Kelly Babstock Bio
Kelly Babstock (born August 4, 1992) is a Canadian-American ice hockey player who currently plays forward for the Boston Fleet of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). She has Ojibway roots and is originally from Little Current on Manitoulin Island, part of the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. Babstock is widely recognized as the all-time leader in goals, assists, and points for the Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s ice hockey program, the school she attended on a college scholarship from 2010 to 2014.
Throughout her career, Babstock has competed at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels, including time in the Canadian university system, the former National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and its successor the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), as well as a brief stint with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA). She was the first Canadian-born player to score a goal in NWHL regular-season play and went on to spend seven seasons in the league before its dissolution in 2023.
Early Life and Background
Kelly Babstock was born on August 4, 1992, in Little Current, Ontario, a small community on Manitoulin Island. She is the third eldest of six siblings, with one older and two younger sisters and two brothers. Her mother, Donna, is Ojibwe from the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, while her father, David, is from Newfoundland. This blended heritage gave Babstock a strong sense of identity that she has referenced throughout her athletic career.
Babstock’s eldest brother, Jeff Shattler, played professional box lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League and later served as Director of Player Development for the Fighting Sioux lacrosse program of Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation. Growing up in a sport-oriented household, Babstock was introduced to competitive athletics early. She attended Port Credit Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, where she established herself as the ice hockey leading scorer for three years and the men’s field lacrosse leading scorer for one year.
Path to Hockey
Babstock’s junior ice hockey career was played with the Toronto Jr. Aeros of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (Provincial WHL). She helped the team capture the gold medal and League Cup during the 2009-10 season, registering 25 goals and 35 assists for 60 points during the regular season, and nine goals and four assists for 13 points during the playoffs. Her offensive production on a championship roster drew the attention of college recruiters in eastern North America.
Her success with the Jr. Aeros opened the door to the NCAA, where she committed to Quinnipiac University and joined the Bobcats women’s ice hockey program beginning in the 2010-11 season. That move launched one of the most decorated individual careers in program history and set the stage for her eventual transition to the professional ranks.
Kelly Babstock Career
Early Career (2010-2014)
Babstock made an immediate impact with the Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s ice hockey team, recording 59 points in 37 games during her freshman season. On November 12 and 13, 2010, she accounted for six of the seven goals scored over a weekend via back-to-back hat-tricks against ECAC Hockey opponents Harvard and Dartmouth, becoming the first skater in program history to record two hat-tricks in a single season. By mid-November of that year, she led both the Bobcats and the entire NCAA in goals and points.
Across four seasons with Quinnipiac, Babstock registered 95 goals and 108 assists, totaling 203 points in 148 games. She surpassed Vicki Graham’s career points record in her sophomore year, became the program’s all-time assist leader during the 2011 Nutmeg Classic, and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. After completing her ice hockey eligibility, she joined the Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse team as a fifth-year senior and earned a place on the 2014 MAAC All-Rookie Team after recording 21 points in ten games.
NWHL and PHF Career (2015-2023)
Babstock began her professional career with the Connecticut Whale, scoring a goal in the team’s inaugural game on October 11, 2015, to become the first Canadian-born player to score in the NWHL. She was selected as a media pick for the 2017 NWHL All-Star Game, where she scored a goal for Team Steadman as the only Canadian to find the back of the net, and she returned for the 2018 NWHL All-Star Game with Team Leveille.
In June 2018, Babstock signed with the Buffalo Beauts, recording ten points in sixteen games during the 2018-19 NWHL season. She later affiliated with the Tri-State chapter of the PWHPA in 2019-20 before returning to the NWHL with the Toronto Six in May 2020. After being traded to the Metropolitan Riveters, she played a shortened 2020-21 season, led the Riveters in penalty minutes in 2021-22, and tied captain Madison Packer as the team’s leading scorer in 2022-23 with 21 points, earning a spot in her third All-Star Game.
Boston Fleet Era (2024-Present)
Babstock joined the Boston Fleet, formerly known as PWHL Boston, for the league’s inaugural season, appearing in four games and recording one assist. She mainly served as a reserve player during the 2024 and 2024-25 seasons, contributing in a depth role for a competitive Boston roster.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although best known as a goal scorer, Babstock has built her reputation on a high-volume shooting style, reliable playmaking vision, and a willingness to engage physically. Her willingness to take penalties and play with edge became a hallmark of her time in the NWHL and PHF, and her offensive hockey IQ translated effectively from college to the professional ranks.
Notable Events and Milestones
Babstock’s most celebrated moments include becoming Quinnipiac’s all-time leader in goals, assists, and points, scoring the first Canadian-born goal in NWHL history, and being named the 2011 Nutmeg Classic MVP. She also gained American dual citizenship in a naturalization ceremony at KeyBank Center on January 29, 2019, citing her Canadian-born Native American status and rights codified under the Jay Treaty.
Kelly Babstock Career Wins
Kelly Babstock’s trophy case features team championships from her junior days with the Toronto Jr. Aeros and multiple individual records set during her time at Quinnipiac University. She has also earned three All-Star Game selections across the NWHL and PHF and a MAAC All-Rookie Team nod in women’s lacrosse.
NWHL and PHF Highlights
During her seven professional seasons in the NWHL and PHF, Babstock appeared in All-Star Games in 2017, 2018, and 2023, and posted a career-best 21 points in 24 regular-season games with the Riveters in 2022-23. She was a pioneer for Canadian-born players in the league, opening the scoring for the Connecticut Whale franchise in its first-ever game.
Other Wins & Performances
In addition to her hockey accolades, Babstock won a gold medal and League Cup with the Toronto Jr. Aeros in 2009-10 and was recognized as the top scorer in her high school ice hockey program for three consecutive years at Port Credit Secondary School.
Kelly Babstock Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Babstock’s family background is rooted in Indigenous and Atlantic Canadian heritage. Her mother, Donna, is Ojibwe from the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, and her father, David, is from Newfoundland. Her eldest brother, Jeff Shattler, played professional box lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League and works in lacrosse player development.
Personal Life
Babstock gained American dual citizenship in 2019 after beginning the process during her junior year at Quinnipiac. She became a naturalized citizen at a ceremony held at KeyBank Center on January 29, 2019. She is the third eldest of six siblings and remains connected to her family roots on Manitoulin Island.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 calendar year, Babstock continued her role with the Boston Fleet, where she has been deployed primarily as a reserve forward. After recording one assist in four games during the PWHL’s inaugural season, she has provided veteran leadership and depth for a Boston club aiming to climb the standings.
Outside of her club commitments, Babstock competed on the third season of Canada’s Ultimate Challenge in 2025, expanding her public profile beyond the ice. Her combination of professional experience and Indigenous heritage has made her a recognizable ambassador for women’s hockey in both Canada and the United States.
With the Fleet continuing to build around a young core, Babstock’s blend of physicality, shot volume, and locker-room presence should keep her in line for spot duty and special-team opportunities through the remainder of the 2025 PWHL season and beyond.