Hilary Knight is one of the most decorated players in international hockey history, but the 2026 Winter Olympics will be her last.
“It’s time,” the Boston Fleet captain told USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour on Tuesday. “I have grown up in this program and it’s just given me so much. I’m at peace. I just have this feeling that it’s time. And I’m grateful that — hopefully I can stay healthy and everything — I can go out when I’d like to be done. That is such a privilege that only a handful of competitors get.”
Knight, who turns 36 on July 12, won Olympic gold in 2018 in Pyeongchang and won 10 gold medals at the IIHF World Championship, most recently helping Team USA beat Canada last month in Czechia. She’ll hope to add another Olympic gold medal in Milan next year.
The Fleet star doesn’t often talk about her legacy in the sport, and wanted to get ahead of her Olympic announcement so it wouldn’t dominate headlines in Italy. She noted that her PWHL career will continue after the 2026 Winter Games.
“There’s just so much to be done and so many opportunities in the women’s space that are really exciting,” Knight said.
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Knight could transition into broadcasting, and she told USA TODAY Sports that she hopes to one day gather a group of investors to buy an NHL and PWHL team. However, her playing career will continue as she remains one of the top players in the game.
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Featured image via /PWHL
