Hanna Bunton One of Canada's Brightest and Best Young Women's Hockey Players

One of the elite competitors in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Hanna Bunton always gives her team an opportunity to win.

Coming off a 2010-11 season where she helped Belleville win the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League East championship, she was promoted to the Whitby Wolves of the PWHL, which was a personal adjustment for the elite forward.

"It is different," she said. "It is a much faster game than midget. You had to adjust quickly."

Another aspect of that adjustment involved the travel time. Although she competes for Whitby, Bunton still resides in Belleville, which is 139.3 km away.

"That was a big adjustment. We used to drive at most, 15 minutes to practice. Now, we drive over one hour for practice. It is a big adjustment with school work. Having that time to yourself, it is really fun."

Bunton certainly had no difficulty adjusting statistically.

During the 2011-12 PWHL season, she ranked second overall in rookie scoring with 36 points (on 19 goals and 17 assists, respectively). She led Whitby in goals scored along with power-play goals and game-winning goals.

Despite the superlative performance, Bunton approaches it with remarkable humility.

"I was impressed with my performance in my rookie season. Honestly, my teammates were amazing. Those things would never have happened without them."

In November 2012, Bunton (along with Wolves teammates Alex Moore and Nicole Martindale) claimed the bronze medal with Team Ontario Red at the 2012 Canadian National Under-18 championships. Three of her Whitby teammates (Hailey Noronha, Lauren E. Williams and Krista Yip-Chuck) played for the gold medal-winning Team Ontario Blue.

She said this about the tournament: "They are positive rivalries. All the players have a lot to offer. We support them and they support us. There were no hard feelings after the tournament."

With Whitby having contributed so many stars to both Ontario teams, the talent-heavy squad is a contender to compete for a league title. Bunton certainly sees strong leadership qualities emanating from such an impressive roster of talent.

"The team is full of leaders. Everyone has taken on different leadership roles, including players such as Alex and Nicole. We are full of leaders, which is good for the younger players"

Like other athletes, Bunton has a pregame custom. "I started taping my stick two to three years ago. Now, it is just something that I have to do. It does not feel right, if I do not do it."

Starting in the autumn of 2013, Bunton will be bringing her remarkable skills to Ithaca, New York to compete for the national powerhouse Cornell Big Red.

"I am really excited. The coaching staff and the players are so good. It is an exciting environment."

Already featuring talent such as Cassandra Poudrier, Morgan Richardson and Jillian Saulnier, the Cornell team has a strong future with Bunton on her way.

With Wolves teammate Alex Moore, she will be competing for Canada at the 2013 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championships in Finland.

Of note, her first experience donning the Team Canada jersey was in a three-game exhibition series in August 2011. Contested in Rockland, Ontario, Bunton was on the Canadian Under-18 squad that competed against the United States Under-18s.

For Bunton, it was a momentous occasion in her young career.

"It was an honor to wear the Team Canada jersey," she said.

Her experience in Finland adds to an already impressive international hockey resume. In July 2011, she attended the IIHF High Performance Women’s Camp in Bratislava, Slovakia. While she played peewee hockey in Belleville, she had the opportunity to play against Iceland’s National Women’s Team.

The opportunity to play for Canada at the 2013 IIHF Under-18 Worlds is one that Bunton will relish.

"Yes, I am really excited and honored to wear the Team Canada jersey for the third time. The team is looking is really good this year, and I am looking forward to bringing home the gold," she proudly proclaimed.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise indicated.