The Montreal Victoire celebrated their Professional Women's Hockey League championship with a victory parade on Saturday, drawing thousands of fans to the city's entertainment district for a procession, speeches, and music. According to The Canadian Press, the Victoire became the first Canadian team to win the Walter Cup after defeating the Ottawa Charge 4-0 in the final game on May 20... Season ticket holder Paola Lara, who has followed the team since its first game 2½ years ago, described the atmosphere as a big family where everybody is accepted.

Thousands line the streets for the first Canadian Walter Cup champions

Montreal's hockey community turned out in force for the Saturday parade, with fans wearing the team's maroon jersey and waving red Victoire flags in the Quartier des Spectacles. The celebration featured a double-decker bus, speeches, and music, with players sipping from beer cans and even from the silver trophy itself. Defender Amanda Boulier brought a tuba and honked it throughout the event as part of a bet, adding a quirky touch to the festivities.

Captain Poulin calls it 'the cherry on the sundae' after a season of injuries and illness

Team captain Marie-Philip Poulin described the parade as surpassing all expectations, calling it the cherry on the sundae in a backstage interview with The Canadian Press. Poulin's own season was complicated by a knee injury suffered at the Winter Olympics, and the team as a whole faced illnesses during the playoffs. Assistant captain Laura Stacey, who is married to Poulin, expressed pride in the team's battle to bring the Walter Cup home, even pausing mid-speech for a teammate-hoisted swig.

How the 'Wife Line' and a viral anthem defined the parade's vibe

The event embraced the team's unique identity, including the so-called Wife Line — Poulin, Stacey, and Abby Roque, who scored the two opening goals in the final. Fans held a sign reading "god bless Wife Line," celebrating the marriage of Poulin and Stacey. The DJ played "All the Things She Said," a 2002 single that went viral this year after being featured on the Canadian hockey romance series Heated Rivalry, cementing its place as a new hockey anthem.

Mayor Martínez Ferrada frames the win as inspiration for a new generation

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said the enthusiasm surrounding the Victoire and women's hockey more broadly bodes well for a sport long viewed as male-dominated.. In an interview reported by The Canadian Press, she stated, "It's going to give a lot of inspiration to the next generation, to women — to young women — to know that they can thrive and win in a sport that for decades has been a man's sport." The parade attracted fans of all ages, with families, children, and long-time supporters celebrating the historic moment.

The broader context for this victory is the continued growth of the PWHL, which concluded its second season with Montreal becoming the first Canadian champion. The league, launched in 2023, has steadily built a fanbase, and the Victoire's win adds momentum after a season marked by roster changes and health challenges. What remains unclear from the Canadian Press report is the full extent of Poulin's knee injury and its potential impact on her availability for the 2027 season. Additionally, while the parade drew a large crowd, no official attendance figure was provided, leaving open questions about the scale of the celebration relative to other PWHL events. The source also does not include comment from the Ottawa Charge or any rival teams, focusing solely on the Victoire's internal celebration.