Hilary Knight was one of several players who were unable to return to PWHL action following the 2026 Olympics. The Seattle Torrent captain was placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/hilary-knight-placed-on-long-term-injured-reserve-following-olympic-injury] following the Olympics, which means she's set to miss at least three games for the Torrent before she's eligible to return. Since being placed on LTIR, Knight certainly has not been sitting back to rest as she's appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, at the Unrivalled semi-finals, and on CBS Mornings. It was while on CBS Mornings that it was revealed Knight has a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL). Most MCL injuries are treated with rest, physical therapy, and braces rather than surgery. Knight also played at the 2026 Olympics with the torn MCL and discussed her current status on CBS. "I'm not walking around the best," she said on the show. "I'm missing a few games for the Seattle Torrent now, but to be able to play through was definitely a mental sort of gymnastic challenge for myself and also physical, but we've got some amazing support staff that did their best to get me out there and perform at my best, as best as I could." Knight announced prior to the 2026 Olympics that these games, in which she won gold with Team USA, would be her last. Hilary Knight highlights The Seattle Torrent currently sit last in the PWHL. In the team's first game back from the 2026 Olympic break, Seattle set a new American professional women's hockey attendance record [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/seattle-breaks-u-s-attendance-record-with-sold-out-crowd-in-first-game-back-following-olympics] drawing a sold out crowd of 17,335 to Climate Pledge Arena.
