Kassidy Sauvé Bio
Kassidy Sauvé is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently signed with SDE Hockey in Sweden’s SDHL through the 2025–26 season and with the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) on an emergency basis. Born on May 19, 1996, in Whitby, Ontario, she has competed at the collegiate, professional, and international levels across North America and Europe. Known for her quick reflexes and poise in net, Sauvé has built a career that includes stints in the NCAA, the PWHPA, the Finnish Naisten Liiga, and the former Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).
Early Life and Background
Kassidy Sauvé was born and raised in Whitby, Ontario, a community with a strong tradition of producing competitive hockey talent. As a teenager, she played for the Whitby Wildcats in the boys’ Eastern AAA Hockey League, a significant milestone that reflected her early skill and willingness to compete against male players. Her development in this challenging environment helped her progress to the 2012 OHL Cup, an annual showcase for top minor hockey programs in Ontario.
Her family background includes a notable hockey lineage. Through her paternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Vezina, Sauvé is distantly related to Georges Vézina, the legendary former NHL goaltender after whom the Vezina Trophy is named. This connection to one of hockey’s historic figures has added an extra layer of meaning to her career in goal.
Path to Hockey
Sauvé’s journey toward competitive hockey began in the Whitby minor hockey system, where her performances in boys’ leagues quickly marked her as a top prospect. Her selection to provincial-level competition at the 2012 OHL Cup demonstrated her ability to perform under pressure and prepared her for the demands of NCAA Division I hockey. She also represented Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship, playing two games with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .978 save percentage as the team captured gold.
Following her time with the Whitby Wildcats, Sauvé committed to Ohio State University, joining a Buckeyes program competing in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) of NCAA Division I. This step launched her collegiate career in 2014 and set the foundation for her development as a starting-caliber goaltender at one of the strongest women’s hockey conferences in the United States.
Kassidy Sauvé Career
Early Career (2014–2018)
From 2014 to 2018, Sauvé played with the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s ice hockey program in the WCHA conference. Her early tenure with the Buckeyes was difficult, as she missed the latter half of the 2014–15 season and the entire 2015–16 season while recovering from surgery after suffering multiple hip and leg injuries, including a bone lesion on her femur. Despite these setbacks, she returned to the lineup and produced strong results across 88 games in three seasons, ultimately posting 22 shutouts, which set a new university record.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in sports industry from Ohio State, she joined the Clarkson Golden Knights women’s ice hockey program in the ECAC Hockey conference for the 2018–19 season as a postgraduate player. She posted a .937 save percentage, set a Clarkson university record for saves, and was named to the ECAC Third All-Star Team while twice earning ECAC Goaltender of the Month honors.
Professional Breakthrough (2019–2022)
After completing her college eligibility, Sauvé joined the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) and spent the 2019–20 season with the organization’s New England hub. She made her PWHPA debut at the Dunkin’ Showcase in Hudson, New Hampshire, in October 2019, winning the event with Team Stecklein, and later played for Team Turnbull at the Philadelphia showcase in February 2020. She remained with the PWHPA for the 2020–21 season as part of the Calgary hub known as Team Scotiabank before moving to the Toronto hub, Team Sonnet, for the 2021–22 season.
In January 2022, she signed with the Naisten Liiga team HPK Naiset in Hämeenlinna, Finland, filling the vacancy left by Noora Räty’s departure to the Zhenskaya Hockey League. She recorded a .964 save percentage and a 0.88 goals-against average in the lower division, leading her team to the top of the standings. Although HPK lost the Aurora Borealis Cup quarterfinals to HIFK, Sauvé posted a league-leading .955 save percentage and a 2.29 GAA in the series, and she credited the Finnish experience with reinvigorating her passion for the sport.
Buffalo Beauts and Beyond (2022–2024)
Returning to North America, Sauvé signed with the Buffalo Beauts as their starting goaltender for the 2022–23 PHF season. Her official debut was delayed until December 2022 after a hip injury in a pre-season exhibition match, and the injury was aggravated in her third game, leading to a stint on injured reserve and later long-term injured reserve. In January 2023, she was placed on LTIR after it was determined that her hip required surgery, and she did not return to action that season.
Despite the lost season, she was signed by the Boston Pride in mid-June 2023 for the 2023–24 PHF campaign, but the contract was voided less than two weeks later when the PHF was sold and dissolved to make way for the Professional Women’s Hockey League. Sauvé declared for the 2023 PWHL Draft and attended training camp with PWHL New York before being released in the first round of roster reductions on November 30, 2023. Shortly afterward, she returned to HPK Hämeenlinna in the Naisten Liiga, where she backstopped the team to a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Aurora Borealis Cup playoffs with a .927 save percentage.
SDE Hockey Era (2024–Present)
In April 2024, Sauvé signed a two-season contract with SDE Hockey of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL), committing her to the club through the 2025–26 season. Her move to Sweden reflected her reputation as a proven starter capable of carrying a top goaltending role in a top European league. After the conclusion of the 2024–25 SDHL season, she signed a standard player agreement with the Toronto Sceptres of the PWHL after their backup goaltender, Raygan Kirk, was placed on long-term injury reserve with a lower-body injury, allowing Sauvé to join the roster on an emergency basis during the latter part of the 2025 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sauvé plays a composed, technically sound goaltending style, relying on sharp positioning, quick lateral movement, and strong tracking of the play through traffic. Her collegiate and professional numbers, including a university-record 22 shutouts at Ohio State and elite save percentages in the Naisten Liiga, suggest a goaltender who thrives in high-volume shooting environments. She is recognized for her poise under pressure and her ability to elevate her team in critical games.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her career highlights, Sauvé won gold with Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship, set the Ohio State all-time shutout record, and produced the top save percentage and goals-against average in the Finnish lower division in 2022. Her .955 save percentage in the 2022 Aurora Borealis Cup quarterfinals stood as the best mark among all goaltenders in that series.
Kassidy Sauvé Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Sauvé’s family carries an unusual piece of hockey history. Through her paternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Vezina, she is distantly related to Georges Vézina, the former NHL goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens after whom the Vezina Trophy is named. This connection links her family to one of the most respected legacies in goaltending history.
Personal Life
Off the ice, Sauvé pursued her education with the same focus she brings to her sport. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sports industry from Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from Clarkson University, complementing her athletic career with a strong academic foundation. She is professionally active on social media, including her accounts on X and Instagram, where she shares updates from her playing career.
2025 Season Performance
Sauvé’s 2025 campaign has been shaped by her continued role with SDE Hockey in the SDHL and her late-season addition to the Toronto Sceptres of the PWHL. With the Sceptres, she joined the roster on an emergency basis after Raygan Kirk was placed on long-term injury reserve, providing the club with experienced goaltending depth during the latter part of their 2025 season. The arrangement allowed Sauvé to compete at the highest level of professional women’s hockey while remaining under contract in Sweden.
Her international resume, including a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship, continues to underscore her pedigree, while her strong statistical seasons in Finland have reinforced her standing as a reliable starter. The 2025 season represents an important opportunity for Sauvé to showcase her skills in the PWHL, gain further experience at the professional level, and position herself for future contracts as the league continues to grow.