Kelly Babstock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kelly Babstock |
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Babstock with PWHL Boston in 2024
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| Born | August 4, 1992 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| PWHL team Former teams |
Boston Fleet
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| Playing career | 2010–present | ||
Kelly Babstock, born on August 4, 1992, is a talented Canadian-American ice hockey player. She plays as a forward for the Boston Fleet in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). Kelly has Ojibwe roots and comes from Little Current on Manitoulin Island, which is part of the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory.
She played college ice hockey for the Quinnipiac Bobcats women's ice hockey team. Kelly is still the top scorer in the program's history for goals, assists, and total points. She was also the first Canadian-born player to score a goal in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), which was once called the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). She played seven seasons in that league before it ended in 2023. In 2025, she competed on the third season of Canada’s Ultimate Challenge.
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Playing Career Highlights
Kelly Babstock started her junior ice hockey career with the Toronto Jr. Aeros in the Provincial Women's Hockey League. In the 2009–10 season, she helped her team win the gold medal and the League Cup. She scored 25 goals and made 35 assists during the regular season. In the playoffs, she added nine goals and four assists.
College Hockey Success
From 2010 to 2014, Kelly was a key player for the Quinnipiac Bobcats women's ice hockey team. She made a big impact in her first year, scoring 59 points in 37 games. Over her four years at Quinnipiac, Kelly scored a total of 95 goals and made 108 assists. This gave her an amazing 203 points in 148 games.
In November 2010, Kelly made history for Quinnipiac by scoring two hat-tricks in a row. A hat-trick means scoring three goals in one game. She did this against Harvard and Dartmouth. At that time, she led all college players in goals and points. She was also the first player at Quinnipiac to get two hat-tricks in a single season.
On December 3, 2010, Kelly became Quinnipiac's all-time leader in goals scored in a season. She netted her 16th goal against the Brown Bears. The next day, her sixth game-winning goal helped the Bobcats beat Yale 3–1.
In her second season, on November 19, 2011, Kelly became the Bobcats' all-time leading scorer. She passed the previous record holder, Vicki Graham, in just her 50th career game.
Kelly also led all players in points at the 2011 Nutmeg Classic tournament. She had one goal and three assists, totaling four points. Her two assists in the championship game made her the all-time assist leader for the Bobcats. For her great play, Kelly was named the 2011 Nutmeg Classic MVP.
After her amazing hockey career, Kelly joined the Quinnipiac Bobcats women's lacrosse team. She played in ten games and scored 21 points. She was named to the 2014 MAAC All-Rookie Team for lacrosse.
Professional Hockey Journey
- Connecticut Whale
Kelly played in the very first game for the Connecticut Whale on October 11, 2015. She scored a goal in their 4–1 win against the New York Riveters. This made her the first Canadian-born player to score a goal in the NWHL. She was chosen to play in the 2017 NWHL All-Star Game and scored a goal there too. She also played in the 2018 NWHL All-Star Game.
- Buffalo Beauts
In June 2018, Kelly signed with the Buffalo Beauts. She scored ten points in sixteen games during the 2018–19 NWHL season.
- PWHPA
During the 2019–20 season, Kelly was part of the Tri-State chapter of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA).
- Metropolitan Riveters
On May 2, 2020, Kelly announced she was returning to the NWHL. She signed with the new Canadian team, the Toronto Six. However, on October 15, 2020, she was traded to the Metropolitan Riveters.
In the first game of the 2020–21 NWHL season, she became the fourth player in NWHL history to reach 100 career penalty minutes. She also had two assists in the Riveters' 2–0 win over the Six. The 2020–21 season was difficult, and her team only played two games.
In the 2021–22 PHF season, Kelly led her team in penalty minutes. She also finished fifth in scoring for the Riveters, with thirteen points from five goals and eight assists.
During the 2022–23 PHF season, she tied with team captain Madison Packer as the Riveters' top scorer. She had 21 points in 24 regular season games, which was her best scoring season since her first year with the Whale. She was also chosen to play for Team Canada in the 2023 PHF All-Star Game, her third All-Star appearance.
Boston Fleet Kelly Babstock joined the Boston Fleet (formerly PWHL Boston) for their first season. She played in 4 games and had 1 assist. In the 2024 and 2024-2025 seasons, Kelly mainly serves as a reserve player for the team.
Personal Life and Background
Kelly's mother, Donna, is Ojibwe from the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. Her father, David, is from Newfoundland. Kelly is the third of six children. Her older brother, Jeff Shattler, played professional box lacrosse.
She went to Port Credit Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario. There, she was the top scorer for the ice hockey team for three years. She was also the top scorer for the men's field lacrosse team for one year.
Kelly was born a Canadian citizen. In 2019, she also became an American citizen. She wanted to live in the United States after college. Because of her Canadian-born Native American status, it was easier for her to get a green card. She became an American citizen at a ceremony on January 29, 2019. She felt it was a big deal to use her rights under the Jay Treaty to gain citizenship.
Awards and Honours
Kelly Babstock has received many awards and honours throughout her career:
- College Ice Hockey
- ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year (2010–11)
- Quinnipiac Women's Hockey Rookie of the Year (2010–11)
- All-ECAC Hockey Rookie Team (2010–11)
- ECAC Hockey Player of the Year (2010–11)
- Quinnipiac University Female Athlete of the Year (2010–11, 2013–14)
- Quinnipiac Women's Hockey Most Valuable Player (2010–11, 2011–12)
- All-ECAC Hockey First Team (2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14)
- New England Women's Division I All-Star (2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14)
- Patty Kazmaier Award Nominee (2010–11)
- All-ECAC Hockey Second Team (2011–12)
- Patty Kazmaier Award Top-10 Finalist (2013–14)
- CCM/AHCA All-American (2013–14)
- ECAC Hockey All-Decade Second Team (2020)
- Professional Hockey (PHF/NWHL)
- All-Star Game (2017, 2018, 2023)
- Foundation Award (2018–19)
- Other Awards
- Aboriginal Role Model of the Year (2011)
- MAAC Women's Lacrosse All-Rookie Team (2014)
- Little Native Hockey League Hall of Fame – Alumna (2016)
- North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame inductee (2023)
