NFL
The Montréal Victoire are fresh off of their 2026 Championship win, having hoisted the Walter Cup for the first time in franchise history on May 20th. It was, without a doubt, a true test of mental and physical strength, and many professional players opt to skate through any ailments for a chance to compete for the Cup. Marie-Philip Poulin is one such woman.
Poulin played through a torn ACL and meniscus while leading her team as captain. She revealed she will be undergoing surgery in July and be out indefinitely. Poulin released a letter on her Instagram detailing her injury and her determination to return to the ice.
How serious are these injuries?
Poulin’s original knee injury occurred in February 2026, at the Olympics after taking a hit from Czech forward Kristýna Kaltounková. It was aggravated further by a collision with Boston Fleet forward Shay Maloney on March 15, resulting in Poulin being placed on LTIR and 10 missed games.
The knee in general is a key joint in the hockey world, bearing the majority of strain for skaters. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries can vary in severity, but in Poulin’s case, a tear requiring surgery can put the average person in recovery anywhere from 9 to 12 months, possibly longer. ACL injuries are usually caused by direct impacts; in hockey, this can take the form of checking, awkwardly falling, etc. Unfortunately, ACL injuries often go hand-in-hand with meniscus injuries, which is the case here. Meniscus injuries are more common for hockey players due to play style: intensive weight-shifting, explosive bursts of speed, and so on. Having both affected can increase recovery time significantly.
After surgery, it can take weeks for the knee to bear weight, let alone resume pre-surgery range of motion. Athletes need to be extremely careful when managing swelling and movement, so as not to tear it again. Later in recovery, focus can shift to physical therapy in order to build up strength and conditioning again. Barring any difficulties in these early stages, athletes can then begin to return to sport-specific exercises; in hockey, this would involve skating again before working up to full practices and scrimmages.
Poulin’s place
Since day one, Poulin has been the captain of the Montréal Victoire, a team that is one of the Inaugural Six of the PWHL. This speaks to the confidence in her abilities not just as a player, but as a leader. Earning the nickname “Captain Clutch”, Poulin has an Olympic championship resume unmatched by any other hockey player, male or female:
- In 2010, at just 18 years old, she scored both goals in Canada’s 2–0 Gold Medal victory over the US.
- In 2024, she scored the game-tying goal with 55 seconds left, then scored the overtime “Golden Goal” to win 3–2 against the US.
- In 2022, she scored two goals, including the game-winner, in a 3–2 gold-medal victory against the US, making her the first hockey player of any gender to score in four consecutive Olympic final games.
- In 2026, she competed in 5 of 7 games for Team Canada in the 2026 Winter Olympics to earn her fifth medal and become the all-time leading goal scorer in Olympic women’s hockey history with 20 career goals.
Poulin’s record in the PWHL is equally impressive. In the 2025-2026 season, Poulin clocked in for 19 regular season games and all 9 playoff games to lead the Victoire to the championship, scoring several goals and assists over the 2025-2026 season. She became the first PWHL player to reach 50 career regular-season points and won the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award. Any games she missed throughout the year were attributed to her injuries, showing the sheer will and determination to stay on the ice as long as possible.
Aside from her statistically significant contributions, Poulin’s leadership and team presence are incredibly important. Described as a “lead-by-example” captain, teammates have shared sentiments that her willingness to fight through her injury left them more determined to play just as hard. Poulin has also been seen humbly sharing praise even under the spotlight of awards, crediting wins to her team and not just any one player and further solidifying her mentality of teamwork. In a 2026 commencement speech at Bishop’s University, Poulin received an honorary doctorate and shared:
Success matters… but the way you treat people along the way matters even more. Be someone who makes people around you better. This is what great teammates do.
What does this mean for the upcoming season?
Due to the fact that Poulin will be out indefinitely, it begs the question of who will step in as captain of the Montréal Victoire. In the 2025-2026 season, Erin Ambrose was named an alternate captain, but has recently signed with the new expansion team PWHL Las Vegas. As such, Laura Stacey, Poulin’s wife and other alternate captain, is the expected choice to step in during Poulin’s absence.
Stacey, like her wife, was signed as one of the three foundational franchise players for the Victoire back in 2023. She has also achieved incredible milestones and records, finishing as a top-15 scorer league-wide for the 2025-2026 season. Stacey is a decorated Olympic medalist, further emphasizing the powerful player she is.
While Stacey may step in to help fill in Poulin’s absence, the Victoire team and organization have made it clear that Poulin remains the captain of the franchise with her jersey hanging in her stall and awaiting her return.
We wish the best to Poulin for a smooth and speedy recovery.
