The captain of the Montreal team of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (LPHF), Marie-Philip Poulin, wrote a letter shared Wednesday to thank fans and encourage young girls to overcome adversity.
Montreal finished in second place in the standings at the end of the inaugural season of the LPHF before being swept in three games which were decided in overtime by the Boston team in the first round.
Poulin would obviously have liked a different outcome, but looking back, she said she was “infinitely proud” of this new women’s league, which in her eyes represents “the culmination of a common vision, a collective dream and “hard teamwork”.
“What a year it’s been!” wrote Poulin, who finished the season with 10 goals and 23 points in 21 games. I am extremely proud of the product we offered to the public and grateful for the support we received everywhere. The Montreal market spoiled us with its welcome. We felt from our first skate that we had the support of the Quebec public and it only grew during the season. »
Poulin’s career is dotted with success. She won four Olympic medals, including three gold, each time scoring the winning goal in the final. She also twice lifted the Clarkson Cup with the now defunct Montreal Canadiennes.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Marie-Philip Poulin
If the Montreal team was not crowned champion this season in the LPHF, the Beauceronne does not see it as a failure.
“People who know me know that I thrive on performance and victories. A job well done and hard work. To dedication and recognition. In this regard, I can say that we succeeded in our team challenge, she said.
“Victory is not always measured by medals around your neck or trophies on the mantelpiece. Winning is also the progress we make every day, as players and especially as humans. What I’ve seen on my Montreal team and across the league this season are players who have earned the love of their fans, the respect of their peers and the chance to make a living from their passion. »
After the dissolution of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2019, several players found themselves without a team, including Poulin. Despite the existence of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), they decided to band together to try to create a new league, which they hoped would be sustainable.
It was a long process, but the LPHF was born. And after this first season, Poulin had a message for young girls, including some hockey players who will perhaps benefit from the work of their predecessors by earning a living in the amphitheaters of North America.
“To all the young girls who have followed us, I have a message for you: in your journey, you will face adversity, failures and defeats,” she declared. See these obstacles as a stepping stone and not an end in themselves. We grow much more in difficult times than on an already mapped out path.
“With will and passion, all goals are achievable. »