In a press conference on Thursday, the Montreal Victoire announced that captain Marie-Philip Poulin will be undergoing surgery in July for a torn ACL and meniscus. This comes after an injury during the Olympics that had already caused her to miss time, which was exacerbated during a game in March. Poulin missed 10 more games but returned for the Victoire’s championship run, where she won Playoff MVP.
“I played as best I could with a torn ACL and meniscus because I wanted to be part of this journey that led us to hoist the Walter Cup,” Poulin told the media.
As of the press conference, it’s not clear when Poulin could return to the ice. No return timeline was given. This at least suggests that the PWHL’s current all-time leading scorer won’t be out for the entire 2026–27 season. Even if she is, however, Montreal is primed to repeat its title.
Here’s a recap of their very busy offseason and draft so far, and why fans shouldn’t be concerned.
Free Agent Frenzy
Described by some as the rich getting richer, the Victoire have already snagged some of the biggest names available in this year’s free agent class. This includes re-signing Abby Roque and acquiring both Jessie Eldridge and Emma Maltais.
The potential to play with Marie-Philip Poulin is certainly a huge piece of how the team was able to sign so many high-profile players. Many have remarked on the chemistry between Eldridge and Poulin during the PWHPA Dream Gap Tour. With the captain starting the season on LTIR, the Victoire have a lot of salary available.
Regardless of the mechanism for them, these signings solve a problem that has plagued the Victoire for about as long as it has existed: depth.
It will be interesting to see who steps up in Montreal without Poulin, but the roster is more equipped for it than ever before.
Experienced Entry Draft Class
This sounds like an oxymoron, but “experience” is an accurate description for what the Victoire prioritized in this year’s draft. Of their six picks, two are already considered veterans in European professional leagues.
First-round pick Petra Nieminen and fifth-round pick Erica Rieder are both veterans of the SDHL, with Nieminen playing there since 2018–19 and Rieder since 2019–20. The pair spent two seasons together on the powerhouse Luleå, and also shared the ice with Montreal defender Nadia Mattivi.
Nieminen enters the PWHL having been a top scorer in the SDHL. Meanwhile, Rieder has become a reliable two-way defender, scoring 20 points in back-to back seasons from the blue line.
Their ability to transition to smaller ice in North America will be critical if the Victoire want to succeed without Poulin. Rieder, in particular, could see big minutes early.
D Core In Flux
The forward core of the Victoire has been bolstered by major signings. The team protected Ann-Renée Desbiens ahead of expansion, then drafted Ohio State goalie Hailey Macleod. This leaves the defence position as the only one with real question marks for the reigning champs.
The Victoire defence took major hits during the expansion process. Erin Ambrose, Montreal’s first-ever draft pick, signed in Las Vegas and rookie-of-the-year nominee Nicole Gosling signed with Hamilton.
They retain the likes of Nadia Mattivi, Kati Tabin, and Jessica DiGirolamo, but as of now, these players would have to take a lot more ice time to offset the team’s losses.
Can They Go Back-to Back?
So the question remains: Could the Victoire defend their title without their captain?
The answer feels like a very clear yes.
It goes almost without saying that the offence of the Victoire is going to be among the league’s most dangerous next season. They have enough veterans that there will be a wealth of leadership even with Poulin sidelined.
Compared to that of the Fleet, the Goldeneyes, or even Las Vegas, their defence might be weak. However, weaker defence hasn’t stopped a team like the Ottawa Charge—another squad with an elite starting goaltender—from reaching back-to-back finals, and that was with less offensive firepower.
The Victoire’s offseason strategy seems to come from one key idea: In the PWHL, scoring comes at a premium. By the looks of things, there’s no offence more premium than the one in Montreal, even without Captain Clutch.
All of this in mind, it still seems like the sky is the limit for the fans at Place Bell next winter.
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