Hilary Knight will wear the "C" for the U.S. at the Women's Worlds in Brampton.
photo: Matt Zambonin / IIHF
It started with Tina Cardinale back in 1990 and later continued with Cammi Granato, Meghan Duggan, and Kendall Coyne Schofield. But today, Hilary Knight was named 10th captain of the program’s Women’s World Championship, replacing Coyne Schofield temporarily while the latter prepares for the birth of her first child.
“It’s a tremendous honour,” Knight said after practise today. “I can’t put it into words other than honour. I think that encapsulates everything that it means to represent your country. We’re incredibly strong and have a lot of leaders, and fortunately I get to have the “C” on my chest.”
The announcement came at a team meeting yesterday. “We had a team video, and the coach announced the captains in that meeting,” Knight explained. Wearing the “A” will be Alex Carpenter, Megan Keller, and Lee Stecklein. “Obviously, we’re missing Kendall right now. She’s a once-in-a-generation player and her not being in the room is something we definitely feel. But we have a tremendous leadership corps that can step up and are willing to guide this team and do whatever is necessary to put us in a successful position.”
Coyne Schofield was aware of who would inherit her “C”—albeit temporarily as she has every intention of returning to Team USA once she has made a full recovery.
“I talk to Kendall every day!” Knight laughed. “She can’t get away from me. We’re such a close group. I think that’s what’s special about our room. Regardless who has the “C” or the “A” or doesn’t having anything, we know what type of leaders we are and we know what it takes to win.”
It was an inevitable move for USA Hockey. Knight is the all-time leader at the Women’s Worlds in points (89) and goals (53), and has been with the women’s program since 2007. This will be her 13th WW, and she has won eight gold medals and four silver in a career that also includes four Olympics (one gold, three silver). She was named Women’s Worlds MVP twice (2015, 2016) and is one of only three players to score two game-winning goals in gold-medal games at WW (2011, 2017).
The 33-year-old Knight played four years at the University of Wisconsin (2007-12) and was NCAA tournament MVP in 2011. She was a Patty Kazmaier top-10 finalist on three occasions and an assistant captain for her final two seasons with the Badgers. She also played for the Boston franchise in both the CWHL and NWHL as well as Les Canadiennes de Montreal in the CWHL.
Since making her Team USA debut at the 2007 Women’s Worlds, Knight has played alongside six of the previous nine American captains, a point not lost on her.
“You don’t come out of the womb as a leader,” she continued. “It’s an environmental and cultural process that you get to grow up in and learn what works and what doesn’t work, but also making sure to be yourself and making sure you don’t change when you’re in that position. You still have to be a valuable part of the team as well as leading the team.”
Knight sees no added pressure in the new responsibilities and no reason to change anything about her character on ice or off. “I’m just going to continue to be me and be who I am. That’s what I can bring to the team. I’ve been around for a long time, so I’ll speak out anyway when those words need to be spoken.”
And as her name is added to the exclusive list of captains in Team USA’s history, Knight is very much staying in the moment. Reflection can wait post-career.
“I’m just so close to game time tomorrow that that’s what I’m focused on. It doesn’t detract from what an honour it is to represent your country and have that “C” on your jersey, but at the same time, we just want to play. We’re here to win.”
“It’s a tremendous honour,” Knight said after practise today. “I can’t put it into words other than honour. I think that encapsulates everything that it means to represent your country. We’re incredibly strong and have a lot of leaders, and fortunately I get to have the “C” on my chest.”
The announcement came at a team meeting yesterday. “We had a team video, and the coach announced the captains in that meeting,” Knight explained. Wearing the “A” will be Alex Carpenter, Megan Keller, and Lee Stecklein. “Obviously, we’re missing Kendall right now. She’s a once-in-a-generation player and her not being in the room is something we definitely feel. But we have a tremendous leadership corps that can step up and are willing to guide this team and do whatever is necessary to put us in a successful position.”
Coyne Schofield was aware of who would inherit her “C”—albeit temporarily as she has every intention of returning to Team USA once she has made a full recovery.
“I talk to Kendall every day!” Knight laughed. “She can’t get away from me. We’re such a close group. I think that’s what’s special about our room. Regardless who has the “C” or the “A” or doesn’t having anything, we know what type of leaders we are and we know what it takes to win.”
It was an inevitable move for USA Hockey. Knight is the all-time leader at the Women’s Worlds in points (89) and goals (53), and has been with the women’s program since 2007. This will be her 13th WW, and she has won eight gold medals and four silver in a career that also includes four Olympics (one gold, three silver). She was named Women’s Worlds MVP twice (2015, 2016) and is one of only three players to score two game-winning goals in gold-medal games at WW (2011, 2017).
The 33-year-old Knight played four years at the University of Wisconsin (2007-12) and was NCAA tournament MVP in 2011. She was a Patty Kazmaier top-10 finalist on three occasions and an assistant captain for her final two seasons with the Badgers. She also played for the Boston franchise in both the CWHL and NWHL as well as Les Canadiennes de Montreal in the CWHL.
Since making her Team USA debut at the 2007 Women’s Worlds, Knight has played alongside six of the previous nine American captains, a point not lost on her.
“You don’t come out of the womb as a leader,” she continued. “It’s an environmental and cultural process that you get to grow up in and learn what works and what doesn’t work, but also making sure to be yourself and making sure you don’t change when you’re in that position. You still have to be a valuable part of the team as well as leading the team.”
Knight sees no added pressure in the new responsibilities and no reason to change anything about her character on ice or off. “I’m just going to continue to be me and be who I am. That’s what I can bring to the team. I’ve been around for a long time, so I’ll speak out anyway when those words need to be spoken.”
And as her name is added to the exclusive list of captains in Team USA’s history, Knight is very much staying in the moment. Reflection can wait post-career.
“I’m just so close to game time tomorrow that that’s what I’m focused on. It doesn’t detract from what an honour it is to represent your country and have that “C” on your jersey, but at the same time, we just want to play. We’re here to win.”