Marie-Philip Poulin is considered the greatest of all time to ever play the game of women's hockey. After winning playoff MVP despite playing through injury, and hoisting the Walter Cup, the greatest somehow just got greater.
Marie-Philip Poulin is the greatest of all time. Yet somehow, the greatest got greater as she hoisted the 2026 Walter Cup as PWHL champions.
Poulin became the first captain of a Canadian PWHL team raise the Walter Cup as she helped the Montreal Victoire to a title defeating the Ottawa Charge 4-0 in Game 4 of their best-of-five series. She also tied the PWHL playoff record with eight points. She was also named the Ilona Kloss Playoff MVP.
Somehow, the greatest got greater.
Poulin missed more than a month of the PWHL season, returning only in time to join the Victoire for their playoff run after suffering a knee injury at the 2026 Olympics while captaining Canada, an knee she appeared to re-injure three games after returning to the PWHL post-Olympics. In her first games back, Poulin was obviously not 100%, but she looked stronger with each game, albeit taking less ice time than usual, and played her way to MVP status.
If gives Poulin every major voted on award she's eligible to win after three seasons in the PWHL. Last season Poulin was named the PWHL's Best Forward, and she won the Billie Jean King MVP Award. She also won the IIHF Female Player of the Year after not only being named PWHL MVP, but earning World Championship MVP honors as well. This year, it's the Ilona Kloss Playoff MVP. Perhaps more importantly, was Poulin's entry to the PWHL's triple-gold club, becoming one of only a select few to win Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and a Walter Cup. Until this season, Poulin had three Olympic gold medals, four World Championship gold medals, but had not one a Walter Cup.
At 35, time is not on Marie-Philip Poulin's side. There's no doubt Poulin can play into the PWHL into her 40s should she choose. But will she choose? It's not impossible, but it is unlikely. With a Walter Cup title however, there are no more mountains to climb. The final boxes have been checked, although Poulin have other thoughts. Still, in an industry where legacies are built not by individual accolades, but by championships, Marie-Philip Poulin has now captured them all.
The Montreal Victoire captain is the greatest of all time, yet somehow, following the 2026 Walter Cup finals, she got greater.