Ann-Renée Desbiens Bio
Ann-Renée Desbiens, born on April 10, 1994, in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Montreal Victoire in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). Standing 1.75 m tall and weighing 73 kg, she catches left and has been a member of the Canada women’s national ice hockey team since her teenage years. As a trailblazer in the sport, she was the first female player drafted to the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League and has built a reputation as one of the most accomplished goaltenders in women’s hockey history.
Desbiens has represented Canada at multiple Olympic Games and IIHF Women’s World Championships, earning medals at the highest international levels. Her career spans collegiate, professional, and international play, and she continues to be a central figure for both the Montreal Victoire and Team Canada.
Early Life and Background
Ann-Renée Desbiens was born and raised in La Malbaie, a small town in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, Canada. Growing up in a hockey-loving family that supported the Quebec Nordiques and later the Colorado Avalanche, she was exposed to the sport from an early age. Hall of Fame NHL goaltender Patrick Roy, a proud Quebecer, became a defining role model for her, shaping her ambitions as a netminder.
Her early hockey development took place in Quebec’s competitive minor and junior systems, where she quickly distinguished herself as a talented goaltender. Despite the limitations placed on female athletes in male-dominated leagues, Desbiens persevered and continued to pursue her dream of playing at the highest levels of the game.
In October 2025, her hometown of La Malbaie honored her legacy when a sculpture of Ann-Renée Desbiens was unveiled at the Clermont Arena, recognizing her contributions to the sport and her roots in the Charlevoix region.
Path to Hockey
Desbiens made history as the first female player drafted to the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League, the second-highest men’s junior league in Quebec after the QMJHL. She was selected by the Loups de La Tuque but was cut before playing a game because the coach at the time did not believe in developing female goaltenders in that environment. That same year, she also attended the Shawinigan Cataractes training camp, gaining valuable exposure to high-level competition.
In 2012, she made one playoff appearance for the Montréal Stars of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), helping the team win the Clarkson Cup. Later that year, she was part of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team that won gold at the 2010 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship in Chicago, with a hockey card of her featured in the Upper Deck 2010 World of Sports card series.
Ann-Renée Desbiens Career
College Career (2013–2017)
In 2013, Ann-Renée Desbiens was offered a scholarship to play at the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA, despite not being fluent in English at the time. Across four seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers women’s ice hockey program, she became one of the most decorated goaltenders in collegiate history. She led the team to four Frozen Four appearances and tallied 99 wins in 122 games, setting several individual records, including the highest career save percentage in NCAA women’s hockey at .963 and the lowest goals against average at 0.71.
During her senior year, on November 6, 2016, Desbiens broke Noora Räty’s record for the most NCAA career shutouts by any goaltender of any gender. In a 6–0 victory against the Bemidji State Beavers, she logged career shutout number 44. At the end of her senior year, she was awarded the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top female college ice hockey player in the United States.
Professional Breakthrough (2016–2023)
Desbiens was the first Canadian selected at the 2016 NWHL Draft, chosen in the first round, fourth overall by the Boston Pride, although as of 2021 she had not appeared with the team. Following the 2018 Winter Olympics, she took an eighteen-month break from hockey during the 2018–19 season, citing exhaustion and uncertainty about professional options.
She returned to the game in May 2019 by joining the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA). In the 2019–20 season, she appeared for the Fond du Lac Bears in the Great Lakes Hockey League, an elite men’s amateur league, and also participated in the women’s ice hockey showcase at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, making 15 saves as the Canadian All-Stars beat the American All-Stars. In the 2021 Secret Cup, the Canadian leg of the PWHPA Dream Gap Tour, she registered 19 saves in a 4–2 championship game win over Team Sonnet for Team Bauer (Montreal).
Montreal Victoire Era (2023–Present)
In 2023, the PWHPA and the rival Premier Hockey Federation consolidated into the new Professional Women’s Hockey League. With each of the six new teams able to make three initial free agency signings, Desbiens was widely assessed as a probable signing by PWHL Montreal, later renamed the Montreal Victoire. On September 5, she was reported as one of the Montreal team’s first three players, alongside Team Canada teammates Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey.
In the 2024–25 PWHL season, Desbiens was awarded Goaltender of the Year. During the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft, she was one of three players protected first by Montreal. On October 23, 2025, she signed a two-year contract extension with the Victoire, and during the 2026 PWHL Expansion Draft she was again one of three players protected first by the club.
Driving Style and Strengths
Desbiens is recognized for her exceptional composure, technical precision, and ability to handle high-pressure moments against elite competition. Her collegiate save percentage of .963 and goals against average of 0.71 highlight her technical efficiency, while her record-setting 51 saves in a single Olympic game against the United States demonstrate her stamina and focus during extended workloads.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her career highlights, Desbiens won Olympic gold at the 2022 Beijing Games after making 38 saves on 40 shots in the gold medal game against the United States. She also earned Olympic silver medals at the 2018 PyeongChang Games and the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, where she made 31 saves in a 2–1 final loss to the United States.
Ann-Renée Desbiens Career Wins
Ann-Renée Desbiens has accumulated an impressive collection of victories across collegiate, professional, and international play. With 99 wins in 122 games at the University of Wisconsin, a Clarkson Cup title with the Montréal Stars, and Olympic and World Championship medals with Team Canada, she stands among the winningest goaltenders of her generation.
International Highlights
Desbiens guided Canada to a silver medal at the 2015 IIHF Women’s World Championship and earned another silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics. She claimed Olympic gold at the 2022 Beijing Games, setting a Canadian record with 51 saves in a preliminary game against the United States. Most recently, she won silver at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, making her tournament debut on February 9, 2026, in a 5–1 victory over Czechia.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond her international accomplishments, Desbiens won gold at the 2010 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship and was part of the gold medal-winning Team Ontario Red squad at the 2011 Canadian National Women’s Under-18 Championships. She also helped the Montréal Stars capture the 2012 Clarkson Cup.
Ann-Renée Desbiens Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Ann-Renée Desbiens grew up in a family of devoted hockey supporters in La Malbaie, Quebec. Her family rooted for the Quebec Nordiques and later the Colorado Avalanche, and she has cited Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy as a major role model throughout her development.
Personal Life
Desbiens holds a master’s degree in accounting, reflecting her commitment to education alongside her athletic career. She has remained closely connected to her hometown of La Malbaie, where she was honored in October 2025 with a sculpture unveiled at the Clermont Arena in recognition of her achievements in the sport.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 PWHL season was a milestone year for Ann-Renée Desbiens and the Montreal Victoire. Her consistent excellence between the pipes earned her the PWHL Goaltender of the Year award, reinforcing her status as one of the league’s premier netminders. During the 2025 PWHL Expansion Draft, Montreal prioritized protecting her as one of three protected players, underscoring her central role in the franchise’s long-term plans.
On October 23, 2025, she signed a two-year contract extension with the Victoire, signaling organizational confidence in her continued production. Her leadership and reliability have helped establish Montreal as a consistent contender in the league’s still-developing competitive landscape.
Looking ahead, Desbiens is expected to remain the starting goaltender for the Victoire and a key presence for Team Canada on the international stage, building on her decorated track record across collegiate, professional, and Olympic competition.