BUFFALO – The Buffalo Beauts significantly bolstered their blue line both offensively and defensively by adding veteran Jess Healey. The 5-foot-4 defender from Edmonton, Alberta was one of the best defenders in Sweden’s SDHL from 2018-19 through the 2020-21 seasons. She now brings her game to the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) by signing a 2-year contract with Buffalo.
“I decided to sign with the Beauts because I got an awesome feeling from the staff, the team, and the program,” said Healey. “I felt welcomed right away, and I am drawn to the culture and identity of the team. I also have never lived or explored out east so I was excited to have this opportunity to live somewhere I have never been before. I love how professional this program is and how well they take care of the players. This is definitely something I wanted to be a part of.”
Healey played in Sweden for HV71 from 2018-19 through 2020-21. She served as an alternate captain in her first and third seasons with the team and wore the “C” in the 2019-20 campaign. In 105 regular-season games for HV71 Healey tallied 21 goals, 58 assists, and 79 points. She led all blueliners in scoring for HV during her first season with the club.
“Not only is Heals talented offensively but in the defensive zone she is an absolute tank,” said Beauts GM Nate Oliver. “Off the ice, she excels at CrossFit, yoga, and rock climbing, and she is just an elite physical specimen of a person. Combine that strength with her topnotch hockey IQ and her ability on the ice, and she can really box out opponents and shut them down.”
Internationally Healey played for Team Canada at the 2014 IIHF Women’s U18 World Championship. Tallying a goal and an assist in five games, she helped Canada to the gold medal over the United States. At the collegiate level, Healey played 141 NCAA Division-I games for the University of Minnesota-Duluth. She scored 11 goals, 19 assists, and 30 points in her four seasons with the Bulldogs. Healey comes from a longtime hockey family, as her brother Josh plays in the American Hockey League for the Milwaukee Admirals, and her grandfather Rich played for the Detroit Red Wings in the early 1960s.
“As far as my game goes,” said Healey, “Beauts fans can expect to see a physical, fast, offensive defenceman! I love to block shots and take care of the D-zone but I also love to chip in offensively when I can. I am a smaller player so I take pride in playing physical and winning my battles. ”
