Renata Fast Honoured By Captaincy Alongside Laura Stacey, While Recognizing Poulin's Impact

When Team Canada learned Marie-Philip Poulin would miss the 2026 World Championships following knee surgery, the question immediately arose; who would become Canada's next captain?

In the end, Canada's brass chose not one, but two individuals to fill in for Poulin during her absence in defender Renata Fast, and forward Laura Stacey. Fast will wear the captain's "C" in Canada's red uniforms, while Stacey will wear the "C" in Canada's white jerseys. They'll be joined by Kristin O'Neill who was named an alternate.

Fast said that she and Stacey only found out during their pre-game meeting that they'd be wearing the "C".

"Emotions were pretty high coming off of that," Fast said following Canada's 5-3 win over USA in their first World Championship pre-tournament tune up. "It was a pretty special moment and unexpected, and I'd say a huge honour."

Stacey and Fast were also delivered a message from Team Canada's assistant coach Caroline Ouellette, who herself is a former captain of Canada's national team.

"[Ouellette] had a really good message to us, just about getting a captaincy for Team Canada, and everything that it means, and the responsibility with it," Fast explained. "I think that really hit home, just knowing how the impact she's had on the program and the captain and player she was. For her to kind of lead us into that was pretty special."

The duo also received support from Canada's most recent captain, and the player her teammates hope returns to be captain again in the future, Marie-Philip Poulin. Poulin passes the "C" to Stacey, who is also her wife, and Fast, marking the first time in more than a decade that Captain Clutch was not on the ice as Canada's leader. But Poulin was the first to congratulate Fast following the announcement.

"Actually, got out of the meeting and looked at my phone, and first person that had a text message from was Pou(lin), and that was probably so meaningful,
I think I got a little bit emotional just reading her message."

For Fast, who along with Stacey joined Team Canada for the first time in 2017, Poulin has been a mentor for the entirety of her national team career.

"She's been the biggest mentor for me from the moment I stepped into this program," Fast said of Poulin. "She's made every single player feel so comfortable, brought out the best in them, and I think, above all, she's made us better people and taught us how to lead."

Fast also boasted about Laura Stacey, how she's worked her way up from fourth line to first line and now captain of Team Canada, as well as her off-ice impact. As well, she recognized alternate captains Blayre Turnbull, Brianne Jenner, and Jocelyne Larocque. Turnbull could not participate in this tournament as she's due to give birth in December, while Jenner and Larocque were difficult cuts from Canada's roster ahead of this series.

From youth to leadership, Canada is heading toward the World Championships with a brand new look up and down their lineup one that includes Renata Fast and Laura Stacey sharing captaincy.