Namita Nayyar:
You earned All-Rookie team honors and a Rookie of the Year nomination in the league’s first season. How has the reality of being a professional athlete in the PWHL compared to the dream you had as a kid?
Emma Maltais:
It is crazy because I never even dreamed of having this experience as a child because it simply was never an option. So my ‘dreams’ are almost voided! It was a blank piece of paper where we got to write our story about what being a female professional means, and hopefully how it can get even better which is pretty cool.
Namita Nayyar:
You’re known for your “scrappy style” and energy on the ice, and fans adore your personality on social media . How important is it for you to let your personality shine both on the ice and on platforms like TikTok?
Emma Maltais:
It is really important. I think the way I can show my personality allows me to build connections with fans and young girls. Having role models of different kinds is so important for young girls. I am a short and strong woman that is fierce on the ice, but not as fierce off the ice and I think this contrast has been really exciting for people to see. I love being this person and I think that is a way that I can express myself authentically but also allow people to relate to.
Namita Nayyar:
You’ve worn the Team Canada jersey at almost every level. What is the single biggest difference you’ve noticed in the team culture between the U18 level and the senior national team?
Emma Maltais:
WOW! Great question! I think culture is established over many years and implemented by your leaders. I think being 16/17 it can be difficult to think of others in this environment, so I think when you reach the senior national team you realize how team first the leaders are and how important it is to be a valuable TEAM member.
Namita Nayyar:
Winning gold in Beijing in 2022 was a massive achievement. Can you describe the feeling of stepping onto the ice for that gold medal game, and what it meant to hear the national anthem afterward?
Emma Maltais:
It was so incredibly cool to win the gold medal in Beijing. I think the year that we went through COVID was so unique and we became so incredibly close as a team that it was such a sweet moment to put the medals on each other (unique) and then listen to the national anthem together. There were so many nerves pre game but I had all the belief in our group.
Namita Nayyar:
You were named to the 2026 Olympic roster, heading to Milano-Cortina for your second Games. How has your mindset shifted from being a young player just happy to be there in 2022, to being a veteran presence in 2026?
Emma Maltais:
It’s funny because I actually don’t feel like a veteran at all! But I definitely have had a shift in my mentality. The last four years I have been training to go to the Olympics again, to play in front of my parents and to make an impact as much as I can. I am happy to say that I feel like I accomplished that goal.
Namita Nayyar:
After the heartbreak of the silver medal in 2026, you spoke about the challenge of processing the loss while jumping right back into the PWHL playoff push . How do you mentally compartmentalize the highs and lows of international competition when the club season is still ongoing?
Emma Maltais:
Honestly, It has been very challenging. I am someone who struggles with compartmentalizing different events and I think returning to the PWHL for the playoff push has been really difficult but overall positive. We are now in a positon where we are very close to making the playoffs and I will be ecstatic if we accomplish this goal.
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