With an abundance of determination and grit, four-time Olympic medalist Hilary Knight has always been a trailblazer. A face of USA hockey, she has continually pushed for inclusion, equity, visibility, and fair wages for women in hockey. In 2023, Knight was named captain of the U.S. women’s team at the 2023 IIHF World Championships. During the championship, she scored a hat trick and became the first woman in IIHF World Championship history to reach 100 career points. Knight was named the 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation Female Player of the Year, the inaugural recipient of the award. Her dream of a unified women’s professional league featuring the best women’s hockey players in the world finally came true when the Professional Women’s Hockey League was founded in August 2023.
- Marci Rubin
FanSided Contributor
Why you should be paying attention next year
Knight is someone to pay attention to in 2024. She was one of the first players to sign with a PWHL team, signing as a free agent with Boston. At the start of the PWHL’s inaugural season, she was named Boston’s first captain. Her positive mindset and lead-by-example, authentic leadership style make her the right choice for the role. In the new women’s league, Knight is leading PWHL Boston as they aim for a playoff berth in the very first PWHL playoffs. She also recently participated in the PWHL 3-on-3 Showcase at the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend.
What we’ll remember a decade from now
Years from now, Knight will be remembered as one of the biggest names in women’s hockey during a crucial time when the women’s game launched into a new stratosphere. A nine-time World Champion, 34-year-old Knight has continued to push boundaries and set the tone for the next generation of female hockey players. Knight spoke to FanSided in 2023 about her journey. “I was not the best player for many years,” she said. “I couldn’t lift the puck until I was in high school. You know, it’s just crazy to think that I kept showing up to the sport that I love thinking, I’m going to play in the NHL, I’m going to play in the Olympics, and I couldn’t lift the puck.” Her advice to female athletes? “You’ll get a lot of no’s, but you have to love it and just be yourself.” Hilary Knight is an exceptional athlete, leader, and role model.