Kelly Ann Nadeau Bio
Kelly Ann Nadeau (born March 30, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Montreal Victoire of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). A right-shooting blue liner from Quebec, she entered the professional ranks after a five-season collegiate career with the Montreal Carabins at the Université de Montréal.
Standing 5 feet 7 inches tall and competing at 150 pounds, Nadeau has built her reputation as a steady two-way defenceman with a reliable transition game. She became the third player to move directly from U Sports to the PWHL, joining a short list of Canadian university graduates to make that jump.
Early Life and Background
Kelly Ann Nadeau was born on March 30, 1998, in Mont-Laurier, Quebec, Canada. The small Laurentian community has produced a steady stream of competitive hockey players, and Nadeau grew up within that tradition before pursuing the sport at a higher level.
She came of age in a region of Quebec where amateur hockey remains a central part of community life, and her early development took place in that environment. Her progression through the local ranks eventually carried her to one of Canada’s most respected university programs.
Nadeau later moved to Montreal to attend the Université de Montréal, where she continued her education while competing at the U Sports level. That move marked her transition from regional hockey to the national university stage.
Path to Hockey
Nadeau’s pathway to the PWHL ran through Canadian university hockey rather than the traditional junior or national team development channels. After completing her pre-university years in Quebec, she joined the Montreal Carabins, the Université de Montréal’s U Sports program, for a five-season run.
Her time with the Carabins coincided with the program’s rise as a national contender. During the 2023–24 season, Nadeau recorded five goals and ten assists in 25 regular season games, establishing herself as a reliable contributor from the back end.
Her play that season earned her recognition on both the conference and national stages. She was named a U Sports Second Team All-Canadian and a First Team RSEQ All-Star, awards that helped position her for a professional opportunity.
Kelly Ann Nadeau Career
Early Career (2023–2024)
Nadeau’s most notable pre-professional season came in 2023–24 with the Montreal Carabins. Playing a full schedule of 25 regular season games, she produced five goals and ten assists while logging the kind of minutes expected of a top-pairing defenceman.
That production translated into postseason recognition, including a U Sports Second Team All-Canadian selection and a First Team RSEQ All-Star nod. The awards confirmed her status as one of the conference’s premier blue liners heading into her final year of eligibility.
PWHL Breakthrough (2024–2025)
Following pre-season training camp, Nadeau was named to the reserve list of the Montreal Victoire for the 2024–25 PWHL season. The assignment kept her within the organization while she awaited an opening on the active roster.
On February 14, 2025, she signed a standard player agreement with the Victoire after Catherine Dubois was placed on the injured reserve list. She made her professional debut the next day against the New York Sirens, recording one hit in six minutes of ice time.
With that appearance, Nadeau became the third player to play in the PWHL directly out of U Sports, following Rylind MacKinnon and Emmy Fecteau. Her debut marked the completion of a quick ascent from reserve list to active professional duty in one of the world’s top women’s leagues.
International Play (2022–2023)
On December 13, 2022, Nadeau was selected to represent Canada at the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid. The selection reflected her standing as one of the country’s top university-age defencemen.
During the tournament, she recorded two goals and three assists in seven games and won a gold medal with Team Canada. Her five points were the third most by any defenceman at the competition, underscoring her offensive contribution from the blue line on the international stage.
Kelly Ann Nadeau Career Wins
Kelly Ann Nadeau’s most prominent team victory came on the international stage, where she won a gold medal with Canada at the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid. The title remains the headline result of her playing career to date.
International Highlights
Nadeau contributed two goals and three assists over seven games at the 2023 Winter World University Games, finishing third in defenceman scoring at the tournament. The gold medal was Canada’s reward for a dominant performance across the event.
Other Wins and Performances
At the collegiate level, Nadeau earned a U Sports Second Team All-Canadian selection and a First Team RSEQ All-Star selection following the 2023–24 season. These individual honours served as her most significant accolades within the Canadian university system.
Kelly Ann Nadeau Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Personal Life
2025 Season Performance
Kelly Ann Nadeau’s 2024–25 PWHL season began as a reserve-list assignment with the Montreal Victoire after training camp. Her promotion to the active roster came on February 14, 2025, when she signed a standard player agreement following Catherine Dubois’s placement on injured reserve.
Her professional debut on February 15, 2025, against the New York Sirens produced one hit in six minutes of ice time, a measured first outing for a defenceman adjusting to the pace of the PWHL. The appearance made her the third player to jump directly from U Sports to the league.
Looking ahead through the rest of the 2025 calendar year, Nadeau’s priority will be carving out a steady role on the Victoire’s blue line and building on her reserve-list foundation. With the Dubois injury opening a pathway, she has an opportunity to establish herself as a regular contributor in one of North America’s premier women’s professional leagues.