Ann-Renée Desbiens made history as the first female player ever drafted into the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League—the second-highest level of men’s junior hockey in Québec, just below the QMJHL. She was selected by the Loups de La Tuque but was cut before playing a game, as the coach claimed there was no value in developing female players. That same year, she also took part in the Shawinigan Cataractes training camp.

In 2012, Desbiens made a playoff appearance with the Montréal Stars of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), helping the team capture the Clarkson Cup.

Following the 2023 merger of the PWHPA and the Premier Hockey Federation to form the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Desbiens was widely seen as a top free-agent target. On September 5, she was officially announced as one of the first three signings for the new PWHL Montreal team, joining fellow Team Canada stars Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey.

Internationally, Desbiens has been a standout for Team Canada. She earned a silver medal at the 2015 IIHF Women’s World Championship and another at the 2018 Winter Olympics. At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, she played a key role in helping Canada win the gold medal.