Five-time Olympian Hilary Knight took the stage at last week's US Soccer's SheBelieves Summit in Seattle, fresh off a whirlwind two months that included winning Olympic gold, multiple TV appearances, and a PWHL season unlike any before.
Knight captained Team USA to an overtime victory against Canada in February's 2026 Olympic women's ice hockey final. The 36-year-old forward described the win as fueled by unwavering conviction.
"The level of conviction that we were going to win that game never wavered," Knight said during her keynote conversation with women's soccer icon Julie Foudy.
What followed Olympic glory proved equally extraordinary. Knight delivered the opening monologue on Saturday Night Live, appeared on the Tonight Show, and attended the Academy Awards. Later, TIME Magazine named her one of its Most Influential People.
But Knight says the most meaningful post-Olympics experience has been returning to the PWHL with Seattle. The league launched three years ago and played its inaugural season in 2024. Knight and her Seattle teammates went on to set a US attendance record just last month, when more than 18,000 fans packed Madison Square Garden for the first pro women's hockey game at the iconic venue.
"What's so cool and unique now is after the Olympic Games, we get to play in a professional season and return to that," Knight said. "To finally have a league, the structure and the facility behind us, to be able to take those big moments by storm — it's so incredible."
The PWHL success mirrors hockey's growth across women's sports. Youth hockey registration has surged since the league's formation, Knight noted, as young players can now see a clear professional future.
"Seeing all these younger faces in the stands who understand that now they have a career path is pretty special," she told the SheBelieves Summit crowd.
