Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin revealed Thursday she played through a torn ACL and torn meniscus in her right knee to help the team capture the PWHL championship. She is expected to be out indefinitely after surgery scheduled for late July. The 35-year-old initially suffered the injury during the preliminary round of the Olympics but still competed for Canada in the knockout stage, helping the team reach the final before falling to the U.S. in overtime and taking silver.
Poulin's determination was central to Montreal's title run. The Victoire secured the PWHL championship with Poulin on the ice, though her exact contributions during the playoffs were not detailed. Her absence will be a major blow to both her professional team and Canada's national squad.
With Poulin sidelined indefinitely, the Victoire will need to adjust their lineup for the upcoming season. The team has not set a timeline for her return, but general manager Sauvageau expressed confidence she will be back "in due time."
Poulin could also miss the World Championship tournament in November, as recovery from such surgery often takes months. That would leave a significant gap in Canada's roster for the international competition.
"We'll provide updates as they become available," Sauvageau said. The team is optimistic about Poulin's long-term recovery but has offered no specifics on when she might return to the ice.