Canadian hockey players Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey say having kids is their 'next project'

Marie-Philip Poulin and wife Laura Stacey are planning their next “project”: starting a family. In a new exclusive interview with CBC Sports, the Canadian professional hockey players and Olympic gold medalists said they’re looking forward to expanding their family.

The couple, who tied the knot in September, said they “definitely” want to have children.

“We've talked about having kids as part of our next project. We love kids. We have friends with kids and we love it. And honestly, it will be the next project for sure,” Poulin

The pair, who are teammates on both Team Canada and the Montréal Victoire, acknowledged motherhood would require one of them to step away from the ice for a period of time.

“And it's going to be interesting for us — two female athletes navigating how to have kids, when to have kids. It's definitely going to take some thought, some planning because it is brand new to us and it's brand new to a lot of people too,” Stacey said.

Poulin, 33, and Stacey, 30, say their beloved dog, Arlo, was the catalyst to the pair thinking about having children.

"If we have a bad practice or bad game, when we come home Arlo does not care. He's going to love us till the very end," Stacey said.

Poulin and Stacey tied the knot in September 2024 at Le Peaches and Cream in Low, Que., seven years after sparks flew during a Team Canada event in Blue Mountain, Ont.

“A few of us decided to go skinny dipping in the pool at 2 a.m.” Stacey said. “The two of us looked up into the sky at the same time and we saw a shooting star. Our eyes met and we asked each other if we just saw that. Nobody else in the pool saw it or knew what was going on but we saw it. For the rest of that night it was a weird feeling. I had a feeling."

Stacey said the pair often think of that moment and referenced it in their wedding vows. "She was the wish I had always dreamed of and I didn’t realize it until now."

Poulin and Stacey said they've learned to navigate keeping their married life away from the ice, even though it might be difficult at times.

“You're not going to see us fight or argue. We know it's business and we know we're going to get the best out of each other,” Poulin said. “When we train, we do our work. It's not about us being lovey dovey. It's us getting better, making people around us better.”

The couple said they would take long drives home to rehash their day.

“The first couple of games it was like, how do we do this?” Stacey added. “Do we just talk about it in the car? And then when we get home it's over? And I don't think that worked that well because I know for myself I just can't get over things that quickly."

For Poulin, this chapter of her lives has surpassed her expectations.

“This is probably the most myself I've ever been,” Poulin said. “Being myself, having the community, family and friends embracing me, embracing us, embracing this new team. And it doesn't matter who you love, it's who you are. And I think that's the best part about it.”

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