After 12 professional seasons, Boston Fleet forward Jillian Dempsey has announced her retirement from professional hockey. The announcement came on Tuesday, August 5th, via Cook Stark Management Hockey's Instagram page.
Dempsey, a native of Winthrop, Massachusetts, has spent nearly her entire hockey career in the Boston area. "It is bittersweet to retire from playing the game I love,” Dempsey wrote. “I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible journey. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and been in my corner. You know who you are".
Dempsey's career began to take shape at The Rivers School, which paved the way for her four years at Harvard University. During her time with the Crimson, she played 129 games, amassing 148 points with 76 goals and 72 assists. In her senior year, she was honored as the team's captain and was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2012-13.
After her collegiate career, Dempsey joined the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). In 2014, she earned Rookie of the Year honors. The following season, she helped Boston win the Clarkson Cup. In 52 CWHL games, Dempsey recorded 23 goals and 25 assists, totaling 48 points.
In 2015, Dempsey joined the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF), then known as the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), to play for the Boston Pride. For eight seasons, with Dempsey serving as captain for six, the Pride were a dominant force in the league. The team secured three regular-season championships and won the Isobel Cup three times, in 2016, 2021, and 2022. Dempsey was a two-time Denna Laing Award winner, which recognizes perseverance and dedication to the game. In the 2019-20 season, she was named league MVP after leading the NWHL with 40 points. Prior to joining the PWHL, Dempsey was the all-time leading scorer in the now-defunct Premier Hockey Federation, tallying 146 points in 142 games over six seasons with the Boston Pride.
When the PHF was absorbed into the PWHL, Dempsey was drafted by Montreal in the 11th round of the inaugural PWHL Draft in 2023. She played 24 games for Montreal in the 2024 season, scoring one goal and recording four points.
Dempsey returned to Boston the following season, joining the Fleet as a reserve player. After Hannah Bilka sustained an injury in February, Dempsey signed a 10-day contract and played in the team's final nine regular-season games, contributing two assists. She finishes her PWHL career with one goal and five assists in 33 games.
The Boston Fleet honored Dempsey on social media, writing, "Our hometown hero through and through,". "You've given everything to Boston and this city is better for it. Thank you for being a constant role model for our community and for always bringing a smile to the rink". The team further acknowledged her career, stating it was "spent giving back to the city that raised you, inspiring teammates, fans and future generations with every shift".
