Laura Stacey Bio
Laura Rachel Stacey is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Montreal Victoire of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and a member of the Canada women’s national ice hockey team. She has represented Canada at three consecutive Winter Olympics, capturing silver in 2018, gold in 2022, and silver in 2026. Stacey has built a reputation as a dependable scorer and respected leader, serving as president of the PWHL Players Association. Off the ice, she is the great-granddaughter of Hockey Hall of Famer King Clancy.
Born and raised in Ontario, Stacey developed her game in youth hockey before earning a scholarship to Dartmouth College. She later played for the Markham Thunder of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and won the 2018 Clarkson Cup, the league’s top championship. Today she is regarded as one of the most experienced players in the women’s game and a central figure in the PWHL’s growth.
Early Life and Background
Laura Rachel Stacey was born on May 5, 1994, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. She grew up in a hockey family, with deep roots in the game stretching back generations. Her great-grandfather, King Clancy, was a Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman and longtime coach and referee, and her grand-uncle, Terry Clancy, represented Canada at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Stacey is of Irish descent through the Clancy line, and she wears the jersey number 7 in honour of King Clancy’s long association with the number.
Stacey’s early exposure to hockey came through local programs in Ontario, where she played on boys’ and girls’ teams and quickly developed a strong offensive skill set. Her combination of size, skating, and scoring touch drew the attention of national team scouts while she was still a teenager. She represented Team Ontario at the 2011 Canada Winter Games, signaling her arrival on the broader hockey stage.
Path to Hockey
On January 23, 2012, Stacey announced her commitment to the Dartmouth Big Green, joining the storied NCAA women’s ice hockey program. In her first college season, she was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team and was one of three finalists for the ECAC Rookie of the Year award. As a junior, she earned All-Ivy Honorable Mention, and in her senior year she served as team captain and was named All-Ivy First Team.
Stacey also represented Canada at the international junior level during her teenage years. She was a member of the national under-18 team that played a three-game series against the United States in August 2011, and she scored in the gold medal game of the 2011 National Women’s Under-18 Championship for Team Ontario Red. In her first game at the 2012 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship, she posted three points in a 13-1 win over Switzerland. These experiences prepared her for the next step in her development and helped her land on draft boards in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League.
Laura Stacey Career
Early Career (2012-2016)
Stacey spent four seasons with the Dartmouth Big Green from 2012 to 2016, evolving from a talented freshman into the team’s captain. Her steady production and two-way play established her as one of the top NCAA players at her position, and her leadership on and off the ice drew attention from professional scouts. By the end of her college career, she was widely regarded as one of the most NHL-style wingers available in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League Draft.
Her final college season in 2015-16 cemented her reputation as a clutch performer and reliable leader. That same year, she was selected third overall by the Brampton Thunder in the 2016 CWHL Draft, launching her professional career.
CWHL Breakthrough (2016-2019)
Stacey made her CWHL debut in a road contest against the Calgary Inferno on October 8, 2016, and scored her first professional goal the very next day. She recorded her first multi-point game on October 16 against Les Canadiennes de Montréal, and her strong start earned her a selection to the 3rd CWHL All-Star Game, where she represented Team White alongside fellow Brampton teammates Laura Fortino, Jess Jones, and Rebecca Vint.
In her first CWHL season, Stacey quickly established herself as a difference-maker, finishing among the league’s most productive rookies. The Brampton franchise relocated and rebranded as the Markham Thunder, and Stacey continued her ascent. Her most defining moment came in the 2018 Clarkson Cup finals against Kunlun Red Star, when she scored with 2:11 left in overtime to give Markham a 2-1 victory and the franchise’s first championship. That goal announced her as a big-game performer and remains one of the signature moments of her professional career.
Montreal Victoire Era (2023-Present)
When the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association and the Premier Hockey Federation consolidated to form the PWHL in 2023, Stacey was among Montreal’s first three signings, alongside Marie-Philip Poulin and Ann-Renée Desbiens. Ahead of the team’s inaugural season, she was named an assistant captain, and she was also selected as Montreal’s player representative with the PWHL Players Association, later becoming the union’s president.
In her first PWHL season, Stacey was Montreal’s second-leading scorer with ten goals and eight assists, and she surpassed that mark in her second season, again finishing as the team’s second-leading scorer with eleven goals and eleven assists. On October 23, 2025, she signed a two-year contract extension with the Victoire, keeping her in Montreal through 2027. In December 2025, she was elected president of the PWHL Players Association. During the third PWHL season, Stacey recorded her first career hat-trick and the first hat-trick in PWHL playoff history, helping the Victoire capture the Walter Cup. She was also one of three players protected first by Montreal in both the 2025 and 2026 PWHL Expansion Drafts.
Notable Events and Milestones
Beyond her three Olympic medals, Stacey made her 100th appearance for Canada during the 2025 Rivalry Series. Her first PWHL playoff hat-trick and the Victoire’s Walter Cup triumph stand as the most recent milestones in a career that has continued to grow on the league’s biggest stages.
Laura Stacey Career Wins
Stacey has collected championships at nearly every level of the women’s game, including a 2018 Clarkson Cup with the Markham Thunder and a Walter Cup with the Montreal Victoire. She has also earned medals in major international events, including an Olympic gold medal in 2022 and Olympic silver medals in 2018 and 2026. She has been part of multiple gold-medal performances at the IIHF Women’s World Championship and has represented Canada in the IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship.
Other Wins and Performances
Stacey contributed to gold-medal efforts at the IIHF Women’s World Championship, including a title in 2024, and was part of the Canadian squad that earned silver in 2023 and additional medals in other years. Earlier, she helped Team Ontario Red win the 2011 National Women’s Under-18 Championship and represented Team Ontario at the 2011 Canada Winter Games.
Laura Stacey Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Stacey is the great-granddaughter of Hockey Hall of Famer King Clancy, one of the most celebrated defensemen in NHL history. Her grand-uncle, Terry Clancy, played for Team Canada at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. She is of Irish descent through the Clancy family and honors her hockey heritage by wearing jersey number 7.
Personal Life
On May 26, 2023, Stacey announced her engagement to Team Canada and PWHL Montreal teammate Marie-Philip Poulin, with whom she had been in a relationship since 2017. The couple married on September 28, 2024, and they reside in Montreal with their dog, Arlo.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year marked a new high point for Stacey and the Montreal Victoire. On October 23, 2025, she signed a two-year contract extension with the club, and in December she was elected president of the PWHL Players Association, reflecting her standing among her peers across the league. The Victoire entered the season with championship ambitions following a strong second campaign.
During the third PWHL season, Stacey delivered her most explosive individual performance, recording her first career hat-trick and the first hat-trick in PWHL playoff history. The Victoire went on to win the Walter Cup, the league’s championship trophy, cementing Stacey’s role as a core leader on the ice. She was also one of three players protected first by Montreal in both the 2025 and 2026 Expansion Drafts, underscoring her importance to the franchise’s long-term plans.
