She earned the International Ice Hockey Federation "Female Player of the Year" award, was named the Professional Women's Hockey League's MVP, and while Canada missed out on gold at the Women's World Championship — losing 4-3 to the US in the final — Poulin was the leading scorer and tournament MVP.

Canada has won five of the seven gold medals since women's ice hockey joined the Olympic program in 1998, and the Poulin factor gives it a major advantage going into Milano-Cortina.

The Canadians will once more look to their captain in the crucial moments, and if history is any indication, Poulin will be exactly where she always is, at the heart of it all.