Since making her Olympic debut in 2010, Hilary Knight has rewritten the record books, becoming the all-time leader in goals and points in U.S. women’s hockey history. At 36, she competed in her fifth Winter Olympics in Milan, adding her second gold medal on February 19. A sixth appearance would mean taking the international ice at 40 years old in 2030, when the Games head to the French Alps for the 2030 Winter Olympics. But will she?

It’s still sinking in for the ice hockey world that Knight won’t be part of the Olympic scene anymore.

Back in May 2025, she made it clear that Milan would be the final chapter of her Olympic journey. So when she was asked whether she had reconsidered her decision, her answer was direct.

“No.”

“I’ve said this is my last Games and I’ve had a heck of a week personally,” explained Hilary Knight.

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“It’s been an incredible ride, and you know, I just have to soak this all in because this room is just so special. This team is so special. This is the best U.S. hockey team I’ve ever been a part of, and that is just so tremendous,” the 36-year-old said in her post-match presser.

And what a moment it turned out to be.

The U.S. was trailing 1-0 with just over 2 minutes left in regulation on Thursday. Then came Knight.

She found the back of the net with the game-tying goal.

That goal marked her 15th career Olympic score and her 33rd career Olympic point, both records for a U.S. women’s hockey player. Along with that, she became the all-time leading Olympic goal scorer in U.S. women’s hockey history.

With that third-period strike, she also moved past both Natalie Darwitz and Katie King-Crowley, who each finished their Olympic careers with 14 goals. What makes it even more special is where it all began.

She scored her very first Olympic goal at the Vancouver Games, and now, 16 years later, in what she has said will be her final Olympics, she’s scored more than any American in Olympic history.

Her impact, though, goes far beyond the stat sheet.

Knight has inspired an entire generation of players, many of whom now share the ice with her. First-time Olympian Haley Winn remembers taking a photo with Knight at a hockey camp in upstate New York when she was just a kid, never imagining they’d one day be teammates.

“Obviously, she’s someone a lot of us have looked up to since we were little,” Winn reflected on the influence Knight has had on so many of them.

And Winn isn’t alone. Tessa Janecke, Laila Edwards, Hannah Bilka, and Caroline Harvey all grew up idolizing her.

In a fitting twist, it was Edwards, along with Megan Keller, who assisted on Knight’s historic goal.

“It’s unbelievable. It just seemed to be a very small part of what Hilary’s accomplished,” Edwards noted.

Even though Hilary Knight may be stepping away from the Olympic stage, moments like this make it clear she has plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Hilary Knight won more than just gold in the Olympics

“I thought what better moment than to do it at the Olympics where we met, where we’ve spent most of our lives prepping for and just owning the world stage,” Hilary Knight shared. “It’s just been so much fun to cheer her on through her races this week, and I thought this might be a good place to have a full circle moment for us.”

That heartfelt decision became public when Hilary Knight shared a deeply personal moment from the 2026 Winter Olympics.

While in Milano-Cortina, she posted an Instagram video capturing the exact second she dropped to one knee and proposed to American speed skater Brittany Bowe. In the clip, Hilary Knight presents an engagement ring as Bowe lights up with joy before saying yes. In the caption, Knight reflected on how meaningful the Olympics have been to their love story.

“Olympics brought us together.”

The timing made the moment even more powerful.

Knight was already preparing to compete in her fifth Olympic Games, becoming the first woman in U.S. hockey history to reach that milestone. At the same time, Team USA was gearing up for yet another highly anticipated gold medal showdown against longtime rival Canada, adding even more emotion to an already unforgettable week.

Bowe, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, has had a challenging run in Milano-Cortina. She finished fourth in both the 1,000-meter and team pursuit events, just missing out on the podium. Still, with the 1,500-meter race ahead of her, she remains determined to close out her campaign on a high note.

Hilary Knight and Bowe’s story dates back to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, where they first met. Since then, their bond has only grown stronger. And now, with both Knight and Bowe hinting that this Olympic season could be their last, these Games carry even deeper meaning.