The roster for Canada's women's Olympic hockey team was unveiled in Toronto on Friday, featuring a strong contingent from the Montreal Victoire. However, only two of the five selected players from the professional women's hockey league club are Quebecers.
Victoire Contingent and Quebec Representation
Five players from the Montreal Victoire earned spots on the 23-player national team. The Quebec-born athletes are veteran superstar Marie-Philip Poulin of Beauceville and star goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens of Clermont. Poulin, known as "Captain Clutch," will be pursuing her fourth Olympic gold medal, a milestone achieved by only three other Canadian women in history.
Desbiens, who backstopped Canada to gold at the Beijing 2022 Games and was last season's PWHL Goaltender of the Year, is expected to be the team's starting netminder.
The other Victoire players named to the squad are forward Laura Stacey of Kleinburg, Ontario (Poulin's linemate and spouse), defender Erin Ambrose of Keswick, Ontario, and defender Kati Tabin of Winnipeg.
The Road to Milan and a Formidable Rival
The team, which includes three goaltenders, will begin its Olympic campaign in Milan on February 5 against Finland. They are placed in Group A alongside Switzerland, Czechia, and their archrival, the United States. This group features the world's top five seeded teams.
Canada, a perennial gold medal favourite having won five of the seven Olympic tournaments since women's hockey debuted in 1998, faces a significant challenge from a rejuvenated American squad. Team USA won all four games of the Rivalry Series last fall, outscoring Canada 24-7, and defeated Canada in overtime to claim the 2025 world championship.
While Canada relies on a core of experienced veterans, the United States rebuilt its team after several tournament losses in 2021 and 2022, creating a younger, highly skilled roster with potent offensive capabilities.
Quebec Leadership Behind the Bench
Even with limited Quebec player representation, the team maintains a strong connection to the province through its coaching staff. Hall of Famer Caroline Ouellette of Montreal was named an assistant coach back in July. Ouellette, an associate coach with the Concordia Stingers and the Victoire, previously served as an assistant with Canada's National Women's Team, winning gold in 2022 and 2024. During her illustrious 17-year playing career, she won four Olympic gold medals and six world championships.
She will work alongside head coach Troy Ryan, who is in his sixth year leading the national team. Ryan guided Canada to gold in 2022 and served as an assistant coach for the silver medal-winning team in 2018. He is also the head coach of the PWHL's Toronto Sceptres and was named Coach of the Year for the 2023-24 season.
