Canada's Marie-Philip Poulin named IIHF's female player of the year; US goalie Gwyn Philips 2nd
Canada's 'Captain Clutch' Marie-Philip Poulin has another honor add to her already celebrated hockey career in being voted the IIHF's Female Player of the Year.
Poulin earned 33.1% of the votes in finishing ahead of five Americans, with Ottawa Charge rookie goalie Gwyneth Philips second with 22.3% of the votes, the IIHF announced Wednesday. U.S. national team captain and the inaugural winner of award three years ago, Hilary Knight, finished third at 20.2%.
The IIHF did not reveal the specific totals submitted by more than 100 voters made up of media and federation officials.
The 34-year-old Poulin is coming off a year in which she earned MVP honors at the world championships in April with a tournament-leading 12 points (four goals, eight assists) for Canada's silver medal-winning team. The Montreal Victoire captain is also a PWHL MVP finalist after leading the league with 19 goals and finishing fourth with 26 points in 30 games.
Poulin is a four-time Olympian and earned her 'Clutch' nickname for scoring key goals, including the game-winners in Canada's past three gold-medal championship wins at the Winter Games.
She's the second Canadian to earn the honor, following Natalie Spooner's win last year.
Philips, meantime, made a splash both professionally and internationally this season by capably stepping in as a backup.
From Athens, Ohio, she went 3-0 at the world championships, including a 17-save performance over the final 32 minutes of the Americans' 4-3 overtime win over Canada in the title game. Philips entered the game after starter Aerin Frankel was hurt in the third period.
In the PWHL, Philips won the Ilana Kloss Trophy as playoff MVP despite Ottawa losing the Walter Cup finals to defending champion Minnesota. Philips went 4-4 in the postseason in allowing just 13 goals on 270 shots for a .952 save percentage and 1.23 goals-against average.
Drafted by the Charge out of Northeastern, Philips took over the starting duties and helped the Charge clinch their first playoff berth after Emerance Maschmeyer was sidelined by a lower body injury in mid-March.
U.S. national team and Wisconsin defenseman Caroline Harvey (12.9%) finished fourth in the voting, followed by Frankel (7.3%). Also receiving votes were Wisconsin's Laila Edwards and Finland national team and Charge defenseman Ronja Savolainen.
___
AP women's hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
9 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
IIHF including women in tournament bonus money ‘significant'
The International Ice Hockey Federation's decision to share tournament bonus money with women after years of men in the driver's seat is both symbolic and practical, says the general manager of Canada's women's team. 'It's very significant,' said Hockey Canada women's general manager Gina Kingsbury. 'For years, these types of topics have been brought up to the IIHF and they've always been shut down. 'More money invested in the women's game is really important.' The IIHF stated in a website report during its annual congress that 'development support,' worth nearly $9 million Swiss francs (C$15 million) in 2025, will be distributed to member federations based on their countries' performances across the men's and women's world championships, the men's under-20 championship and the men's and women's under-18 championships. 'Furthermore, the support will be weighted according to IIHF World Ranking,' the IIHF stated. The IIHF's development money was previously given to federations based only on men's world championship results. 'This has been a talking point on the women's side of the game for a long time,' said Canadian defender Renata Fast. The IIHF says the money will be split with 40 per cent going to the men's championship, 40 per cent to the women's championship, 10 per cent to the world junior men's tournament, and five per cent each to the men's and women's under-18 championships. That equates to roughly four million Swiss francs (C$6.7 million) going to federations based on the international results of their women's teams. 'It just signals that the IIHF is realizing that they need to modernize some of the things that have just been in place for years and years and years, and recognizing the growth of the women's game and the importance of acknowledging that and valuing it,' Fast said. 'The prize money to me symbolizes that.' The IIHF had previously argued that development money wasn't shared with women because the men's world championship turns a significant profit, while the women's tournament does not. 'Our organization wants to encourage its members to develop women's hockey and junior programs,' the IIHF said in an emailed statement. Even though Kingsbury sits on the IIHF's women's committee and Fast on the IIHF athletes' council, the report of bonus-money redistribution was buried in a congress report and came as a surprise to them. 'It just shows that there's a shift in thinking, maybe,' said Kingsbury. 'If we grow the women's game and if we kind of entice countries that may not have as strong of numbers on the women's side, or as strong a team … they'll be more motivated to invest in the women's side.' The IIHF may want to motivate countries to devote equal resources to men's and women's hockey, but it's ultimately each federation's decision how to use its developmental money. 'What also would be interesting is maybe if there's a federation where the women's program is stronger than the men's program in terms of a ranking standpoint, and how now their women's team can actually bring them in some prize money in an instance where their men's programs never did, that would be huge,' Fast said. Canadian women have never finished outside the medals at either the world championship or under-18 championship. Canada took silver and the under-18 team gold in 2025. Canada's men claimed under-18 gold, but were eliminated in the quarterfinals in both the men's and under-20 championship. 'If the women's program is stronger than the men's, there will be an increase in the support,' IIHF Director General Matti Nurminen said during the congress. 'If the men's and women's programs are as strong, there will be no real impact.' Hockey Canada and USA Hockey — perennial 1-2 finishers — already have the largest women's hockey budgets in part because their female registration far outstrips other countries at a combined 200,000 players. Nevertheless, Kingsbury says she would welcome any funding the women's teams are able to generate through international success. 'Any increase in funds, trust me, we've got lots of projects and ideas that could grow our game and could help the women's program,' she stated. 'There's always more we can do.' After lopsided women's hockey scores at the 2010 Olympic Games — and then-IOC president Jacques Rogge warning 'we cannot continue without improvement' — the IIHF committed 2 million Swiss francs to international women's hockey development. More equitable shares in the IIHF's bonus structure 15 years later is seismic, said Kingsbury. 'Our women's committee, for many years, I remember even before I was on it, the big topic was always the trophy for the women's worlds is smaller than men's and we don't get prize money,' Kingsbury said. 'Both those things have changed.'
Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
IIHF including women in tournament bonus money ‘significant', says Canada's Kingsbury
CALGARY – The International Ice Hockey Federation's decision to share tournament bonus money with women after years of men in the driver's seat is both symbolic and practical, says the general manager of Canada's women's team. 'It's very significant,' said Hockey Canada women's general manager Gina Kingsbury. 'For years, these types of topics have been brought up to the IIHF and they've always been shut down. 'More money invested in the women's game is really important.' The IIHF stated in a website report during its annual congress that 'development support,' worth nearly $9 million Swiss francs (C$15 million) in 2025, will be distributed to member federations based on their countries' performances across the men's and women's world championships, the men's under-20 championship and the men's and women's under-18 championships. 'Furthermore, the support will be weighted according to IIHF World Ranking,' the IIHF stated. The IIHF's development money was previously given to federations based only on men's world championship results. 'This has been a talking point on the women's side of the game for a long time,' said Canadian defender Renata Fast. The IIHF says the money will be split with 40 per cent going to the men's championship, 40 per cent to the women's championship, 10 per cent to the world junior men's tournament, and five per cent each to the men's and women's under-18 championships. That equates to roughly four million Swiss francs (C$6.7 million) going to federations based on the international results of their women's teams. 'It just signals that the IIHF is realizing that they need to modernize some of the things that have just been in place for years and years and years, and recognizing the growth of the women's game and the importance of acknowledging that and valuing it,' Fast said. 'The prize money to me symbolizes that.' The IIHF had previously argued that development money wasn't shared with women because the men's world championship turns a significant profit, while the women's tournament does not. 'Our organization wants to encourage its members to develop women's hockey and junior programs,' the IIHF said in an emailed statement. Even though Kingsbury sits on the IIHF's women's committee and Fast on the IIHF athletes' council, the report of bonus-money redistribution was buried in a congress report and came as a surprise to them. 'It just shows that there's a shift in thinking, maybe,' said Kingsbury. 'If we grow the women's game and if we kind of entice countries that may not have as strong of numbers on the women's side, or as strong a team … they'll be more motivated to invest in the women's side.' The IIHF may want to motivate countries to devote equal resources to men's and women's hockey, but it's ultimately each federation's decision how to use its developmental money. 'What also would be interesting is maybe if there's a federation where the women's program is stronger than the men's program in terms of a ranking standpoint, and how now their women's team can actually bring them in some prize money in an instance where their men's programs never did, that would be huge,' Fast said. Canadian women have never finished outside the medals at either the world championship or under-18 championship. Canada took silver and the under-18 team gold in 2025. Canada's men claimed under-18 gold, but were eliminated in the quarterfinals in both the men's and under-20 championship. 'If the women's program is stronger than the men's, there will be an increase in the support,' IIHF Director General Matti Nurminen said during the congress. 'If the men's and women's programs are as strong, there will be no real impact.' Hockey Canada and USA Hockey — perennial 1-2 finishers — already have the largest women's hockey budgets in part because their female registration far outstrips other countries at a combined 200,000 players. Nevertheless, Kingsbury says she would welcome any funding the women's teams are able to generate through international success. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'Any increase in funds, trust me, we've got lots of projects and ideas that could grow our game and could help the women's program,' she stated. 'There's always more we can do.' After lopsided women's hockey scores at the 2010 Olympic Games — and then-IOC president Jacques Rogge warning 'we cannot continue without improvement' — the IIHF committed 2 million Swiss francs to international women's hockey development. More equitable shares in the IIHF's bonus structure 15 years later is seismic, said Kingsbury. 'Our women's committee, for many years, I remember even before I was on it, the big topic was always the trophy for the women's worlds is smaller than men's and we don't get prize money,' Kingsbury said. 'Both those things have changed.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cubs legend Sammy Sosa returns to Wrigley Field after 20-plus year hiatus
CHICAGO (AP) — Legendary Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than 20 years on Friday before Chicago's afternoon game with the Seattle Mariners. Sosa, who is set to be inducted into the Cubs' team Hall of Fame this year, arrived at the iconic North Side ballpark in a black SUV. He was greeted by owner Tom Ricketts, who embraced him in a hug as he exited the vehicle. Sosa became the face of the Cubs franchise where he played 13 seasons after coming in a trade from the crosstown White Sox in March 1992. A seven-time All-Star, Sosa hit 545 homers in 1,811 games with the Cubs and hit a franchise-record 66 in 1998 when he was named the NL's MVP. Sosa, now 56, played his final game with the Cubs at Wrigley on Oct. 2, 2004, when he homered and had two hits in an 8-6 loss to Atlanta. During his years with the Cubs, Sosa appeared to bulk up drastically and was a headliner in a generation of baseball's biggest names linked to performance-enhancing drugs. The Cubs traded him to Baltimore with cash in February 2005 for three players. Sosa appeared to acknowledge using performance-enhancing drugs in December when he released a statement saying he was sorry for mistakes, without specifying them. 'There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,' he said in the statement. 'I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. On Friday morning, Sosa posed for photos with rising Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong outside the team's clubhouse and a video showed Sosa embracing manager Craig Counsell in his office before the game. The Cubs remained mum, however, on any ceremony or event before or during Friday's game. In Thursday's 8-7 loss to Milwaukee, Crow-Armstrong went deep to set a new team record for reaching 20 homers and 20-plus stolen stolen bases the fastest, doing it in 73 games. Sosa had the old mark of 96, set in 1994. ___ AP MLB:
