Kacey Bellamy has officially stepped away from professional hockey. A veteran of the U.S. women's national team for a decade and a half, she is best remembered for her contribution to the 2018 Winter Olympics, where she helped the American squad end an 18-year gold medal drought just before turning 34 this coming April.
During the memorable 2018 Winter Games, Kacey Bellamy helped the United States end an 18-year gold medal drought, and today she announced her retirement. It will be Bellamy’s 34th birthday in April. She was a 15-year member of the U.S. women’s national team.
Reflecting on her career, Bellamy shared that hockey provided her with her most cherished memories. She admitted that deciding to retire was an emotional process, but she is confident in her choice to move forward into the next phase of her life.
The Massachusetts native boasts a stellar record, including silver medals from the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games. Furthermore, she is one of only two women to have captured eight gold medals at the ICF Women’s World Championships. In a strange turn of events, a competition originally slated for 2020 was rescheduled for this year in Nova Scotia, Canada, due to pandemic-related health guidelines.
The early confusion surrounding COVID-19 protocols created a unique environment for Bellamy's final games. Because tournament schedules often required players to remain sequestered in hotels, Stack remarked that she wasn't missing out on much in terms of traditional team camaraderie.
Since 2019, Bellamy has focused her efforts on advancing the professional landscape for female athletes through the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association, building on her experience in both the Canadian and National Women’s Hockey Leagues.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, a former teammate, pointed out that although Bellamy kept up her rigorous training, the pandemic effectively sidelined her during the closing stages of her career.
Lamoureux-Davidson also recalled Bellamy's fierce competitiveness, noting that her intensity made her a formidable opponent that others dreaded facing, whether in a game or during practice.
Because of this drive, Lamoureux-Davidson emphasized that Bellamy's influence as a leader off the ice was invaluable, leaving a void in Team USA that will be hard to fill.
Throughout her professional tenure with the U.S. national team, Bellamy recorded 166 games, contributing 22 goals and 83 assists.