It’s been three weeks since Ann-Renee Desbiens stepped between the pipes for a game. She made her return Friday at the 2025 IIHF women’s World Championships shutting out Switzerland in a 4-0 win.
Desbiens turned aside 24 shots in the win. It was the first game she’d played since being helped off the ice on March18 while playing for the Montreal Victoire.
The win was not only a triumphant return, it was also a record setting moment.
Desbiens New All-Time Wins Leader
With the win, Ann-Renee Desbiens moved into sole possession of the IIHF women’s World Championships all-time wins lead. Her 4-0 shutout against Switzerland was Desbiens’ 21st career win. She entered the game tied at 20 with, fittingly, Switzerland’s Florence Schelling. Schelling appeared in 10 World Championships playing in 44 career games to hit the mark.
Desbiens hit her 21st win in only 24 games.
Desbiens did not play in Canada’s opener against Finland where Kristen Campbell received her first career start with Canada, also posting a shutout in a 5-0 win.
Klara Peslarova is the only other active goaltender in the chase for the all-time wins lead. The Czechia netmidner has 19 wins in 35 games, although many of those came against Group B competition.
Nationally, Desbiens is also in a league of her own. Hall of Fame netminder Kim St. Pierre is second on Canada’s all-time wins list with 19 in 24 games.
