the Red vs White O18 game on Wednesday. “By that, it’s a new Olympic, four-year program. I think we’re ready for the youth movement to take hold but we’re hoping — expecting — that the traditional old guard, a veteran group will shine through and not relinquish their jobs. So we’re expecting a lot of healthy competition.”

Wroblewski took over the aging program from Joel Johnson, who left after one year to coach at the University of St. Thomas. The senior stars of the women’s national program lost to Canada at the Beijing Winter Games in February and the World Championships last year, taking home back-to-back silver medals on the international stage.

Of the 116 women invited to the National Festival, seven are from Western New York: Emily Matheson, Hayley Scamurra and Maureen Murphy of Buffalo, Katy Knoll of Amherst, Haley Winn of Rochester, plus Natalie Buchbinder and Kiara Zanon of Fairport.

“It’s tremendous,” Wroblewski said of the local talent roster. “I think Scamurra, the headliner, I think she encompasses what an American hockey player is. She’s diligent, she’s strong, she’s fast. You know, she plays with a lot of pride. We’re lucky to have her, and she’s a stamp on the city of Buffalo.”

The three national rosters will be announced Sunday, August 14 by USA Hockey.