Montreal Victoire defender Kelly-Ann Nadeau has found ways to stay sharp over the last year as she's moved from the full time roster to reserve and back. In many ways, she created her own development loop.
The PWHL is only two seasons old. And while the management's priority is to increase the number of teams to 12, the next step will be to create a development league to allow players to progress while focusing on hockey.
In the meantime, players have to be creative and use all the resources available to them. This is the case for Montreal Victoire defender Kelly-Ann Nadeau.
Last season, Nadeau was offered a reserve contract after graduating from college. She had to attend all of Montreal's practices, be present at all home games, but she didn’t travel away with the team.
It’s hard to get better when you don’t play or aren’t a coach’s priority in practice.
It was then that Nadeau showed ambition and resourcefulness.
"Last year, I would take my equipment and often, I would practise with the (University of Montreal) Carabins, I would practise in Shawinigan with the Cataractes in the major junior league, or even at the Colisée Jean-Béliveau with the Longueuil AAA junior team. I carried my equipment all over the place!"
Originally from Mont-Laurier, Nadeau is lucky to be able to rely on numerous contacts in the hockey world.
She spent five seasons with the University of Montreal, with whom she won two bronze medals at the national championships. In 2024, she even scored the only goal in the shootout to give her team the win.
Her boyfriend, Éric Bouchard, is an assistant coach with the Shawinigan Cataractes in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and head coach for Team Italy. And before coming to the Q, he was the head coach and general manager of the Longueuil College-Français in the Quebec AAA Junior Hockey League.
On the Ice Twice a Day
That said, it's one thing to have contacts and opportunities, it’s another to take advantage of them.
“I was really lucky,” explained the 27-year-old athlete. “I had guidance and very often, when we had a day off with Montreal, I wouldn’t take the day off and would practise elsewhere. I was the one contacting the different teams. I wanted to give myself as many chances as possible to play in the PWHL, and without all those practices, it would have been harder.”
Moreover, as a reserve player, she didn’t have to ask Kori Cheverie or Danièle Sauvageau for permission. The reserve player status in the PWHL is precarious. It’s a bit like being an underpaid freelancer. You earn a salary of only US$15,000, you’re not entitled to benefits, there’s no job security, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll play even a single game during the season.
"Last year, as a reserve player, I didn’t necessarily ask Montreal for permission," Nadeau candidly admitted. "But I was a reserve player. Nothing in the CBA prevented me from doing that. So, when the girls were away, I would take advantage of it. Sometimes, I would skate twice a day. This year, I would have to ask for permission, because with a regular contract, it’s different."
Training With a Stanley Cup Champion
With the Carabins, Nadeau participated in regular practices, which allowed her to get more repetitions in training, something she wasn’t always able to do with Montreal.
“There were a lot of defence players in Montreal last year, so my turn didn’t come as often. I was doing fewer reps.”
But it was especially with the Shawinigan Cataractes that she had the chance to develop further.
With them, Nadeau could count on the advice of her boyfriend, but also on that of fellow Quebecer Pascal Dupuis. The latter, who played 871 NHL games and won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, is Shawinigan’s Director of Player Development as well as Assistant Director of Hockey Operations.
“When there were a lot of injuries last year, I was able to do a few practices with the whole team, but otherwise, it was mostly development and skill practices with players coming back from injuries,” explained Nadeau. “I was lucky to be well supported. Pascal Dupuis gave me a lot of advice and helped me with my skating.”
Learning Differently With Guys
An aspect rarely mentioned in women’s hockey is how beneficial it can be for a player to train with men.
“It’s really different,” said Nadeau. “I learned a lot just by watching them. They do things differently and at 100 miles an hour. And they have so many skills that we, not that we don’t have them, but it’s harder for us. But I learned so much from them, just by watching them, it’s pretty impressive. They gave me tips mainly on the physical side, how to avoid contact, how to spin on the boards. I learned a lot, and it’s really amazing to be able to count on that opportunity.”
Confidence and Speed
And all of this allowed Nadeau to improve and be better prepared when Montreal called on her for a first game on February 15, 2025, more than two months after the start of the season.
“I would say it gave me confidence. That’s what was missing in my game. I improved my skating, my agility, my speed, I’m more capable of competing at this level. But confidence is really the thing that made the difference.”
Nadeau only played four games last season, totalling just over 36 minutes on the ice. This season, her preparation allowed her to have a better training camp and to sign a standard contract with the team. That said, she only averaged four minutes per game in the first two games of the season. This limited ice time is certainly not due to a lack of effort or willingness. Kelly-Ann Nadeau wants to play in the PWHL and she is doing everything she can to achieve that. By creating her own American League, she will, let’s hope, serve as an example for other players throughout the league.