Stay up to date on all official signings as Toronto builds its roster for the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season.
Toronto currently has 16 players under contract including forwards Jesse Compher, Maggie Connors, Brittany Howard, Rebecca Leslie, Emma Maltais, Hannah Miller, Sarah Nurse, Natalie Spooner, Blayre Turnbull, Alexa Vasko; defenders Renata Fast, Kali Flanagan, Jocelyne Larocque, Allie Munroe; and goaltenders Kristen Campbell and Erica Howe.
NOV. 29: ALEXA VASKO (F) – ROUND 14, 83RD OVERALL (SIGNED 1-YEAR CONTRACT)
Vasko spent the 2022-23 campaign competing as a member of the PWHPA after a five-year NCAA stretch with Mercyhurst University that included three as captain of the Lakers. The 24-year-old from St. Catharines, Ontario has attended Development Camps for Canada’s National Women’s Team the past three years, including September’s Fall Festival. She captained Team Ontario Red to gold at the 2016 U18 National Championship and was an alternate captain and silver medalist for Team Canada at the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship alongside fellow signee Emma Maltais.
“We are really happy to sign Alexa to a 1-Year Standard Player Agreement. She brings consistency and an unwavering commitment day in and day out.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I’m super excited to officially be a part of the Toronto community. The first two weeks of training camp have been absolutely incredible. Being on the ice with world-class talent, has been really fun and we have a great group. Our practices have been fast, competitive, and fun and I can’t wait to see what we have in store.” – Alexa Vasko
NOV. 15: HANNAH MILLER (F) – ROUND 13, 74TH OVERALL (SIGNED 1-YEAR CONTRACT)
Miller offers a plethora of experience and leadership, having most recently served as a captain for the Shenzhen Kunlun Red Stars of the Chinese Women’s Hockey League where she notched 48 points in 32 games during the 2022-23 season. The 27-year-old from North Vancouver, British Columbia has played professionally overseas since 2018-19 and represented China at the 2022 Olympics. She excelled throughout her collegiate career at St. Lawrence University between 2014-18 as a two-time Second-Team All-ECAC Hockey honouree and captain her senior season.
“I am very excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Toronto franchise, can’t wait to get things started!” — Hannah Miller
“Hannah comes with 5 years of playing professionally overseas. She will bring experience, a high level of hockey IQ and a passion for the game that will without a doubt impact our Toronto franchise.” — Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
NOV. 14: NATALIE SPOONER (F) – ROUND 4, 23RD OVERALL (SIGNED 2-YEAR CONTRACT)
Spooner continues her career in Toronto after stints with both PWHPA Toronto and the CWHL’s Toronto Furies where she was crowned a 2014 Clarkson Cup champion and MVP. The 33-year-old from nearby Scarborough, Ontario has been a key member of Team Canada since 2011. She has amassed three Olympic medals including gold in 2014 and 2022, silver in 2018, along with nine IIHF Women’s World Championship medals that count two gold, six silver, and one bronze. She was honoured for her NCAA career at The Ohio State University as part of the Buckeyes Hall of Fame class of 2019.
“Toronto is excited to sign 3-time Olympian Natalie Spooner to a 2-year contract. Natalie brings a wealth of experience, skill and passion to our lineup. She will have an instant impact on our franchise!” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I am so excited to officially be a part of the Toronto franchise! Growing up in Toronto, I think about all the little girls that will get to come watch this amazing team and see professional women’s hockey live! I know this is just the beginning, but I can’t wait to get going and make Toronto a women’s hockey city!” – Natalie Spooner
NOV. 10: KALI FLANAGAN (D) – ROUND 6, 35TH OVERALL (SIGNED 2-YEAR CONTRACT)
Flanagan was named PHF Defender of the Year for the 2022-23 campaign, finishing tied for third in scoring at her position with 16 points in 21 games for the Boston Pride. The 28-year-old from Burlington, Massachusetts also won an Isobel Cup with her hometown team in 2021-22 and was top scorer of the playoffs. Competing internationally, she’s a two-time gold medalist with the U.S. National Women’s Team at the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship and 2018 Olympics. After completing her NCAA career at Boston College, she suited up for two seasons with the PWHPA.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kali to Toronto. Kali is an excellent defender that will bring international and professional experience to our blue line. We can’t wait to get started!” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I’m so excited to be coming to Toronto to experience such a great hockey city and get to play with and against some of the best players in the world! I can’t wait to get started on this new adventure with such a great organization!” – Kali Flanagan
NOV. 10: ERICA HOWE (G) – FREE AGENT (SIGNED 1-YEAR CONTRACT)
Howe has played nine seasons professionally including the last four as a member of the PWHPA, and five with the CWHL’s Brampton/Markham Thunder highlighted by a 2018 Clarkson Cup with recent signee Jocelyne Larocque. The 31-year-old from Orleans, Ontario has National Team experience as a member of Canada’s silver medal squad at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Before turning pro, she backstopped Clarkson University to a 2014 NCAA National title with teammate Renata Fast in a season where she led the nation with a goals-against-average of 1.10 and 14 shutouts.
“Erica brings experience to our goaltending group. From winning a national championship with Clarkson to her time spent with the National Team, Erica will have a great impact on our team.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“Signing with Toronto is a dream come true. I am beyond excited to join an incredible team of people from top to bottom and get things rolling.” – Erica Howe
NOV. 9: BRITTANY HOWARD (F) – ROUND 8, 47TH OVERALL (SIGNED 1-YEAR CONTRACT)
Howard is no stranger to Toronto’s professional women’s hockey scene having experienced the 2018-19 season with the CWHL’s Furies, three years with the PWHPA from 2019-22, and the 2022-23 PHF campaign with the Isobel Cup champion Six. Last year, the 27-year-old from St. Thomas, Ontario led her T6 team with 16 goals and 26 points in 20 regular season games and added four points in four playoff contests. She graduated from Robert Morris University where she was a 2018 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist and remains the program’s all-time leading goal scorer.
“We are excited to bring some of the experience of the Toronto Six success of last season with Brittany Howard’s signing. We are excited to welcome her to our PWHL Toronto franchise.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I am so excited to be a member of PWHL Toronto and continue my career in the incredible city. Being from St. Thomas, it is a dream come true. I cannot wait for the puck to drop in 2024 and to play against and with the best players in the world. There’s a new team in town, Toronto hockey fans – I am excited to meet you all very soon.” – Brittany Howard
NOV. 9: ALLIE MUNROE (D) – ROUND 9, 50TH OVERALL (SIGNED 1-YEAR CONTRACT)
Munroe played the last two seasons with the PHF’s Connecticut Whale and ranked inside the top-five in scoring among defenders both years. She finished the 2022-23 campaign with 16 points in 24 games, which included 15 assists to lead her position and place fifth overall among skaters. The 26-year-old from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia also has two years of professional experience in the SDHL, suiting up for Djurgårdens IF between 2019-21. She spent her NCAA career at Syracuse University where she captained the Orange as a senior and was a two-time CHA Best Defenseman.
“We are very happy with the signing of Allie, she will make our blue line that much harder to play against and she makes us better all around.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I am so honoured to be signing with Toronto in the first ever season of the PWHL. I am excited to be a part of this organization and to get the season started. See you soon Toronto fans!” – Allie Munroe
NOV. 8: JOCELYNE LAROCQUE (D) – ROUND 1, 2ND OVERALL (SIGNED 3-YEAR CONTRACT)
Larocque has been a fixture on Canada’s National Women’s Team for more than a decade. The three-time Olympian won gold in Sochi 2014, Beijing 2022, and silver in PyeongChang 2018. The 35-year-old from Ste. Anne, Manitoba has also competed in the last 10 IIHF Women’s World Championships compiling three gold medals, six silver, and one bronze. Her career also includes two NCAA National Championships at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a Clarkson Cup during a five-year CWHL run with the Brampton/Markham Thunder. Her last four years have been spent as a member of the PWHPA.
“Jocelyne is one of the best defenders in the world and is a fierce competitor that leads by example on and off the ice. She is a foundational player for us, and someone we are thrilled to build our franchise around.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
NOV. 8: KRISTEN CAMPBELL (G) – ROUND 3, 14TH OVERALL (SIGNED 3-YEAR CONTRACT)
Campbell is one of Team Canada’s three goaltenders for the first two games of the 2023-24 Rivalry Series against the United States. As a National Team member, she’s won gold at the 2022 Olympics, the 2021 and 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championships, and silver at the 2023 tournament. At the NCAA level, the 25-year-old from Brandon, Manitoba transferred from the University of North Dakota to Wisconsin and was named 2018 and 2019 WCHA Goaltender of the Year, a 2018 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist, and backstopped the Badgers to a 2019 National Championship. She joined the PWHPA upon graduation in 2020.
“We are very excited to have signed Kristen Campbell to a three-year contract. She is an excellent goalie that has a bright future ahead of her. She will make our franchise better both on and off the ice” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I am beyond excited to officially join this incredible group of players and staff! I can’t wait to get to Toronto with my teammates, start building our team culture/identity and start chasing championships!” – Kristen Campbell
Compher capped an impressive NCAA career by winning the 2023 National Championship, recording 40 points in 41 games for the University of Wisconsin. She also spent four years at Boston University including the 2020-21 campaign as captain, and in 2018-19 was a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist. The 24-year-old from Northbrook, Illinois has experience with the U.S. National Women’s Team that includes silver at the 2022 Olympics, and three IIHF Women’s World Championships counting 2019 gold and silver in both 2021 and 2022. She also won back-to-back U18 gold in 2016 and 2017.
“We are thrilled to have signed Jesse to a two-year deal, she will have a great impact on our team in Toronto!” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I’m beyond excited to have signed with Toronto for the next two seasons, looking forward to playing in front of such an amazing fan base and working alongside these players and staff! Can’t wait to get started!” – Jesse Compher
NOV. 3: EMMA MALTAIS (F) – ROUND 2, 11TH OVERALL (SIGNED 3-YEAR CONTRACT)
Maltais has been a member of Canada’s National Women’s Team the past three seasons and part of gold medal victories at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championships, 2022 Olympics, plus silver at the 2023 Worlds. The 23-year-old from Burlington, Ontario just graduated from The Ohio State University where she set the Buckeyes all-time scoring record with 206 points in 169 games. She is credited with two Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 nominations, and most recently had a 2022-23 campaign following Olympic centralization with 48 points in 39 games earning Second Team All-WCHA honours.
“Emma brings a lot of elements we are looking for in building our identity in Toronto. We are excited for the opportunity to have her a part of the upcoming season and building our Toronto franchise.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
‘’I’m incredibly excited to have signed my first professional contract with Toronto. I’ve dreamed for an opportunity like this since I was a little girl, and I cannot wait to get the training camp going!” – Emma Maltais
NOV. 2: REBECCA LESLIE (F) – ROUND 12, 71ST OVERALL (SIGNED 1-YEAR CONTRACT)
Leslie is a five-year pro with four seasons as a member of the PWHPA following her 2018-19 CWHL campaign with the Clarkson Cup champion Calgary Inferno where she played alongside her new Toronto teammate Blayre Turnbull. The 27-year-old from Ottawa, Ontario won U18 gold with Canada in 2014, then attended Boston University where she captained the Terriers as a senior and was a two-time Hockey East Second Team All-Star. During her final year, she became the first player in program history to record 20 goals and 30 assists in the same season, setting career-highs with 24 goals and 57 points.
“We are excited with the signing of Rebecca Leslie. She brings experience, consistency, and heart to our team.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I am honoured to have officially signed to play with Toronto in the inaugural season of the PWHL. I look forward to getting to Toronto to begin preparations for the season with my teammates and I am thrilled to play in front of such a passionate fan base.” – Rebecca Leslie
OCT. 31: MAGGIE CONNORS (F) – ROUND 11, 62ND OVERALL (SIGNED 2-YEAR CONTRACT)
Connors was the youngest player selected by Toronto in the PWHL Draft and is the first from the inaugural draft class to officially put pen to paper. The 23-year-old from St. John’s, Newfoundland turns pro after spending the last five years at Princeton University where she finished top-three in Tigers scoring in all four seasons of NCAA competition and finished as an ECAC All-Academic Team and AHCA All-American Scholar during the 2022-23 campaign. She won bronze with Canada at the 2018 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship and attended the National Team’s Camp in September.
“We are thrilled to have come to an agreement with Maggie Connors. Maggie is certainly a piece of the puzzle we are creating in Toronto, and we look forward to the impact she will have on our team this season.” – Gina Kingsbury, General Manager
“I couldn’t be happier to officially sign and be a part of the Toronto franchise! It is such a storied city with incredible sports fans, and I can’t wait to get this historic inaugural season started!” – Maggie Connors
SEPT. 6: SARAH NURSE (F), BLAYRE TURNBULL (F), RENATA FAST (D)
All three players agreed to terms on three-year deals as part of the PWHL’s initial free agency period.
Final team rosters must include 23 players signed to Standard Player Agreements, plus two Reserve Player Contracts. Salary terms will not be disclosed, as per the PWHL Players’ Association.