Poulin: 'Hopefully, it opens more doors for the next generation'

BROSSARD - The Canadiens hired women's hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin as player development consultant on Tuesday. The three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time Clarkson Cup champion joined Geoff Molson for a press conference at the Bell Sports Complex to discuss her new role.

Here are a few highlights from their media op:
Poulin on getting the opportunity to work in the NHL in her home province:
"I think it's very exciting. I'm not the only one who has been stepping into the NHL world here; I'm not the only woman. I think I've just tried to find the time to follow the way of many women who have been there before me. But obviously, it's exciting here in Montreal. I was talking with my family today and they kind of were like, you're realizing you're with the Montreal Canadiens. It shook me a little bit. It's very exciting, not only for myself, but hopefully it opens more doors for the next generation for more women to be involved in the National Hockey League."
Molson on the qualities that led his management group to target Poulin for the position:
"On November 29, when I announced the hiring of Jeff Gorton, I also explained a little bit about the fact that we were going to have a fresh start. That fresh start not only included the hiring of Jeff and then Kent [Hughes], but it included the hockey development program, the analytics program and the commitment to having a diverse group in Hockey Operations. The most important thing for Kent and Jeff - who really are the two people who are going to be working most closely with Marie-Philip - is her quality as a hockey person. She's a winner; she knows how to win. Our players are young, and they need to learn that as well. I think that's probably the biggest priority. But at the same time, we tick many boxes with Marie-Philip. We not only get somebody who is very competent in hockey development, player development, but who also is passionate about analytics and who is also a woman. Having all three in our organization is a big win for us."

Poulin on watching the Canadiens growing up and who she's looked up to:
"[I've looked up to] a lot of them. I had the chance to watch the Canadiens when I was a young little girl. There have been many players who came and went with the Montreal Canadiens, but Saku Koivu was one of them, actually, who I've watched for many years. For us back home, when my family would watch the Canadiens every week, we'd bleed red, white, and blue. It's very special today. I'm very lucky that they've hired me and they have confidence in me; not only for my hockey experience, but as a person as well. I'm very much looking forward to connecting with those prospects and starting this job."
Poulin on getting to work with Martin St-Louis:
"Seeing from an outside perspective the way he's been connecting with the players is something that caught my eyes right away. Just seeing little clips on the ice... One that really popped was the video with Cole Caufield where he just showed him how to take that fake slap shot and move around and take that shot, and right away in the next couple of games, you see Cole trying it. That's something right away that says a lot about how much he connects with the players. I'm obviously really looking forward to sharing and connecting with him, and learning more about the game."

Poulin on her vision for skill development:
"I notice a lot when I watch hockey, from the tape color or how people are putting their equipment on, or the way they play the game, the skills on the board. I think I could say I'm a nerd because I really love watching hockey. I really love knowing and learning from different players when I watch the game. And those little plays don't seem like they're a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it goes a long way when you do the little things right."
Poulin on working in men's hockey:
"I think becoming a coach was eventually one of my goals and dreams after my career, but it came about quicker than I thought. It's very exciting. Yes, it's on the men's side, but that doesn't change how I'd like to help women's hockey continue to grow and get more little girls playing hockey. Not only can I learn from men's hockey, but men's hockey can learn from women's hockey as well. I think the two go very well together, and the more we work together, the more it'll grow."
Poulin on sharing her experience and passion for hockey:
"I'm extremely excited to be able to share my experience. Of course, my passion for hockey is on another level. Ever since I was young, I surrounded myself with hockey, to be able to share it, and to talk about it. It won't just be them learning from me, but also me learning from them. New skills and getting to talk hockey is all super exciting, but really, when it comes to passion, it's about my experience and being able to communicate over hockey."
Poulin on her intention to continue playing hockey while serving in her new role:
"For now -- and this is something we're aligned on -- my priority is to continue playing hockey. I still have so much passion, but for sure the development aspect, the learning part, breaking down video and watching games differently with more of a bird's-eye view is something I'm really excited about. So, I'll be able to learn that side of it. I'll keep playing hockey but like it or not, eventually I want to transition to that side of things."
Poulin on her philosophy for how to win in hockey:
"The will, the grit, and working as a team. I think those are all great things you can see as you watch the NHL. The grit is something that just steps up when the playoffs start, and I think that's something I truly value."