In a span of just 48 hours or so last December, a whole lot changed in the world of Madison Laberge.
Some doors were closed. Others were opened.
When all was said and done, the hockey journeys of the talented former Lady Wolves’ defenseman and some time forward were gearing up for a pair of new diversions.
Over the course of her five year career with the Nipissing Lakers, Laberge would twice help lead her team to nationals (2022 & 2023) as well as earning all-star status (2024-2025), and was recognized as OUA Defender of the Year and a first team All-Canadian in her final season in North Bay.
The native of Valley East followed up her undergraduate degree with two years of Teachers College and spent the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year working close to home at Confederation Secondary School.
Some six months ago or so, she was informed that the teacher for whom she had covered would be coming back in January. A day later came a call, inviting her to close out the hockey season playing professional hockey in Austria. Less than 24 hours later, Laberge was informed that she had been awarded the head coaching position with the Sudbury U15 AA Lady Wolves for 2026-2027.
Quite the whirlwind, indeed.
“It was meant to be,” Laberge noted with a smile, back in town after extending her European experience by a month or so to backpack Italy and Greece with little sister Elizabeth who had just completed her fourth year with the Lakers.
With best friend and former teammate Ashley Taciuk already committed to the St Polten Sabres, Laberge was first offered the chance to tag along back in September of 2025. With a career in education lying ahead, she took a pass and graciously declined.
The landscape, however, was slightly different three months later.
“I couldn’t pass it up twice,” said Laberge. “My best friend was there – and Austria is clean and beautiful – and there’s so much to do.”
Balancing hockey and studies at the university level is excessively time consuming. With the academic component out of the mix, Laberge would enjoy hockey in a different light, taking full advantage of her European rail pass to check out many of the neighbouring countries (though she lists Salzburg as her favourite city).
It didn’t hurt that the Sabres would go on to claim the European Women’s Hockey League (EWHL) crown, defeating Aisulu Almaty (Kazakhstan) in the final. Filling in an area of need at forward, just as she had done at various times at Nipissing, Laberge gradually integrated herself with her new team just under a year after playing her final OUA game.
“It’s a different game over there, with bigger ice surfaces but more physical play,” said Laberge. “Mind you, (women’s) hockey is more physical now; they are allowing more.”
By the time that she would return back across the Atlantic, her new team, the one which she will guide as head coach, had been selected. That said, between her love of teaching and the fact that she has assisted in some way or another with the coaching staffs of a variety of girls hockey teams for a decade or so now, Laberge is nothing if not excited for this next step in a sport that she loves.
“I think I have a lot to bring to the table with my experience as a player,” said the now 25 year-old who returns three players from the 2025-2026 edition of the U15 AA Lady Wolves. “Having a female role model is such a big thing for these girls.”
Stylistically-speaking, Laberge is not tied into any specifics with regards to exactly what the Sudbury squad will look like, on the ice, come September.
“The kids are just discovering their own styles,” she said. “I look for coachable kids who are open to feedback and trying new things.”
During her time at Nipissing, Laberge was a definite point producer from the back-end, finishing fourth in league scoring in her final campaign. “The special teams – power plays and the PK – I really enjoyed those as a player,” she said. “I hope to be able to teach them some of that, seeing the ice and having poise with the puck.”
And although she feels very comfortable that her days of playing competitive hockey are now fully and completely behind her, the notion of looking at coaching as an option, should the opportunity ever arise, is not at all out of the question.
“I joked with Darren (Nipissing head coach Darren Turcotte), especially when I was leaving, that I was coming back to take his job,” Laberge suggested with a laugh. “I want to stay in the game.”
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The Sudbury U15 AA Lady Wolves roster that coach Madison Laberge will take into action in 2026-2027 includes Madden Poirier, Taylor Poirier, Sadie Cormier, Daviy Dale, Meredith Sonnenburg, Thea Dupuis, Julianna Smith, Kaitlyn Zarifa, Jordyn White, Jordyn Corbiere, Zoe Gatien, Olive Simon, Annabel Manning, Maelle Angus, Frederique Larose, Taylor Croskery and Ava Wicklander.
