Kristin O’Neill is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the New York Sirens of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and member of the Canadian national team, with whom she won silver at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Later that year, she won the Provincial Women’s Hockey League championship with the Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres. With the same Sabres team, she would also gain a silver medal at the 2015 OWHA Provincial championships.
During her final season (2015–16) in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League, she was bestowed the captaincy of the Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres. Leading the team in goals assists and points, she ranked sixth overall in the league. In addition, she was part of the Team Ontario Red roster that won the gold medal at the 2015 Canadian Under-18 Women’s Nationals.
As a freshman, O’Neill ranked second in scoring on the Cornell Big Red. Finishing as the NCAA’s leading scorer in shorthanded goals with five, she placed seventh in the nation among all freshmen with 0.84 points per game.
O’Neill experienced greater success as a sophomore. In addition to leading the Big Red in scoring, she tied for the NCAA lead in shorthanded goals, scoring four, while her seven game-winning goals tied for fourth in the nation. Recognized as the Ivy League Player of the Year, she also gained spots on the ECAC and Ivy League First-Team All-Stars, respectively.
PWHL Montreal of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) selected O’Neill in the second round, seventh overall, of the 2023 PWHL Draft.[2] On October 30, she joined Montreal on a three-year contract. At the end of December, O’Neill was named one of Montreal’s alternate captains for road games.
During the 2024–25 season, O’Neill scored one goal and five points in 30 games and in four playoff games added one goal and one assist. Following the season, at the 2025 PWHL Draft, she was traded to the New York Sirens along with the 28th overall pick in exchange for forward Abby Roque.
In 2013, O’Neill participated with Team Ontario Blue at the 2013 Canadian Under-18 Women’s Nationals, securing a silver medal. O’Neill was named to the Ontario team, which captured the silver medal in women’s ice hockey at the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
O’Neill and Jamie Lee Rattray recorded the assists on Loren Gabel’s first career goal for the Canadian team in a 2–1 preliminary round loss on November 7, 2018, versus the United States at the 4 Nations Cup.
On January 9, 2026, she was named to Canada’s roster to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics. On February 7, 2026, O’Neill was one of six Canadian skaters making their Olympic debut as Canada played Switzerland. Two days later, O’Neill contributed a goal as Canada prevailed over Czechia in a 5-1 final. She was part of the squad which won the silver medal following a 2-1 loss against the United States, in which she scored the opening goal, on February 19, 2026.
Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Kristin O’Neill – an exceptionally talented and accomplished Canadian professional ice hockey player, winner of silver medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Here she talks about her fitness journey and the success story.
Namita Nayyar:
Your time with the Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres was incredibly decorated, including a PWHL championship and being named captain in your final season. What was the most important lesson you learned about leadership at such a formative stage in your career?
Kristin O’Neill:
I learned that connection is everything. When people feel valued, included, listened to and comfortable to be themselves a team flourishes. Sometimes going out of your way to connect with those around you goes further than you realize.
Namita Nayyar:
Before focusing entirely on hockey, you also participated in cross country and track and field in high school. How did that running background contribute to the incredible work ethic and skating endurance you’re now known for in the PWHL?
Kristin O’Neill:
I’ve always believed that it is important to be an athlete before a hockey player. To gain a base of strength, coordination, endurance, and agility before focusing entirely on one sport. Running helped me gain a lot of these elements, as did some other sports like tennis. I also think running challenge my mental game, I learned a lot about how i responded to nerves, what I resorted to in moments of intense effort.
Full Interview is Continued on Next Page
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President of womenfitness.net, and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or in full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2026 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
Your freshman year at Cornell, you led the NCAA in shorthanded goals with five. Forwards are usually taught to be cautious when killing a penalty, but you seemed to turn it into an offensive weapon. What is the mindset required to be that aggressive and successful shorthanded?
Kristin O’Neill:
I absolutely love killing penalties. What started as a secret weapon has become why I am known for. I think it really stemmed from me just embracing this asset. A lot of people think of the penalty kill as a negative, but I thrive in these moments, and I think that’s what make it my ‘thing’
Namita Nayyar:
You finished your collegiate career as Cornell’s all-time leader in game-winning goals (21) and shorthanded goals (10). Is there a specific goal from those four years that stands out as your most memorable, and why?
Kristin O’Neill:
I honestly can’t think of a specific goal of my college career that stands out to me. Anytime I got to play in-front of the incredible fans at Lynah rink was truly a memory I’ll never forget!
Namita Nayyar:
You served as team captain for three years at Cornell and were a three-time nominee for the Patty Kazmaier Award. How did wearing the “C” for that long shape your understanding of what it takes to unite a locker room and lead by example?
Kristin O’Neill:
I was lucky enough to lead with fellow members of the class of 2020. Co-captain, Micah Zandee- Hart and I lead with different qualities which was really helpful. We always had the support of the rest of our class and felt like a very united front. As for uniting a while team, I think it’s important that everyone is coming from a differ place with different experiences.
Meeting people where they are at is important. So is holding people accountable to standards, we expected a lot, but it became normal to exceed these standards and show how much you care by putting the work in.
Namita Nayyar:
You were drafted 7th overall by PWHL Montreal in the inaugural 2023 draft. What was that experience like, being one of the foundational players for a new franchise in a historic league?
Kristin O’Neill:
It was a very special moment in my career. Not only was it a monumental moment for women’s hockey but it was a moment for me will be ingrained in my mind forever. A moment I will tell my grandchildren about.
Namita Nayyar:
During the 2024-25 seasons, you were traded to the New York Sirens in a move that sent Abby Roque the other way. What was that transition like, moving to a new city and a new locker room, and how have you embraced your role with the Sirens?
Kristin O’Neill:
At first, it was a very emotional change. I was forced to leave a lot of good friends, and a city and team that I grew to absolutely love. But with that, came change that I loved more than I ever anticipated. I have embraced my role as a more experienced player on the sirens and work hard every day to a positive, detailed leader people can look up to.
Namita Nayyar:
You were named a player to watch following the Olympics for your “speed, reliability on faceoffs and aggressive fore checking”. How much of your game-day preparation is dedicated to faceoffs, and what is your personal strategy for winning a crucial draw?
Kristin O’Neill:
Not too much of my preparation is focused on face-offs. But if I am going into a game against a team or a center that I haven’t had success in the past with I will study how they go about taking face-offs to best prepare myself.
Namita Nayyar:
Making your Olympic debut on February 7, 2026, against Switzerland. Take us back to that moment. What was going through your mind during the national anthem before your first shift on Olympic ice?
Kristin O’Neill:
There was so much buildup to this first shift. So many firsts at the games prior to actually starting the tournament. The opening ceremonies, all the new gear, the village, not to mention the 10 years prior that I dreamt of stepping onto Olympic ice. So, to say it was an emotional first step would be an understatement. It was a dream come true and I’m proud of myself for taking it with confidence.
Namita Nayyar:
You scored Canada’s opening goal in the quarterfinal against Czechia, and then scored the first goal of the gold medal game against the United States—a beautiful shorthanded backhand. Can you walk us through the play on that gold medal goal? What did it feel to score on that stage, even in a heartbreaking loss?
Kristin O’Neill:
I was nervous. I believe it was my first or second shift of the game, right into the penalty kill. This was nerve wracking, stressful but also for me… comforting. What a weird word to use when you’re shorthanded in the Olympic finals, but to me the penalty kill is my thing. I remember Laura Stacey getting a loose puck on the wall, after the defense tried to keep the puck in.
While Laura raced for the puck, I had a second while I thought about changing. As soon as I recognized the opportunity to beat their D up the ice, I skated as fast as I could. Laura reached the puck first and made a lateral pass through the first defenseman back. I caught the puck on my forehand and took it straight to my backhand beating the USA goalie. As a I scored, I got tripped up in the goalies stick and fell into the boards. Something about the falling celebration made the moment that much more memorable.
Namita Nayyar:
Being part of a team that included legends like Marie-Philip Poulin, how did you and the other younger players on the team—like Sarah Fillier and Julia Gosling—feed off their experience while also bringing your own energy to the roster?
Kristin O’Neill:
The leaders and experience in the locker room are absolutely second to none. I have grown so much as a person and player because of the leaders in that room like Poulin, Turnbull, Jenner, Fast, and Laroque. They cultivated an environment where younger players like us feel confidence; feel like we can be our true selves without judgment.
Namita Nayyar:
Your game is built on relentless speed and an aggressive fore check . What does your off-season training regimen look like to build the stamina required to maintain that pace for a full 60-minute shift and an 82-game season?
Kristin O’Neill:
Off ice training is very important to me. I love the grind of the off season, and I believe that this it is something that gives me an edge. Ever since I was a young athlete, I have enjoyed challenging myself in this area. My off-season trading regimen looks a little different every year, but the elements stay the same.
It’s built from a foundation of power, speed, and strength. Usually, it entails working out 5-6 times per week, 4 times in the gym with a dynamic and mobility based warm up, a strength or power based middle and ends with either a conditioning or endurance based exercise. Running or biking is usually involved at least twice per week as well.
Namita Nayyar:
Faceoff dominance requires immense upper body and grip strength. Are there specific exercises or drills you incorporate into your workouts to maintain that advantage in the dot?
Kristin O’Neill:
I believe that you don’t always have to be the strongest player to win a face off, although i strive to be the strongest player I can be, I am not the biggest. Over the years, the small stature has allowed me to develop a very low stance in the face off dot, and I believe this has a lot to do with my face off success.
Namita Nayyar:
Nutrition is fuel for a high-performance engine. What does a typical day of eating look like for you, both on a busy game day and during a recovery day?
Kristin O’Neill:
Not only is food fuel for me, but cooking is one of my favorite pass times and hobbies, so I really enjoy this aspect of high performance. a typical day of eating starts with a calorie dense breakfast, a big bowl of oatmeal or eggs, toast, and cottage cheese and of course a coffee. Usually training starts around 9-10am so I usually bring a snack with me so I’m not starving when lunch rolls around. a typical snack would consist of a piece of fruit, or a protein bar or smoothie.
Lunch is different every day. I am provided with lunch during the season, and we are lucky to have great options, like chicken or salmon, rice or pasta and salad. A snack between lunch and dinner is almost always a given, something like crackers, veggies, and hummus. Dinner is different every day for me, i usually try to make a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks and focus on using whole, colorful foods!
Namita Nayyar:
Life as a pro hockey player means constant travel, early mornings, and a lot of time at the rink. Do you have a simplified skin care or hair care routine that helps you feel fresh and put-together amidst the chaos of the season?
Kristin O’Neill:
I have come to find new ways of routine on the road amongst the chaos. I have also come to appreciate and really value my time at home, when not traveling. Finding efficient routines is important but also just being consistent with things like sleep, hydration and fueling is just as important to me!
Namita Nayyar:
You are now established as a key part of a young, exciting core in New York alongside the likes of Sarah Fillier and Kayle Osborne. What are your personal and team goals for the remainder of this season and beyond with the Sirens?
Kristin O’Neill:
My goal remains the same no matter what team I am on, to win a Walter cup. Anything shy of that to me would be a loss. The reality is that it is very challenging, especially in a league where only 4 teams make playoffs. I think we have such a spry, eager team that we will find a way to put ourselves in the best possible position to achieve that.
Namita Nayyar:
With a silver medal from 2026 and multiple World Championship golds already on your resume, what’s the next big milestone you’re chasing? Is it a Walter Cup? Another Olympic run in 2030?
Kristin O’Neill:
I am currently chasing a Walter cup. I do have my eye on the 2030 Olympics but am trying my best to stay in the present, enjoy the now while using the confidence I gained from being a part of the 2026 Olympic team.
Namita Nayyar:
You’ve come a long way from Oakville to Olympian. For the young hockey players in Ontario who dream of playing in the PWHL and for Canada, what is the best piece of advice you can give them about the dedication it takes to get here?
Kristin O’Neill:
The best advice I can give to the young hockey players who dream of playing in the PWHL and for Canada would be the following:
Everyone path looks different. There is not ‘right’ answer to achieving these goals. Focusing on your own timeline, your own path is crucial.
Resilience. I can almost guarantee that you will fail at least once. You will not realize it in the moment, but it is often the failures and setbacks that spring you forward. Take my story for example, I owe a lot of my success to the person I became after getting cut from the 2022 Olympic team. Enjoy the process. I have met lifelong friends and traveled the globe for hockey. It has brought me some of my most favorite memories. At the end of the day, if you don’t enjoy it, you will not be your best.
Kristin O’Neill Social Media Presence
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinoneill20/
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President of womenfitness.net, and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or in full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2026 Women Fitness