Professional Women’s Hockey League star Hilary Knight is getting ready to head to her fifth and final Olympic games in Milan-Cortina, and even she can’t believe it.
“It’s wild,” Knight says. “I’m really grateful to have been around the sport this long at this level. I’ve had some amazing teammates and I currently have some amazing teammates and to be in these high-performance rooms is just outstanding. And there’s really nothing like it. So, [I’m] grateful from that standpoint and then to be able to share the journey too with my friends and family.”
The current captain and forward for the Seattle Torrent began her Olympic journey winning silver medals in 2010 in Vancouver and Sochi in 2014. In 2018, she helped Team USA capture gold in PyeongChang and earned another silver medal in 2022 in Beijing.
Knight is currently the only U.S. women’s hockey player to compete in five consecutive Olympic Games. In May 2025, she announced that this would be her final time playing on the ice, and she’s in a good place about it all.
“If I have moments of reflection, I feel really at peace and calm about it all,” Knight explains.
“I can’t wait to get over there and just start competing and go through processing and do all the fun stuff and get going.”
Although she is a veteran to the sport, the Olympic jitters are just as present today as they were during her first games 16 years ago.
“No, not less nerve-wracking!” Knight says with a laugh. “If anything, you understand the sport so much that you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ You’re more alert to different things. But no, I’d say the excitement is still there just as it was the first time, and that hasn’t lessened ever. And so, I think that’s been sort of one of my personal things is, as long as I’m still hungry and I can still contribute to the game, I’m gonna keep playing and it’s been fun. It’s been such a wild ride in the best way.”
A Mindset Shift Ahead of Performing on the World’s Biggest Stage
While the emotions of competing on arguably the biggest athletic stage in the world are there, Knight does her best to stay present.
“I think the nerves will always be there,” Knight continues. “I do try and focus or shift that energy more towards excitement versus a nervousness. And for me, that’s an important distinction if I’m able to do that and really getting up and sort of being on the toes versus sort of wanting to dictate play out there and bring a presence. I think it can really consume you if you don’t control or try and figure out your energies in the right way.”
The PWHL is currently in-season, so while the league takes its break to let its star players shine overseas on behalf of Team USA, Knight’s routine will have some additional adjustments.
“I do little things on the phone,” Knight says. “Like logging out of different things and keeping them very separate. I’m very intentional about my time and not using it. I will say, the amount of attention that I wanna give each thing is insane, and so, I really have to be mindful of how I’m spending that energy.”
Knight previously served as an alternate team captain at the 2022 games, but this year, she will lead the team, but is ditching the word “alternate” from her title.
“When I think about these two teams, on one hand, I have the Torrent,” Knight shares. “It’s year one. We’re in a new market. It’s exciting. There’s all these things that are going on. There’s a lot of energy, but it has to be done there. And then Team USA, it’s an Olympic year. February is the biggest stage. We have a lot of young faces, new faces, so it’s a tall task, but I’m honored to do it.”
And while Knight has put in all the physical training on the ice, mentally, she’s dialing into her final Games a bit differently thanks to her previous experience.
“I think you still have to prepare so you’re still having an impact out there, says Knight, who teamed up with Hershey’s to celebrate its Happiness is the Real Gold campaign along with its limited-edition chocolate medals. “But I think we’ve been doing this so long that it would take a lot to detrain at this point. So now, you’re just really fine-tuning things, and I think given my training age, I have a better understanding of what I need. I just know my body more, which can be great and also annoying at times.”
As Knight gets ready to board her final flight as an Olympian, she’s taking her leadership role seriously and doing her best to help the team bring home gold.
“I just wanna make sure that everyone feels comfortable to perform up to their potential,” Knight says. “I think it’s just as simple as that. Our culture, it’s so strong in that room that it’s a great foundation for us. You trust everybody [that[ they’re doing what they need to do, so when we get together, we’re gonna be awesome. That’s always a reassuring thing that everyone at this level is an adult and a pro in their own way to take care of themselves. I’m always here for advice, storytelling, if anything’s crazy, and [a] support system.”
