The Montreal Canadiens have hired one of the best in the sport, bringing in women’s hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin as a player development consultant.
Poulin captained Les Canadiennes de Montréal of the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League and grew up three hours from Montreal in Beauceville, Quebec, making the Canadiens the ideal fit for her on many fronts.
“It is a privilege to add someone as competent as Marie-Philip Poulin in our ranks,” Montreal Owner, President, and CEO, Geoff Molson said in a team news release. “She is the best in her field, and her accomplishments will help us build a winning culture within the Canadiens. Her arrival is another step towards achieving the diversity that we want to establish within our organization.”
Although Poulin is joining Montreal’s staff, it will be on a part-time basis, allowing her to continue to pursue her playing goals, both in the PWHPA and on the international stage as captain of Canada’s national team. Since joining Canada’s national women’s team, Poulin has won three Olympic gold medals, including this year in Beijing. She also owns two World Championship golds and six silver medals. In Beijing this year, the 31-year-old forward scored six goals and 17 points in only seven games. One of those goals was the gold medal clinching tally against the United States.
Her on-ice skill and accolades, as well as her growing off-ice experience, which also includes a role as a skills and skating coach for McGill University, were too much for the Habs to pass up.
“We are thrilled with the addition of Marie-Philip Poulin to our hockey development department,” said Kent Hughes via the Canadiens’ website. “Marie-Philip is one of the best players on the planet and she has won at the highest level, which will be very beneficial for our players. Her knowledge, leadership and vision of the game certainly make the Canadiens a better organization.”
Hughes spoke publicly in March about the possibility of Poulin joining the Canadiens organization under her own terms.
As former national team member Cassie Campbell said of what Poulin brings to her new NHL team, “She’s detailed. She works hard. She’s humble and is a team-first person…This is about way more than diversity; this is an incredible hockey hire, plain and simple.
Poulin will join players for on-ice skill development sessions and will work alongside current development staffers Rob Ramage and Adam Nicholas for both video and on-ice initiatives.
