After suffering a knee injury against Czechia at the Winter Olympics, the reigning Ilana Kloss MVP will have surgery later in July, with a return to the ice to be provided at a later date.
On Thursday, the Montreal Victoire announced that forward Marie-Philip Poulin will require knee surgery which will be performed later in July. Further updates will be provided "as appropriate," as per the team, and Poulin confirmed that the issue pertains to the ACL and meniscus in her knee.
"Champions are not defined solely by trophies they lift, or the victory they achieve, but by the adversity they face and the courage they show in overcoming it," said General Manager Danièle Sauvageau. "We are very confident that she will return to play in due time. And at the right time, the jersey will be exactly where it belongs, ready for return in our dressing room." Sauvageau did not provide a specific timetable for Poulin's return to the ice.
The original knee injury occurred in February at the Milan Cortina Olympics after Poulin took a hit from Czech forward Kristýna Kaltounková, and was later aggravated following a collision with Boston Fleet forward Shay Maloney during a game on March 15. The team placed Poulin on long-term injured reserve on March 24, resulting in 10 missed games.
Poulin returned to the Montreal lineup for the team's final regular-season game and, despite the lingering injury, would go on to capture the Ilana Kloss MVP award in the team's run to its first Walter Cup championship, defeating the Ottawa Charge in four games.
"It's obviously emotional, but it's part of it," Poulin said. "I think it's a journey of an athlete where you give 100% every day, and things can happen, and that's part of it. I am looking forward to step up in that recovery room, in that training room, to go one day at a time and come back."
Limited to 19 regular-season games in 2025-26, Poulin finished fourth on the team in scoring with 18 points and recorded an additional eight points in nine postseason games, tying her for the team lead with Abby Roque. Through 70 career regular-season games, Poulin has 38 goals and 67 points, and twelve points in 16 career playoff games.
Montreal has seen several subtractions from its championship-winning roster this offseason, both through the league's Expansion Player Distribution Process and free agency. Still, it has also re-signed key players, including Roque, who agreed to a three-year contract. Additionally, the Victoire have added two top free agents in Emma Maltais and Jessie Eldridge, both signed to two-year contracts, and each will be counted on to help mitigate the loss of Marie-Philip Poulin.
