Jillian Dempsey Bio
Jillian T. Dempsey (born January 19, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey player whose career stretched from college hockey at Harvard to the top professional women’s leagues in North America and Europe. A forward who shoots left, she served as captain of the Boston Pride of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) and finished her career with the Boston Fleet of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). She holds the all-time PHF records for games played, goals, assists, and points, and is one of only two players in league history to have won the Isobel Cup three times.
Born in Winthrop, Massachusetts, Dempsey built her reputation as a dependable scorer, leader, and ambassador for the women’s game. In early August 2025, she announced her retirement from professional hockey on social media, closing a career that spanned more than a decade at the highest levels of the sport.
Early Life and Background
Jillian T. Dempsey was born on January 19, 1991, in Winthrop, Massachusetts, a small coastal town just outside Boston. She grew up in a household connected to public service; her father, Jack Dempsey, has served as the Boston Fire Department commissioner. As a child, Dempsey became a familiar face in the local hockey community, and at the age of nine, she won a contest to name the Boston Bruins mascot, Blades the Bruin.
She attended the Rivers School, a private preparatory school in Weston, Massachusetts, where she developed her hockey skills and emerged as a promising forward. After graduating, she enrolled at Harvard College, where she majored in Classics. Following her undergraduate studies, Dempsey completed a master’s degree in education and joined the Teach For America program, beginning a teaching career that she would continue alongside her playing career.
Path to Hockey
Dempsey joined the Harvard Crimson women’s ice hockey team in 2009 and played four seasons for the program through 2013. Over 129 NCAA games, she tallied 148 points, finishing among the top-10 all-time scorers in program history. In her senior year, she served as team captain and was named a top-10 finalist for the 2013 Patty Kazmaier Award, given annually to the top women’s college hockey player in the United States.
Her international career began early, as she represented the United States at the 2009 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship and the 2011 4 Nations Cup. In 2012, she returned to the senior national team for the IIHF Women’s World Championship, where the United States captured a silver medal. In August 2013, she was selected 10th overall by the Boston Blades in the 2013 CWHL Draft, and shortly afterward joined HC Neuilly-sur-Marne on loan for the opening round of the 2013–14 IIHF European Women’s Champions Cup, where she scored 13 points in three games.
Jillian Dempsey Career
Early Career (2011–2015)
Dempsey’s professional career began with the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL). In her first full season, she was recognized as the CWHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2014 after leading all American-born players in league scoring. The following season, she added 19 points in 22 games and helped the Blades capture the 2015 Clarkson Cup.
During this same stretch, she split time with Harvard, finishing her senior season in 2012–13, and made her senior international debut at the 2012 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Her combination of NCAA experience and overseas play in France helped establish her as one of the most well-rounded young American forwards in the game.
CWHL and NWHL Breakthrough (2015–2020)
When the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) launched in 2015 as the first professional women’s hockey league in the United States to pay its players, Dempsey left the Blades and joined the Boston Pride. In 2018, she was named team captain, a role she would hold for years. She participated in the league’s All-Star festivities, playing for Team Stecklein in the 2019 NWHL All-Star Game and captaining Team Dempsey in the 2020 edition.
On January 26, 2020, Dempsey became the first player in NWHL history to reach 100 career points including playoffs, recording an assist in a win over the Minnesota Whitecaps. In February 2020, Sportsnet named her one of the 25 most powerful women in hockey. She shared the 2020 NWHL MVP award with Allie Thunstrom after leading the Pride to the regular-season title, though the Isobel Cup playoffs were ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Boston Pride Captain Era (2020–2023)
During the abbreviated 2020–21 NWHL season in Lake Placid, Dempsey played through a shoulder injury before the two-week schedule was paused. When play resumed in Boston in March 2021, she returned to full health and captained the Pride to their second Isobel Cup Championship, the only remaining player from the franchise’s first title in 2016.
In December 2022, Dempsey tied a PHF record with six points, including her first career hat trick, in a 7-5 win over Buffalo. Across her time with the Pride, she set the league’s all-time records for games played, goals, assists, and points, and helped the franchise win three Isobel Cup titles in total.
PWHL Era (2023–2025)
Following the folding of the PHF, Dempsey was selected in the 11th round of the 2023 PWHL Draft by PWHL Montreal. On November 9, 2023, she signed a one-year contract with Montreal. For the 2024–25 season, she signed a reserve contract with the Boston Fleet, appearing in nine games during the campaign.
On March 8, 2025, in a game against the Montreal Victoire, Dempsey logged two assists on goals by Jamie Lee Rattray and Amanda Pelkey, the final two points of her career. Her last appearance came on April 2, 2025, in a home game versus the Ottawa Charge. In early August 2025, she announced her retirement from professional hockey on social media.
Driving Style and Strengths
Dempsey was known as a cerebral, two-way forward whose game was built on hockey sense, dependable playmaking, and a willingness to play through injuries. Her ability to set up linemates and contribute in all situations made her a natural captain, and her leadership in the locker room and on the ice helped shape the identity of the Boston Pride for nearly a decade.
Notable Events and Milestones
Dempsey’s most celebrated milestones include becoming the first NWHL player to reach 100 career points, sharing the 2020 NWHL MVP award, and winning three Isobel Cup championships with the Boston Pride. She also represented the United States at multiple IIHF events, including the 2012 IIHF Women’s World Championship, where the Americans earned a silver medal.
Jillian Dempsey Career Wins
Across her professional career, Jillian T. Dempsey established herself as one of the most decorated players in North American women’s hockey history, capturing three Isobel Cup championships with the Boston Pride and a Clarkson Cup with the Boston Blades.
Isobel Cup Highlights
Dempsey won three Isobel Cup titles with the Boston Pride, beginning with the franchise’s first championship in 2016 and continuing with the 2021 title run. A 2020 Isobel Cup final appearance was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over her career, she set the all-time PHF records for games played, goals, assists, and points, and became the first player in league history to reach 100 career points including playoffs.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of the Isobel Cup, Dempsey won the 2015 Clarkson Cup with the Boston Blades during her time in the CWHL. She also earned a silver medal with the United States at the 2012 IIHF Women’s World Championship and was recognized as one of the 25 most powerful women in hockey by Sportsnet in 2020.
Jillian Dempsey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Dempsey grew up in Winthrop, Massachusetts, in a family with deep roots in the Boston area. Her father, Jack Dempsey, has served as the Boston Fire Department commissioner.
Personal Life
After completing her playing career at Harvard, where she majored in Classics, Dempsey earned a master’s degree in education and joined the Teach For America program. In 2016, she became a fifth-grade teacher in her hometown of Winthrop, and she continued teaching throughout her professional hockey career, even conducting class from her hotel room during the 2020–21 Lake Placid bubble.
2025 Season Performance
Jillian T. Dempsey’s 2024–25 season was her final campaign as a professional hockey player. Signed to a reserve contract with the Boston Fleet, she appeared in nine regular-season games and continued to provide veteran leadership for a young PWHL roster.
Her final statistical contributions came on March 8, 2025, in a game against the Montreal Victoire, when she recorded two assists on goals by Jamie Lee Rattray and Amanda Pelkey. Her last appearance on PWHL ice came on April 2, 2025, in a home game versus the Ottawa Charge.
Following the season, in early August 2025, Dempsey announced her retirement from professional hockey on social media, closing a career that included three Isobel Cup championships, a Clarkson Cup, and the all-time PHF records for games played, goals, assists, and points.