At only 27, Switzerland's Alina Muller is already in her fourth Olympics.
photo: Andrea Cardin/IIHF
Coming into these Olympics, only five women had played ever in five Olympics—Nicole Bullo (SUI), Jayna Hefford (CAN), Emma Terho (-Laaksonen) (FIN), Karoliina Rantamaki (FIN), and Hayley Wickenheiser (CAN).
But Milan 2026 will see another four names added to this list, including Marie-Philip Poulin (CAN), Jenni Hiirikoski (FIN), Michelle Karvinen (FIN), and Hilary Knight (USA).
But there are also ten others now playing in their fourth, and some are plenty young enough that five and six, and maybe even seven, are possible.
Of the original five, Bullo was 34 years old when she played in her fifth. Hefford was 36, Terho 32, Rantamaki and Wickenheiser 35.
And from the new additions this year, Poulin is 34, Hiirikoski 38, Karvinen 35, and Knight 36.
Knight has already announced this will be her final Games, and one would think Hiirikoski would be hard-pressed to make a sixth Olympics at age 42. However, never rule out the brilliant skater from any conversation about longevity; she is too talented and in incredible shape. She will almost certainly be in a position to make a decision about retirement on her own terms.
Poulin has been a fixture in the PWHL, and this might well be a means to continue playing and dress for number six in France in 2030. Karvinen also has been such an integral part of the Finnish program. It will be her call on pursuing a sixth, or not.
But there are some interesting names among the players who are appearing in their fourth Games this year. Most notable is Switzerland star Alina Muller. She made her Olympics debut in 2014 at age 15, and is now only 27. She is a top player in the PWHL, and there is no reason to think she won’t be in 2030 as well as Salt Lake in 2034, when she will still be only 35. Heck, she might even make it seven in 2038, even though the host nation for that Games has yet to be awarded.
Four years older, teammate Lara Stalder is 31 and could easily be part of the list who have played five if she stays in the game and wants to play in 2030. Finland’s Susanna Tapani, 32, could make five, but six might be pushing it.
Two Japanese players are also young enough to bring into the conversation for six. Rui Ukita, in her fourth now, is only 29, so a fifth at 33 and sixth at 37 is well within reach. Shiori Koike is 32, so one could see her attaining five for sure.
American Lee Stecklein is 31 and appearing in number four, so a fifth looks probable and a sixth…well, that might be tough. And Kendall Coyne Schofield is now 33. She hasn’t discussed her ambitions about how long (or not) she would like to play, but she currently leads the PWHL in scoring, so the name Kendall and the concept of slowing down are not yet appropriate in the same sentence. A fifth at 37? The way she trains, that’s perfectly doable.
There are also three Canadians who are playing in their fourth now—Jocelyne Larocque, 37; Brianne Jenner, 34; and, Natalie Spooner, 35. Legends in the dressing room and on ice, they seem the least likely of the “four club” to get to five, but as with Hiirikoski, never say never.
Clearly the name to watch is Muller. At 27, she is the youngest of all these players to appear in her fourth Olympics. To compare, only two men have played in as many as six Olympics. Teemu Selanne was 35 when he played in his fourth and Raimo Helminen was 29. If anyone in hockey history can make it to seven, Muller has the best chance. By far.
But Milan 2026 will see another four names added to this list, including Marie-Philip Poulin (CAN), Jenni Hiirikoski (FIN), Michelle Karvinen (FIN), and Hilary Knight (USA).
But there are also ten others now playing in their fourth, and some are plenty young enough that five and six, and maybe even seven, are possible.
Of the original five, Bullo was 34 years old when she played in her fifth. Hefford was 36, Terho 32, Rantamaki and Wickenheiser 35.
And from the new additions this year, Poulin is 34, Hiirikoski 38, Karvinen 35, and Knight 36.
Knight has already announced this will be her final Games, and one would think Hiirikoski would be hard-pressed to make a sixth Olympics at age 42. However, never rule out the brilliant skater from any conversation about longevity; she is too talented and in incredible shape. She will almost certainly be in a position to make a decision about retirement on her own terms.
Poulin has been a fixture in the PWHL, and this might well be a means to continue playing and dress for number six in France in 2030. Karvinen also has been such an integral part of the Finnish program. It will be her call on pursuing a sixth, or not.
But there are some interesting names among the players who are appearing in their fourth Games this year. Most notable is Switzerland star Alina Muller. She made her Olympics debut in 2014 at age 15, and is now only 27. She is a top player in the PWHL, and there is no reason to think she won’t be in 2030 as well as Salt Lake in 2034, when she will still be only 35. Heck, she might even make it seven in 2038, even though the host nation for that Games has yet to be awarded.
Four years older, teammate Lara Stalder is 31 and could easily be part of the list who have played five if she stays in the game and wants to play in 2030. Finland’s Susanna Tapani, 32, could make five, but six might be pushing it.
Two Japanese players are also young enough to bring into the conversation for six. Rui Ukita, in her fourth now, is only 29, so a fifth at 33 and sixth at 37 is well within reach. Shiori Koike is 32, so one could see her attaining five for sure.
American Lee Stecklein is 31 and appearing in number four, so a fifth looks probable and a sixth…well, that might be tough. And Kendall Coyne Schofield is now 33. She hasn’t discussed her ambitions about how long (or not) she would like to play, but she currently leads the PWHL in scoring, so the name Kendall and the concept of slowing down are not yet appropriate in the same sentence. A fifth at 37? The way she trains, that’s perfectly doable.
There are also three Canadians who are playing in their fourth now—Jocelyne Larocque, 37; Brianne Jenner, 34; and, Natalie Spooner, 35. Legends in the dressing room and on ice, they seem the least likely of the “four club” to get to five, but as with Hiirikoski, never say never.
Clearly the name to watch is Muller. At 27, she is the youngest of all these players to appear in her fourth Olympics. To compare, only two men have played in as many as six Olympics. Teemu Selanne was 35 when he played in his fourth and Raimo Helminen was 29. If anyone in hockey history can make it to seven, Muller has the best chance. By far.