| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Hockey Canada's women's national champions |
| Country | Canada |
| History | |
| First award | 1982 |
| Editions | 27 |
| Final award | 2008 |
| First winner | Agincourt Canadians |
| Most wins | Team Québec (5) Toronto Aeros (5) |
| Most recent | Mississauga Chiefs |
Hockey Canada's Women's National Championship for the Abby Hoffman Cup,[1] sometimes known as the Esso Women's Nationals for sponsorship reasons,[2] was a senior ice hockey championship from 1982 to 2008. The first edition was hosted in Brantford, Ontario from 1-4 April 1982 (originally known as the Shoppers Drug Mart Women's Nationals).
The competition typically featured nine or ten teams, mostly the provincial champions but also sometimes provincial all-star teams or a local host team. The winners won the Abby Hoffman Cup with gold medals, the runners up won the Fran Rider Cup with silver medals, and the third-place team won the Maureen McTeer Trophy with bronze medals. The Abby Hoffman Cup was donated by the Ontario Women's Hockey Association.
From 1982 to 2003, the teams were split into two somewhat even groups for round-robin play before the knockout games and the ranking or medal games. From 2004 to 2007, the teams were split into two distinct groups from which all five Pool A teams advanced to the knockout phase with only the Pool B winners. In 2008, the last year for the competition, the teams were again slit into two distinct groups, but only the four Pool A teams played for medals (CWHL and WWHL teams)[3] while the four Pool B teams played for a B title.[4]