Poulin, Stacey, Desbiens officially join PWHL's Montreal
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Three Team Canada fixtures have joined Montreal's Professional Women's Hockey League franchise.
The team officially announced the signings of forward Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey, as well as goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens as their first splash into the free-agent market.
"I cannot imagine a more exceptional group of athletes and women to represent Montreal,” team general manager Daniele Sauvageau said in a statement. “We want to create an environment that promotes athletic and personal development, so that our athletes perform and thrive. These three players embody a winning spirit and are committed to a culture of continued success. Our team is excited to play in front of fans who have always shown unwavering support for Montreal teams."
Poulin, 32, joins her third Montreal-based team. The Beauceville, Que. native previously suited up for the Canadian Women's Hockey League's Montreal Stars/Les Canadiennes de Montreal (2007 to 2010 and 2016 to 2019) and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association's Montreal franchise (2019 to 2021).
A three-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion, Poulin has 50 goals and 58 assists in 80 games for Canada's senior team.
Poulin's fiancee, the 29-year-old Stacey, was a Clarkson Cup winner with the Brampton Thunder in 2018. Stacey scored the overtime winner against Kunlun Red Star to clinch the title.
A native of Mississauga, Ont., Stacey is an Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion.
Desbiens, 29, previously played alongside Poulin on the PWHPA Montreal franchise. A native of La Malbaie, Que., Desbiens made her senior debut in 2015. The Wisconsin product has won a pair of world championships and a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The PWHL is set to begin play in