Latest news with #TorontoSceptres
National Post
17 hours ago
- Sport
- National Post
PWHL expansion takes a huge bite out of Sceptres' collection of young talent
The Toronto Sceptres' youth movement took a real hit during the league's expansion draft that helped stock two new teams. Article content Already having lost a true veteran presence and builder in Sarah Nurse during the exclusive signing window, the Sceptres lost all three of their initial selections during last year's draft. Article content Article content And while Toronto fans were still lamenting the loss of Gosling, a player who grew slowly for the Sceptres but was a key member of the team's power play by season's end, the very next pick by PWHL Vancouver also came from the Sceptres draft list of 2024 and that was Patty Kazmaier winner Izzy Daniel, the team's third-round pick. Article content Both Daniel and Gosling come with team-friendly contracts and haven't really scratched the ceiling of their potential, but both made strides throughout that first season and leave big holes in Toronto's roster with their departure. Article content That theme of youth leaving the Toronto locker room continued with the loss of their second overall pick in last year's draft in defender Megan Carter. Article content There was some real thought that Carter might have got some consideration as Toronto's fourth protected player, a choice they were able to make after Seattle took Gosling. Article content But having already lost one fan favourite in Sarah Nurse to Vancouver last week and with the local fan base in a tizzy over the prospect of losing another roster mainstay in fiery forward Emma Maltais, the Sceptres did its fan base a solid and protected Maltais, the team's third-round pick in the league's inaugural entry draft. Article content Article content Carter didn't have the time to build up the kind of following Maltais appeared to have from Day 1, but don't kid yourself, Carter is going to be missed next season. Article content Her Toronto debut was held back a couple of months by a lower body injury, but she quickly worked her way into head coach Troy Ryan's good graces with a dependable presence on the blue line and in front of her own net. Carter's physicality immediately jumped off the page but watching Ryan throw her into the fray at key moments late in the season and into the playoffs really convinced all those watching that this was only the beginning for Carter. Article content PWHL Vancouver won a lottery to have the choice of first pick overall in the draft or accept the second and third picks. Vancouver GM Cara Gardner Morey opted for the first overall pick.
National Post
a day ago
- Sport
- National Post
Losing Sarah Nurse hurt the Toronto Sceptres, but the hurting is far from over
As tough as that first week of the PWHL expansion process was here in Toronto, it's tonight's expansion draft that is really going to determine the Toronto Sceptres' future. Article content Losing a foundational and instrumental piece in Sarah Nurse during the five-day exclusive signing window for the league's two new teams was devastating on its own. Article content Article content But tonight, the Sceptres will lose three more players with the ability to add just one more to its protection loss after the next member of its roster is taken. Article content Toronto's primary issue has to be goaltending. In Kristen (Soupy) Campbell, they have a goalie who can be lights out for long stretches of time and won the league's goaltender of the year in Season 1, but has shown a penchant — three stretches over the first two seasons — in which her game falls apart. Article content It occurred to begin the year in Season 1 before Campbell rallied and then again early in the season in year two. Then it fell apart in the playoffs, at the worst possible time as the Sceptres went from a 1-0 series lead and a hold on Game 2 to losing that game and eventually the series, with suspect goaltending high on the list of reasons why that happened. Article content Backup Raygan Kirk was able to step in during the regular season this past year and righted the ship, going 5-1 in her rookie season in the PWHL. But Kirk got hurt just before the season ended and was unavailable when Campbell tilted in the playoffs. Article content Which brings us to tonight's expansion draft where the Sceptres will lose three more players. Article content Both expansion clubs in Vancouver and Seattle have already signed a goaltender but there's a very good chance they will be looking to get some insurance at that position in tonight's draft. Article content Kirk, who had the advantage of both youth and what we assume is a cap-friendly contract could very well be one of those young goaltenders that is being targeted tonight. Article content If Toronto does view Kirk, as we think they do, as the future in the Toronto net, they may have to spend their fourth on final protection on her. Of course, that's assuming they even get to that point before Kirk's name is heard. Article content The likely bet, and this will come as another blow to the Toronto fanbase, is that the next member of the Sceptres' roster to be cherry-picked by one of the incoming teams will be fan favourite Emma Maltais. It will be after that selection that Sceptres' GM Gina Kingsbury will have to determine whether to use that final protection on a goaltender who has made a total of seven starts and played in just 10 games for this team.
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Some tough times for some big names in growing PWHL
Get the latest from Mike Ganter straight to your inbox Ottawa Charge goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer makes a save against Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse during PWHL action in Toronto, Dec. 31, 2024. Photo by Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS Until this past week, the majority of the best players in women's hockey have been shielded from the dirtier side of the business side of professional sports and how that could impact their day-to-day lives. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account An expansion process focused on maintaining league-wide parity ended that shielding once and for all. And kudos to the women — the likes of Hilary Knight, Sarah Nurse, Alex Carpenter and Emerance Maschmeyer to name just four — who handled this all with so much grace. It can't have been easy for hockey players who all their lives have been told they are at the very elite level of their sport, to suddenly hear from the general managers of the teams they helped form that there were three other players they would rather protect going forward. All four of the aforementioned players were foundational signings — the three players on each of the six original clubs that the teams would be build around — and two years later all four, one of them a captain, were left unprotected. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Then put the shoe on the other foot and imagine being the GM told they can protect just three players and having to weigh factors such as age, financial flexibility and long-term goals to say nothing of the personal relationships built over two years and some longer than that, and then having to approach a player who has probably never been cut from a team and tell them they would not be protected. But that was the hand dealt both GMs and many of the league's biggest stars over the past few weeks. Soft — read wildly popular — landing spots in Seattle and Vancouver helped cushion the blow for the players, but that didn't stop it from being a roller coaster ride these past few weeks for some of the most highly respected women in the game. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Here is a look at how those four handled the news and eventually dealt with what had to be one of the most unique moments of their professional careers. Read More SARAH NURSE Nurse was as much the face of the Sceptres franchise as anyone on the team. She was one of three foundational signings along with defender Renata Fast and eventual team captain Blayre Turnbull. She was part of the marketing campaign that introduced the PWHL to Toronto. She was even part of the Player's Association Executive that helped negotiate the collective bargaining agreement this league will play under for another six seasons yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In short, Nurse was Sceptres and league royalty and a few weeks ago she learned she would not be one of Toronto's three protected players. It was inevitable at that point that she would be in either Seattle or Vancouver, the league's two expansion markets, this coming season. Those three protected spots in Toronto went to the other two foundational signings and forward Daryl Watts, who was signed as a free agent last season from Ottawa. If it was a tough pill to swallow, Nurse kept that mostly to herself as she discussed these past few weeks after signing a one-year deal with PWHL Vancouver earlier this week. 'I think I didn't know what to expect,' Nurse admitted of the whole expansion process. 'I took a little bit of comfort in that first free agency period we had before the PWHL actually started so I kind of knew how that one went and how everything happened so quickly. So going into the morning the other day I kind of had a feeling that things were going to move quickly. I had conversations with Seattle and Vancouver and when Cara (Vancouver general manager Cara Gardner Morey) wanted to speak to me directly and kind of shared her vision and what she saw for the organization and how I could fit into the free signings before and the signing that came after me, I really believed in her and I think she believed in me so the day was kind of crazy. It was very unexpected. I was able to speak to Gina (Sceptres GM Gina Kingsbury) in Toronto just to thank her for everything and understand that I think both organizations will be in a pretty good place going into next season … This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It was definitely a very difficult and emotional conversation that really started with the protection conversation a few days prior just because the team in Toronto is deep. There are a lot of players who are worthy of being protected and all power to that group moving forward because they do have a great group. So definitely an emotional conversation with Gina but again, nothing but respect between us both.' As hard as this hit, Nurse said a trade earlier in the year by the Sceptres that sent highly respected associate captain Jocelyne Larocque to Ottawa at least set the table for something Nurse just went though. 'We love Jos so much,' Nurse said. 'She's an incredible leader, an incredible person, somebody that I have looked up to for so long. And after she got traded, so many of us looked back and said, 'Wow, we thought Jos was untouchable,' and that made us all realize no, this really is a business. People are going to make decisions and GMs are going to make decisions that are best for their team and their organization and ultimately what they want. I think looking back that definitely was a wakeup call, a welcome to pro hockey moment.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. One of Ottawa's three foundational signings, and like Nurse a long-time fixture on Canada's national team, goaltender Maschmeyer was as much the victim of injury as anyone in this process. Maschmeyer was humming along having a brilliant season for the Charge when a lower body injury ended her season in March. Backup Gwyneth Philips stepped into the net and was the primary reason the Charge made its run to the Walter Cup Final before eventually falling to the Minnesota Frost in the championship. Philips was named playoff MVP despite being on the losing side and Maschmeyer's tenure in Ottawa was basically over. Maschmeyer saw the writing on the wall — a younger, less expensive option to protect in Philips and rather quickly began to turn the page. Earlier this week she signed a two-year extension on her Ottawa deal with her new employers in Vancouver. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's definitely been a journey, a bit of an emotional roller coaster I must say,' Maschmeyer said. 'Gwen? I can't say enough amazing things about her … she's obviously an incredible goalie and had a standout playoff series. So, I have no ill will against her. Honestly I am very happy for her. I think that we both deserve starting roles so this is the best scenario where we aren't competing for ice time. We both get to own the net. There were some tough conversations, yes, but at the end of the day I got injured and that is a tough part of the sport. Sometimes you are dealt a hand of cards you don't expect, but you have to manage and that's exactly what I have been doing this season. 'I'm just excited I'm in a really great place right now and will be ready to go when the pucks drops next season.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The American version of Canada's Marie Philip-Poulin is a player few, if any, management types have ever said no thanks to, but that was what Boston GM Danielle Marmer did recently. The captain of the Boston Fleet since the PWHL launched two years ago is admittedly into the latter stages of her professional career but is coming off a season in which she tied for the league lead in points with soon-to-be-named rookie of the year Sarah Fillier. Like Nurse, no one who wore Boston colours over these two years had more to do with establishing the culture of her team than Knight did. Marmer, though, had the future to consider when announcing her list of three protected players, and as much as Knight has done for the team already there is just more in the tank for the three she chose to use the protections on in defender Megan Keller, goalie Aerin Frankel and young and rising star Alina Muller. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Knight, who signed for one year with Seattle but cautioned media types that term did not reflect her desire to stay with her new club for longer, was asked about her surprise in being left off the protected list and how she has navigated the time since learning she would be exposed in the draft. 'I think whenever the expansion was announced and the rules of engagement you knew it was going to be an exciting opportunity and also some bittersweet feelings as well,' Knight said. 'Obviously only three get protected and different clubs need different things and players need different opportunities as well or fresh starts or whatever that looks like. There's definitely a lot of conversations that go on behind the scenes and you kind of have to meet people where they are and figure out which pieces work and what people want to do and how to build a successful franchise. I'm really excited about this opportunity in Seattle … I think things aligned personally for me in the right way and I cannot wait for puck drop.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The New York Sirens centre and the third highest scoring player over the first two years in the league is not one to open up publicly, so she kept her thoughts about being unprotected to herself for the most part. Carpenter left it at this when asked if she was surprised the Sirens chose to leave her unprotected to protect the trio of Sarah Fillier, Ella Shelton and captain Micah Zandee-Hart. 'Yeah for sure,' she said of being surprised. 'It's definitely always unexpected or surprising but at the same time I think I took that as a chance to have a new opportunity and the past is the past, kind of behind me now and just really excited to get it going in Seattle.' WHERE IT STANDS PWHL Vancouver wrapped up its five selections in the exclusive signing window period on Thursday when they grabbed B.C. native Jen Gardiner from Montreal. Gardiner joins an initial four selections by Vancouver of Minnesota defenders Claire Thompson, Sophie Jaques, Toronto forward Nurse and Ottawa goaltender Maschmeyer. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. PWHL Seattle finished off its five picks in this portion of the expansion stocking process with the signing of New York's Carpenter and, in perhaps the biggest surprise of the process to date, New York goaltender Corinne Schroeder. Those two join former Fleet captain Knight, Ottawa forward Danielle Serdachny, and Montreal defender Cayla Barnes in Seattle. The two teams will now have the full weekend to prepare for Monday's expansion draft in which each club will select seven more players. Boston and Toronto will each lose three more players while Minnesota, Montreal, Ottawa and New York will lose only two more. The draft begins at 8:30 p.m. EST on Monday and can be seen live at or on the PWHL YouTube Channel. mganter@ Olympics Sunshine Girls NHL Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
PWHL expansion full of 'bittersweet feelings' for newly signed players
Jenn Gardiner is still in shock. The former Montreal Victoire forward can't quite fathom that she'll soon be playing professional hockey in the city where she grew up. 'I really can't wrap my hand around the fact that there's actually a team at home and I get to be on it,' Gardiner said Friday, less than 24 hours after she signed with the Professional Women's Hockey League's new expansion team in Vancouver. 'Honestly, I still can't believe that it's actually happening. I think there's just been so many little girls that I've heard from, that I work with, that I coach in the summer reach out. And that's just kind of just touching on the importance of this team in Vancouver.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Gardiner is one of five players PWHL Vancouver inked to new deals during an exclusive expansion team signing window this week. The club also picked up defender of the year candidates Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques from the Minnesota Frost, former Ottawa Charge goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer and former Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse. Nurse and Gardiner both experienced Vancouver's hunger for professional women's hockey when they played there during a 'Takeover Tour' stop in January. More than 19,000 fans packed Rogers Arena for the game, and the crowd was dotted with signs crying for a permanent team in the city. 'I've always been blown away by the amount of support and the real longing and wanting of professional women's hockey in the West Coast,' Nurse said. 'So I'm just excited that the time is now and we get to be the foundation of the future out west.' Nurse — cousin of WNBA star Kia Nurse and Edmonton Oilers defender Darnell Nurse.– was one of the Toronto Sceptres first three signings. She had six goals and eight assists in 21 games last season, despite missing nearly two months with injury. The 30-year-old from Hamilton added one assist in four playoff contests before the Sceptres were ousted from the semifinals by the Frost, who went on to win the Walter Cup for the second year in a row. Playing so close to home has been special, said Nurse. 'It is such an honour to play in Toronto,' she said. 'To be able to see all the jerseys in the stands, to be able to see the signs and the messages that have been sent throughout my time in Toronto and also in the last few days has been bittersweet. … I just couldn't be more grateful for all of the support.' Before the Sceptres released their list of the three players they wanted to protect during the expansion process, Nurse spoke with general manager Gina Kingsbury. 'It was definitely a difficult and very emotional conversation,' Nurse said. 'The team in Toronto is deep. There's a lot of players that are worthy of being protected. All the power to their group moving forward because they do have a great group.' The expansion process came with tough feelings for Maschmeyer, too. The 30-year-old goalie was one of Ottawa's foundational signings, and posted a 9-9-4-2 record for the Charge last season before suffering a leg injury late in the campaign. Rookie goalie Gwen Philips took over in net and backstopped the squad to the Walter Cup final. Ottawa then opted to protect Philips during the expansion process. 'It's definitely been a journey, a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, I would say,' Maschmeyer said. 'Gwen, I cannot say enough amazing things about her. … She's obviously an incredible goaltender and had a standout playoff series. I have no ill will against her. Honestly, I'm very happy for her. 'I think we both deserve starting roles and so this is the best scenario, where we both get to own the net.' Some of the PWHL's biggest stars were left unprotected during the expansion process, including Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight. The 35-year-old American tied for the league lead in scoring last season with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) and is up for the Billie Jean King award as the PWHL's most valuable player. Knight became the first player to sign with the league's other new expansion side, PWHL Seattle, on Wednesday. Players knew heading in that the expansion process would bring 'bittersweet feelings,' she said. 'Definitely, there's a lot of conversations that happen behind the scenes and you kind of have to meet people where they are, and figure out which pieces work and what people want to do and how to build a successful franchise,' Knight said. 'I think things aligned personally for me in the right way. And I can't wait for puck drop.'
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
PWHL expansion full of ‘bittersweet feelings' for newly signed players
VANCOUVER - Jenn Gardiner is still in shock. The former Montreal Victoire forward can't quite fathom that she'll soon be playing professional hockey in the city where she grew up. 'I really can't wrap my hand around the fact that there's actually a team at home and I get to be on it,' Gardiner said Friday, less than 24 hours after she signed with the Professional Women's Hockey League's new expansion team in Vancouver. 'Honestly, I still can't believe that it's actually happening. I think there's just been so many little girls that I've heard from, that I work with, that I coach in the summer reach out. And that's just kind of just touching on the importance of this team in Vancouver.' Gardiner is one of five players PWHL Vancouver inked to new deals during an exclusive expansion team signing window this week. The club also picked up defender of the year candidates Claire Thompson and Sophie Jaques from the Minnesota Frost, former Ottawa Charge goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer and former Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse. Nurse and Gardiner both experienced Vancouver's hunger for professional women's hockey when they played there during a 'Takeover Tour' stop in January. More than 19,000 fans packed Rogers Arena for the game, and the crowd was dotted with signs crying for a permanent team in the city. 'I've always been blown away by the amount of support and the real longing and wanting of professional women's hockey in the West Coast,' Nurse said. 'So I'm just excited that the time is now and we get to be the foundation of the future out west.' Nurse — cousin of WNBA star Kia Nurse and Edmonton Oilers defender Darnell Nurse.— was one of the Toronto Sceptres first three signings. She had six goals and eight assists in 21 games last season, despite missing nearly two months with injury. The 30-year-old from Hamilton added one assist in four playoff contests before the Sceptres were ousted from the semifinals by the Frost, who went on to win the Walter Cup for the second year in a row. Playing so close to home has been special, said Nurse. 'It is such an honour to play in Toronto,' she said. 'To be able to see all the jerseys in the stands, to be able to see the signs and the messages that have been sent throughout my time in Toronto and also in the last few days has been bittersweet. … I just couldn't be more grateful for all of the support.' Before the Sceptres released their list of the three players they wanted to protect during the expansion process, Nurse spoke with general manager Gina Kingsbury. 'It was definitely a difficult and very emotional conversation,' Nurse said. 'The team in Toronto is deep. There's a lot of players that are worthy of being protected. All the power to their group moving forward because they do have a great group.' The expansion process came with tough feelings for Maschmeyer, too. The 30-year-old goalie was one of Ottawa's foundational signings, and posted a 9-9-4-2 record for the Charge last season before suffering a leg injury late in the campaign. Rookie goalie Gwen Philips took over in net and backstopped the squad to the Walter Cup final. Ottawa then opted to protect Philips during the expansion process. 'It's definitely been a journey, a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, I would say,' Maschmeyer said. 'Gwen, I cannot say enough amazing things about her. … She's obviously an incredible goaltender and had a standout playoff series. I have no ill will against her. Honestly, I'm very happy for her. 'I think we both deserve starting roles and so this is the best scenario, where we both get to own the net.' Some of the PWHL's biggest stars were left unprotected during the expansion process, including Boston Fleet captain Hilary Knight. The 35-year-old American tied for the league lead in scoring last season with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) and is up for the Billie Jean King award as the PWHL's most valuable player. Knight became the first player to sign with the league's other new expansion side, PWHL Seattle, on Wednesday. Players knew heading in that the expansion process would bring 'bittersweet feelings,' she said. 'Definitely, there's a lot of conversations that happen behind the scenes and you kind of have to meet people where they are, and figure out which pieces work and what people want to do and how to build a successful franchise,' Knight said. 'I think things aligned personally for me in the right way. And I can't wait for puck drop.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025.
