For Olivia Huffman, there’s only one rightful owner of the “Captain Clutch” title in hockey—Marie-Philip Poulin. So when NHL teams started using the nickname for their own players, she wasn’t about to let it slide.

Poulin, the longtime leader of Team Canada and current captain of Montreal Victoire, has built her reputation by delivering game-winning goals in the biggest moments, including three Olympic gold medal finals.

“In this generation of hockey, there’s really no one else who deserves that name more,” Huffman, a hockey fan from Ottawa, told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.

So when the New Jersey Devils used “Captain Clutch” to describe their captain’s first-period goal in a regular-season game on March 1—the start of Women’s History Month, no less—Huffman fired back.

“Captain Clutch?” she responded on X. “I didn’t see Marie-Philip Poulin on the ice.”

Fans Push Back Against NHL Teams

Huffman kept the same energy when the Buffalo Sabres used the phrase in a game they ended up losing to the Montreal Canadiens. She also took aim at the Ottawa Senators for branding Brady Tkachuk as “Tkaptain TKLUTCH” after he forced overtime against the Washington Capitals.

“They’re a Canadian team. You’d think they’d know better,” she said. “And they lost that game, too. So, you know, not so clutch.”

‘There’s Only One Captain Clutch’

Ironically, Poulin herself isn’t particularly fond of the nickname, preferring to credit her teammates for shared success. According to Sportsnet, her fellow players even avoid saying it around her.

That hasn’t stopped her supporters from fiercely defending it. Whenever an NHL team tries to use the moniker, a wave of Poulin fans floods the replies to shut it down.

On Tuesday night, after Poulin scored yet another game-winning goal against the Minnesota Frost, Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announcer Daniella Ponticelli made it clear: “When we say Captain Clutch, the only name is Marie-Philip Poulin.”

Ponticelli later doubled down on social media: “I said what I said.”

Poulin’s own team reinforced the message, posting on X in both English and French: “THERE’S ONLY ONE CAPTAIN CLUTCH.”

A Title That Should Be Earned

Hockey writer Jared Book acknowledges that “Captain Clutch” wasn’t invented for Poulin, but he believes the term should be used sparingly—reserved for those who deliver in critical moments.

“No one else has the history she does when it comes to scoring in big games,” said Book, deputy editor of Eyes on the Prize, a site covering the Montreal Canadiens.

He also took a playful jab at the Sabres, noting that they used the nickname in Montreal just days after Poulin led Victoire to victory in the same arena.

“If you’re going to use it in this city, at least win the game first,” he joked.

More Than Just a Nickname

While most of the banter has been lighthearted, Huffman’s viral posts have also drawn backlash, including hundreds of angry responses—some of them disturbingly extreme.

“I’ve even gotten death threats over this,” the 22-year-old said. “Over a nickname. It’s really not that serious.”

What is serious, she says, is the rise of women’s hockey.

The PWHL, founded just two years ago, has seen a steady increase in attendance, with sellout crowds becoming the norm. Huffman, a season ticket holder for the Ottawa Charge, has attended around 20 games this season.

“Every time I go, I take a moment to appreciate it,” she said. “Two years ago, this would have broken attendance records for women’s hockey. Now, it’s just another game.”

Book agrees that support for women’s hockey is at an all-time high, and Poulin is at the center of it.

“It says a lot that when people hear ‘Captain Clutch,’ they know exactly who it refers to.”