Leadership in sports can be loud—full of commanding voices and motivational speeches—and Erin Ambrose’s own voice can fill a room when it needs to. But for the Montreal Victoire’s veteran defender, leadership is just as much about the quieter, more intentional moments. It’s not the volume that matters— it’s the value.
“I think it’s just about being a good teammate,” she says simply. For Ambrose, leadership is defined not by authority, but by exchange. “It’s not just teaching things, it’s also learning things.”
Leading by Example
Ambrose’s first responsibility, as she explains, begins with her own play. “First and foremost, I have to take care of what I need to take care of on the ice.” But where her leadership truly shines is in how she lifts others; “One of the things I take a lot of pride in is making those around me better,” she adds.
Whether it’s a rookie, or a veteran, Ambrose wants to put her teammates in positions where they can excel. Her defensive partner — first round draft pick Nicole Gosling — is one example she points to, “Nicole’s going to put me in a lot of places to be successful, maybe be a little bit more offensive. I can’t get less offensive than I was last year,” she jokes and later adds, “It’s just something about the two of us working together… trying to bring our games up to another level.”
The Leader Who Listens
If Ambrose has a signature leadership quality, it’s her openness. “I always like to say that my ears were not made for looks, they were made for listening.” she says with a smile. Listening, she explains, is essential: “Everybody—whether it’s frustration, concern, nervousness—whatever it may be, it’s all valid […] so listening and making sure they understand and they’re heard… that’s important to me.” She wants teammates to feel they can come to her about anything, and she strives to connect off the ice as much as she competes on it adding she and Gosling were still waiting to go for ice cream together at some point.
Montreal’s head coach, Kori Cheverie, has witnessed Ambrose’s impact over the years. She had this to say about her, “She’s a mentor to many players and former players who have been with Montreal,” she added, “I’ve seen it, seen her work for the past two years heading into year three. And it’s not even just people who are younger.”
That last point matters: Ambrose’s leadership crosses age, experience level, and personality. Younger players seek her out for guidance; veterans appreciate her perspective and steadiness. There’s no grandstanding, no hierarchy—just genuine care and commitment. And in Montreal, that quiet strength is shaping not just individual players, but the entire culture of the team.
Victoire back in action on Sunday
After starting their season with two games in three days, the Victoire found itself in an unusual position: an 11-day gap while every other team in the league continued play.
With their schedule ramping up again, the group returned to practice this week aiming to re-establish rhythm, sharpen structure, and prepare for a heavy stretch of five games before the end of December. The stretch features three matchups with Toronto, including a showcase stop in Halifax and their annual Bell Centre game, before the team heads on their first west coast trip where they’ll play the Seattle Torrent, and the Vancouver Goldeneyes.
At practice this week, head coach Kori Cheverie emphasized tempo, spacing, and game-like repetitions as her team worked to regain its pace after the long break.
“You want to get the players up and down the ice and make sure they’re getting reps with their lines […] We were working on some specific things, not necessarily pertaining to the entry, but to the neutral zone itself. We want the players to start to feel game-like and start to feel good about themselves.”
Returning Home to Halifax
On December 17, the team will head to Halifax as part of the Takeover Tour, and it also marks a homecoming for Cheverie, who grew up in Nova Scotia. During the Rivalry Series that took place earlier this year, Maritime fans showed up in force—something Cheverie expects again. It also helps that Toronto head coach Troy Ryan and players Blayre Turnbull and Allie Munroe are also from the East Coast.
When asked if she thought that one team might have a “home” ice advantage, Cheverie noted that the fanbase across Atlantic Canada tends to embrace players from all teams.
“I think there’s a lot of players on our team that people love Canada-wide,” she said. “Me being from there, it’s always fun to go back. I’m looking forward to the Atlantic Canada hospitality… Atlantic Canadians are so grateful and thankful for these types of opportunities.”
Cheverie also believes Halifax’s enthusiasm reflects the potential for future growth. “Anywhere we do a Takeover Tour game, those cities are in consideration for future expansion,” she said. “Halifax would be a great city—small-knit, but a really big hockey community. A team would be very successful there.”
Three-Game Toronto Stretch
The Victoire will face Toronto three times this month—an odd quirk of the schedule, but one she says offers some advantages. “It just so happens we’re playing Toronto this many times in a row… We’ll get to know them really well,” she said. “Our pre-scout will have to be good, and we’ll have to keep learning every game.”
Early Puck Drops? Cheverie’s a Fan
Cheverie is particularly pleased about the noon puck drop for Sunday’s game at Place Bell. “For a coach, it’s amazing,” she said. “On a game day, I’m up at 5:00, so if I don’t have to wait 14 hours for a game, I’m really happy.” The early start, she added, also streamlines post-game work and upcoming prep. “Selfishly, as a coach, it’s nice. Players might prefer a 3:00-4:00 game—but noon is fine with me.”
