Resetting: What the Upcoming Season Looks Like for the Montreal Victoire

We’re all familiar with trade deadlines, injuries, and new acquisitions – that’s just part of sports. Rarely does a team start a season with an almost identical roster that they had in the previous season, and no matter if a team wins the Cup or finishes in last place, changes are going to be made in the offseason. In the PWHL this is only exemplified with the expansion processes: inevitably, teams lose players to the expansion draft. 

Such is the case in Montreal with the Victoire: after winning the Walter Cup in the 2025-2026 season, they’re returning to the ice with changes. Some of these are due to injuries, some are from losing players in the expansion draft or in free agency, but regardless of who’s coming in or starting the season injured, make no mistake; the Victoire are doing their best to defend their title in the 2026-2027 season. Let’s take a look at the roster they’re dressing in the upcoming season! 

Elite Talent In 

The annual draft means that every team has some fresh faces to start the year. This year’s draft class was stacked, and though Montreal selected 12th overall, they still selected exciting talent with the SDHL’s Petra Nieminen. The Finland native grew up playing in Swedish leagues, and actually played on the same team as NHL player Patrick Laine at one point. She won bronze with Finland in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and competed in the 2026 Winter Olympics as well.

Montreal managed to bolster their roster beyond their draft picks, however. One of their most notable signings was that of Emma Maltais on June 23rd: the former Toronto Sceptre had played the previous three seasons in Toronto and accumulated 38 points over her tenure. She also has represented Team Canada internationally on numerous occasions, and has played with many other Victoire athletes such as Marie Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey. 

Another new face in Montreal is Jessie Eldridge. Eldridge played with the New York Sirens for the first two years of the PWHL before she moved to the Seattle Torrent in the 2025 expansion draft, and she is a steady and reassuring presence on the ice. After being traded to the Boston Fleet midseason, she’s now switching sweaters again and is bringing her talent over to Montreal. Over 3 years, she has played in 71 games and accumulated 52 points in that span; in the 2025-2026 season she finished tied second in the league in goals (14),  and fifth in the league in points (23). Montreal has elite backstopping with goalie Anne Renee Desbiens, but having a player like Eldridge will allow Desbeins some breathing room and increase Montreal’s depth.

Inevitabely… There Must be Losses

Even an exciting team like Montreal must suffer losses during the offseason, and without question, the Victoire’s biggest losses going into the 2026-2027 is the injury of their captain, Marie-Philip Poulin. Poulin, who is essentially women’s hockey royalty, injured her MCL and meniscus during the 2026 Winter Olympics, but toughed it out during the playoffs to lead Montreal to their first Walter Cup. In an Instagram post at the end of the season, Poulin thanked Victoire fans and expressed her sentiment for her teammates, while explaining that she would be undergoing knee surgery this summer; as a result, she will miss the first part of the season. Victoire GM Danièle Sauvageau stated that she was confident Poulin would return at some point during the season, but could not provide an exact time frame – until then, Montreal will unfortunately be without their beloved captain. 

Another noticeable gap in Montreal’s lineup will be the hole that Erin Ambrose will leave. The 32 year old was drafted by Montreal in the inaugural season, and has played her entire career with the Victoire so far. In the 2025 Expansion draft she was Montreal’s fourth protected player, but in this season’s expansion draft she was left unprotected and as such was signed by PWHL Las Vegas on a two year deal. Over her PWHL career she has played in 73 games and amassed 37 points, but beyond her offensive production, Montreal will also miss her leadership and voice within the room. A member of the leadership core alongside Stacey and Poulin, she spent years playing with Canadian teammates in national tournaments, and was a solid presence for everyone on her team. In Las Vegas, however, she’ll have exciting talent like Lacey Eden and Tessa Janecke to play alongside her – though she’ll be missed in Montreal, her future is beyond exciting!

Defending the Title

Despite the losses of key players this offseason, on paper Montreal is still a very scary team. Winning the Walter Cup in 2026 has only fueled them into the offseason, and we’re beyond excited to watch this team again in the fall. Though it may not feel like the Montreal Victoire without Poulin’s iconic number 29 on the ice, that doesn’t diminish the fact that Laura Stacey, Ann-Renee Desbiens, and so many other elite players are all suiting up for Montreal.

And as for their goals for the season? We know where they’ll be. The Minnesota Frost started off the first two seasons of the PWHL by winning the Cup back-to-back, and this is something the Victorie will no doubt be aiming to replicate. Their win in 2026 made them the first Canadian team to hoist the Cup, and despite their losses this offseason, we don’t think they’re quite ready to share that honour yet. 

Only time will tell, but as we approach the start of the 2026-2027 PWHL season, don’t write the Victoire off. They’ll be competitive, fierce, and most of all, fun to watch. We can’t wait!