Breaking Barriers: Marie-Philip Poulin, Montréal Victoire

Breaking Barriers: Marie-Philip Poulin, Montréal Victoire – The PWHL is back for its second season, and the hype just keeps growing. Marie-Philip Poulin is considered the best in the game, and she is thrilled that the women of hockey now have a place to shine beyond the Olympic Ice. Poulin is from a generation of players who, as girls, had to play on boys’ teams and only had college hockey and the Olympics to set their dreams on. The PWHL has changed all of that. 

Poulin began playing hockey at age five and then by age 12 was competing. However, she didn’t play with a girls’ team until she was 16. Her Olympic dreams began when she watched the Canada-USA Gold Medal game at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake. Eight years later she would be the youngest player on Team Canada at the Vancouver games. They took the gold against Team USA. Poulin was the lone goal scorer in the 2-0 victory.

In four Olympic Gold Medal games, Poulin has come away with three Golds and a Silver. She is the first hockey player, man or woman, to score in four consecutive Olympic Gold Medal games. Her ability to score in high pressure situations has earned her the nickname, “Captain Clutch.”

Poulin began her time with Canada’s national team in 2007. In the IIHF World Championship U18s she took silver in both 2008 and 2009. From 2009 to 2021 in the IIHF World Championships she earned two golds, six silvers, and a bronze.

At Boston University, from 2010-15, Poulin and the Terriers made it to the Frozen Four twice. In 2014–15, as the captain, she set the Hockey East Tournament record for points. 

Before Poulin entered BU, she played for the Montreal Stars of the CWHL and helped the team win the Clarkson Cup in 08-09 and was league Rookie of the Year. She came back to the CWHL after graduation and played 3 seasons with Les Canadiennes de Montréal. In each of those seasons she was named CWHL MVP and was voted MVP by the players for the Jayna Hefford Trophy. As the points leader in the league, she also earned the Angela James Bowl in all three seasons.

When the CWHL folded in 2019 Poulin joined the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association. The goal of viable women’s hockey in North America has now been conquered in the form of the PWHL, and is likely to continue growing beyond the initial 6 teams.

This season, in 11 games with Victoire, Poulin has five goals and two assists. Last season in 21 games played, she had 10 goals and 13 assists. In three playoff games, she added another goal and assist.

Upper Deck released its first PWHL set last week. In the long awaited product, Poulin has Young Guns and variations, such as Dazzlers and Outburst. She has years of Team Canada cards available on the market as well.

Breaking Barriers: Marie-Philip Poulin, Montréal Victoire – More Resources

• 2024 Upper Deck Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Cards Checklist
• Box Break: 2024 Upper Deck Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Cards
• Beckett Card Catalog
• PWHL Player Profile

Breaking Barriers: Marie-Philip Poulin, Montréal Victoire – Image Gallery