Poulin recharges, awaits next move in women’s hockey

Marie-Philip Poulin appeared like she wanted a break.

The captain of the Canadian ladies’s hockey workforce appeared earlier than the media a couple of half-hour after shedding Sunday evening’s gold-medal recreation, 6-3 to the USA on the world championship in Brampton.

Following the emotional loss and an virtually continuous schedule since final yr’s Beijing Olympics, she stated a number of occasions that she plans to take a break from the sport.

“I feel it’s time to take a while to replicate on it, and get higher,” Poulin stated. “Take a while to myself, and time to replicate. This group could be very particular. This may make us stronger, and we are going to study from it.”

The ladies’s recreation as a complete is anticipated to get stronger quickly, with the Skilled Girls’s Hockey Gamers Affiliation — that includes lots of the world’s greatest — getting nearer to launching an expert league.

As first reported by John Wawrow of The Related Press, the PWHPA now has a licensed union — but to be formally introduced — and a brand new league stays on target for a while within the fall.

Among the high European gamers who competed on the current world championship — together with Swiss ahead Alina Müller and Swedish goaltender Emma Söderberg — have stated they’re contemplating a transfer to the PWHPA, which has been reaching out to expertise abroad.

Toronto-born defender Sophie Jaques, who not too long ago received the Patty Kazmaier Award as the highest participant in U.S. faculty hockey, can be stated to be monitoring the state of affairs. She’s additionally on the radar of the Toronto Six, who received the Premier Hockey Federation championship in March.

Subsequent season, the wage cap for PHF groups will rise to $1.5 million. These groups are additionally eyeing that very same European expertise pool, and can have more cash than earlier than to supply.

Poulin was amongst 21 gamers who represented Canada after enjoying on the PWHPA’s Dream Hole Tour. The world champion Individuals — within the midst of a youth motion, with 11 gamers age 23 and underneath — additionally featured a number of PWHPA stars.

Nonetheless issues play out with a brand new league, Poulin, who turned 32 in March, stated her want to return for an additional shot at gold on the worlds and the Olympics — the place she has scored the golden purpose thrice — is as robust as ever, regardless of the sting of Sunday’s defeat.

“Sure, I nonetheless find it irresistible,” she stated. “It’s nonetheless the factor I wish to do.”

SHARE: