The Montreal Canadiens hired Marie-Philip Poulin, a national hockey icon, as a part-time player development consultant on Tuesday.
Poulin, 31, is not retiring from her playing career, which is among the most decorated in the sport’s history.
The Quebec native has led Canada to 15 medals at international competitions, including three gold medals and one silver at the Winter Olympics. Poulin scored the game-winning goal in the gold-medal game in each Olympic victory for Canada — in 2010, 2014 and earlier this year at the Beijing Games.
“We are thrilled with the addition of Marie-Philip Poulin to our hockey development department,” Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said in a statement. “Marie-Philip is one of the best players on the planet and she has won at the highest level, which will be very beneficial for our players. Her knowledge, leadership and vision of the game certainly make the Canadiens a better organization.”
The Canadiens finished 22-49-11 (55 points) in 2021-22, last place in the Atlantic Division, and are starting over with Martin St. Louis as head coach and Hughes as general manager. But they have the richest history in the NHL, with a league-record 24 Stanley Cups.
“I’m not the only one who is stepping in the NHL world here, I’m not the only woman,” Poulin told reporters in Montreal. “I’m just trying to follow the way of many women who have been there before me. But it’s exciting to be here in Montreal. I was talking to my family today and they kind of (said), ‘Do you realize you’re with the Montreal Canadiens?’ It kind of shook me a little bit.”
–Field Level Media