Shannon Szabados

Shannon Szabados is a Canadian goaltender who won two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada and became the first woman to play professional men's hockey in the SPHL.

Shannon Lynn Szabados was born on 6 August 1986 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and became the first girl to play in the Brick Super Novice Tournament at West Edmonton Mall at just nine years old, later becoming the first female to play in the Calgary Mac's AAA midget hockey tournament in 2001. Szabados developed into one of the finest goaltenders in the history of women's hockey, posting a 28-save shutout over the United States in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic final and making 27 saves in a 3-2 overtime win to defend gold at the 2014 Sochi Games. Szabados made history in December 2015, becoming the first woman ever to record a shutout in a men's professional hockey league, stopping 33 shots for the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League in a 3-0 win over the Huntsville Havoc. Szabados has continued competing at the professional level with the PWHPA, and remains one of the most groundbreaking goaltenders in the sport's history, having repeatedly proven her ability to compete successfully in men's professional leagues alongside her decorated international career with Canada.

Szabados was known for her exceptional positioning and calm demeanor in net. She possessed quick reflexes and strong technical fundamentals that allowed her to compete effectively at high levels of competition.

Szabados broke significant gender barriers in hockey, paving the way for future female players to compete in traditionally male leagues.

• 2x Olympic gold (2010, 2014)
• Olympic silver 2018
• top goaltender honours at three Olympics