Kaitlyn Willoughby brings the PWHL Walter Cup to Saskatchewan

August 5, 2026 — Prince Alberta, SK — CBC SASKATCHEWAN — Hannah Scott

Sask.'s first PWHL champion brings the Walter Cup home

Kaitlin Willoughby shares victory with home communities

The Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert was buzzing with excitement on Wednesday as hockey fans eagerly awaited the arrival of a hometown hero.Montreal Victoire forward Kaitlin Willoughby returned to her hometown a PWHL champion after the team's historic win against the Ottawa Charge during the Walter Cup finals in May. She carried the cup across the ice that night, and on Wednesday she carried it through the doors of her community’s biggest arena.

The cup is currently on a tour to all of the Victoire players' hometowns, and this was Prince Albert’s turn. Willoughby is the first Saskatchewan-born player to win a Professional Women's Hockey League championship.

Prince Albert was ready to celebrate with her. 

“This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I wanted to make sure that I brought it back to my community and had some time available for them to share it with me,” Willoughby told CBC at the celebration.  “It does mean a lot [to me] and it’s an emotional day because it’s been a long journey for me to get here. And you know, to see people come up and support me means the world to me.” When she walked into Prince Albert’s arena holding the Walter Cup, she was met with cheers and applause from fans. 

Dozens were lined up to get signed autographs and pictures with the champion and the cup. Some have been hockey fans for decades, watching women’s hockey evolve and grow to where it is today, making this victory a dream come true. “We’re so happy that the female hockey program is doing so well. We’re very surprised and happy that it’s happened,” said Lori Christiansen, who was waiting in line for an autograph with Willoughby. She brought two of her grandchildren with her. Their family is from Canwood, Sask., where Willoughby lived before she moved to Prince Albert at the age of 15. Christiansen's granddaughter, Eve Mansiere, is a young hockey player herself. She said Willoughby is special to her, and her dream is to play in the PWHL too.

Many other young hockey players at the beginning of their careers came to the celebration, and said they're glad to have a local player to look up to.  Willoughby said she wants her young fans and athletes to keep having fun with the sport. “It doesn't matter where you grew up or where you came from. As long as you're working towards a goal that you really want to achieve, I think anything is possible,” she said. Her family was there for the celebration, including her parents Jeff and Dinah Willoughby. 

They had a short road trip to start their day, making stops to visit family and fans in the area. They started in Victoire, Sask., a small town about 100 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert. The town shares its name with the PWHL champion team, and is also where Willoughby's maternal grandparents live. 

Their next stop was Canwood, where she first learned to skate. “She said it was very emotional just being there. She said ‘I’d never even cried when we won the Cup, but I cried when I was on the Canwood rink with the cup,’” her mother said, describing the moment she stepped back onto the ice where her hockey dream began. “[It was] so awesome just to see the support from the community and just to see how far she's come. From a small town of Canwood with 300 people to winning the biggest trophy you can win in female hockey. It's just unreal. I'm just so proud of her.”  Willoughby has moved back to Prince Albert for the summer, where she'll be working as a nurse at Victoria Hospital.

After that, she'll be back on the ice with the Victoire, after signing a two-year contract with the team.