The first huge game for Canada’s women’s hockey team has arrived on Tuesday at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Canadians take on the United States in a preliminary round matchup that everyone views as a preview of the gold medal showdown to come in less than two weeks.
It’ll have about as much hype as possible for a game that will be broadcast in the early afternoon on the East Coast of the U.S. on a Tuesday.
There’s one problem for Canada, though: Marie-Philip Poulin is injured.
The legend was hurt during Monday’s win over Czechia, and her status going forward is in doubt.
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Is Marie-Philip Poulin playing today?
There’s been no official word on Poulin’s playing status, but there’s plenty of reason to think she might not.
The game won’t matter much in the grand scheme of things relative to the upcoming knockout rounds. If there’s any uncertainty for Canada at all, sitting the star would be the safe move.
On Monday, Poulin took a hard hit to her head area during the first period from Czechia’s Krystina Kaltounkova. Poulin left the ice and headed down the tunnel behind the Canada bench.
The worst news came to start the second period, though. Poulin wasn’t on the bench at all.
“She tried to skate briefly at the end of the first and did not seem comfortable,” wrote the Toronto Sun’s Rob Longley on X.
Poulin didn’t return to the game.
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The 34-year old Poulin was the IIHF Female Player of the Year in 2025 and is a three-time Olympic gold medalist.
She scored both of Canada’s goals in the 2010 gold medal game against the U.S. in Vancouver.
In the 2014 gold medal game, Poulin scored the game-tying and game-winning goals as Canada beat the U.S. 3-2 in overtime.
The United States got the gold in 2018, but in 2022, two Poulin goals got Canada past the U.S. again for another gold.
Without Poulin, Canada is a different team. It remains to be seen whether we’ll find out just how different.
