MONTREAL 鈥� Marie-Philip Poulin鈥檚 trophy chest is brimming with awards and medals, but there鈥檚 one big piece missing now that the Professional Women's Hockey League is established.
Aware she鈥檚 in the later stages of her career, the Montreal Victoire captain is fired up for PWHL championship glory after an early playoff exit in the inaugural season.
鈥淭he fire is quite there,鈥� the 33-year-old Poulin said Friday at Verdun Auditorium. 鈥淚 still love what I'm doing, I'm passionate.
鈥淲e want to win that Walter Cup. And me saying that means five other teams are saying that. It shows it's going to be competitive, it's going to be a battle.鈥�
Poulin, who tied for second in scoring last season with 23 points in 21 games, knows she'll have more than one role to play if Montreal is to hoist the Cup.
鈥淚 need to produce, I need to be on the defensive side, but also help the young kids coming in, being by their side to know what they want,鈥� she said.
Poulin isn鈥檛 counting the years left in her career, but also isn鈥檛 taking any for granted because 鈥渟ometimes I think about how there are less in front of me.鈥�
The three-time Olympic gold medallist leads the Victoire into the PWHL鈥檚 second season against the Ottawa Charge on Saturday at Place Bell in Laval, Que., where they鈥檒l debut their new name, logo and jerseys for the 30-game campaign.
Poulin headlines a talented core that includes forward Laura Stacey 鈥� who married Poulin this fall 鈥� reigning PWHL defender of the year Erin Ambrose and 91原创 national team goalie Ann-Ren茅e Desbiens.
The question surrounding this team is whether or not the Victoire have enough depth behind them.
Ambrose famously logged 61 minutes 33 seconds of ice time in a triple-overtime loss to Boston while players deeper down the lineup barely touched the surface. But she's confident those concerns will be a thing of the past.
"I don't even know how to express the confidence in it, because there's zero doubt that it's anything but confidence,鈥� she said.
The Victoire drafted U.S. standout Cayla Barnes to bolster their defence, an overall weakness last season.
Barnes was expected to miss the beginning of the season with a lower-body injury, but skated in her first full practice without a non-contact jersey on Friday. Head coach Kori Chevere said it鈥檚 鈥渁 possibility鈥� she plays Saturday.
Montreal also added Swedish national team captain Anna Kjellbin to the blue line.
On offence, sharpshooting Swedish league MVP Lina Ljungblom will join Poulin and Stacey on the top line. Second-round pick Jennifer Gardiner, a 23-year-old on the brink of Canada鈥檚 roster, and Walter Cup winner Abigail Boreen also join the fold.
Ambrose said the Victoire鈥檚 talent across the lineup especially stood out when she watched Montreal鈥檚 pre-season game against Ottawa from the stands last week.
鈥淚 was seeing different lines come over the boards, and I was just like, 鈥楬m, that's quite difficult to defend. Hm, this line brings this鈥� and it's like every line that we have so far鈥檚 got some sort of identity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t's tough as an opposing team to see those lines come over and to be like, 鈥極K, snap. 鈥� This is not going to be easy.鈥欌��
Montreal鈥檚 goalie tandem is also among the best in the league with Elaine Chuli, who led the league with a .949 save percentage in eight games last season, backing up Desbiens. Germany鈥檚 Sandra Abstreiter is the third-stringer.
While Barnes nears a return, defender Dominika Laskova and forward Kennedy Marchment will begin the season on long-term injured reserve, something Cheverie believes the Victoire can withstand for now.
"I'm very happy with where our team is,鈥� Cheverie said. 鈥淲e want to be aggressive, we want to be physical, we want to be fast. We want to be able to put pucks in the back of the net, and we want to be relentless."
ROSTER CHANGES
Additions: Jennifer Gardiner (F), Alexandra Labelle (F), Dara Greig (F), Abigail Boreen (F), Lina Ljungblom (F), Clair DeGeorge (F), Cayla Barnes (D), Anna Wilgren (D), Anna Kjellbin (D), Kelly-Ann Nadeau (D), Sandra Abstreiter (G)
Departures: Jillian Dempsey (F), Leah Lum (F), Sarah Lefort (F), Alexandra Poznikoff (F), Ann-Sophie Bettez (F), Melodie Daoust (F), Sarah Bujold (F), Madison Bizal (D), Brigitte Laganiere (D), Marlene Boissonnault (G)
GAMES TO WATCH
The 10,000-seat Place Bell will be the Victoire鈥檚 home after the smaller Verdun Auditorium served as the primary arena last season. Montreal will also likely host a game at the Bell Centre, where a women鈥檚 hockey attendance record was set last season, but a date hasn鈥檛 been officially announced.
The Victoire also play four games on the 鈥淭akeover Tour鈥� as the PWHL eyes expansion next season: Jan. 5 in Seattle against Boston, Jan. 8 in 91原创 against Toronto, Jan. 12 in Denver against Minnesota and Jan. 19 in Quebec City against Ottawa
This report by The 91原创 Press was first published Nov. 29, 2024.
Daniel Rainbird, The 91原创 Press
