Our latest digital cover features Canadian professional ice hockey player and Olympic gold medalist Emma Maltais. A forward for the Toronto Sceptres in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Emma was drafted 11th overall by Toronto at the 2023 inaugural draft.
Making her Olympic debut at Beijing in 2022, she helped Canada take home the gold medal. With the 2025-26 PWHL regular season recently kicking off and the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics, we got to chat with Emma about her big year ahead, her growth as a player, her motivation for building a social media presence, and how she balances on-ice responsibilities with off-ice ones.
Exclusive photos for Popternative Magazine by Mike NG
Hair & Makeup: Kelly Davidson
Styling: Jelly Savic
Makeup Credits
Brushes: Smith Cosmetics
Skin Prep: Charlotte Tilbury Magic Toner, Magic Serum, Magic Cream
Primer & Foundation: Shiseido Synchro Skin Primer, Shiseido Synchro Skin Foundation, Dior Forever Skin Correct Concealer
Contour: Fenty Beauty Match Stix – Soft Amber
Bronzer: Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow – Fair
Blush: MAC Cosmetics Glow Play Blush – Blush Please
Setting: Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder – Fair & Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
Eyes: Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize, Super Nudes Palette, Bedroom Black Kohl Eyeliner, MAC Eye Primer
Brows: Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows Tinted Eyebrow Gel – Taupe
Mascara: MAC Gigi Lash Mascara
Lips: MAC Lady Danger
Hair: Using Moroccan Oil
How excited are you to get this new season going with the Sceptres?
Emma: I’m so excited! It’s going to be a different kind of season with our league expanding, so I think it’ll be really cool learning experience. The Sceptres are looking really good so far; I’m excited to see how we kick off the season.
What have been the biggest learning experiences for you as a player and leader from the past PWHL seasons that you bring to this season?
Emma: First, is how you take care of yourself as a professional is super important. There are differences in every body’s needs when we travel or play at home, so I think those were really important for me to figure out in my first two seasons. I also learned the value in riding the course and taking the highs and lows of a season by storm. I think mentally, the season can be long, so being able to balance emotions and stay true to myself and my game is important.
Being a professional athlete, there are task on and off the ice like training and media. How do you balance both of these?
Emma: I think for me, the media stuff is a fun addition to being a pro! It’s an exciting time for women’s sports and women’s hockey, and the fact that the public is so interested in us is so amazing. At times, I have to realize that timing can be adjusted around my schedule and owning that responsibility. But at the same time, it is something that I enjoy and I feel a responsibility to also own that strength.
It’s an Olympic year; does that make it feel a bit different representing Canada at events and camps compared to past years?
Emma: An Olympic year is always special. It’s hard not to have that on your mind at all times. No matter what we’re doing, I think we can all agree that it is there motivating us. I think with the PWHL season, this Olympic process is different, yet special. We have to prepare differently, but the eyes on this Olympics is so special for our sport – historic actually.
Can you tell us a little bit about how you started to focus on your social media content? How important was it to show your life outside of hockey?
Emma: Honestly, I talked a lot to Natalie Spooner and Emily Clarke about their social media and got inspired by them. Spoons told me at one point about her passion of trying new things and how important it is to get out of our comfort zones, and that’s something that really inspired me to do the same. I also really value authenticity and honesty, and through social media, I can demonstrate these values and encourage young girls to always be themselves no matter who is watching. The more we can be ourselves, the more we can tap into what makes us special and build confidence. I think when I started to see the connection I was building with fans and the hockey community, it only inspired me to keep growing my socials!
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