“Sceptres prepare to begin second PWHL season without MVP Spooner.”

TORONTO – The Toronto Sceptres have new jerseys, a new roster, a new home stadium and, unfortunately, a new problem.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League regular-season champions begin their second year without Billie Jean King MVP Natalie Spooner.

The 34-year-old Spooner, who led the PWHL with 20 goals in 24 games in her first season, now has to run after her teammates after recovering from her left knee injury.

“It’s not something you wish on any team or group,” Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan said.

His team opens the 30-game regular season against the Boston Fleet on Saturday at home at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.

“If you compare it to a National Hockey League team, it would be like Edmonton starting the year without Connor McDavid or Pittsburgh starting the year without (Sidney) Crosby. That would be devastating.”

“I think for our group, losing an MVP and a top scorer is the same thing. Last year we found ways to score points through the committee. We just have to do the same thing. No one is going to come in and put up the numbers. “Spooner contributed last year, but we expect everyone to increase their total a little bit and find ways to contribute more.”

After a slow start last season, winning just one of its first five games, Toronto rebounded to win 17 of its last 19 games. This ended Toronto’s 11-game winning streak and took first place.

They led Minnesota 2-0 in the best-of-five first round of the playoffs, but then Spooner suffered her devastating knee injury in the third period of Game 3. Toronto lost the game and the next two games to secure a spot in the playoff round.

Sceptres General Manager Gina Kingsbury, Ryan and the management team went to work rebuilding the roster. They overhauled a lineup that not only posted the best record, but also led the league in goals scored (69) and fewest goals allowed (50). The next best goal difference to Toronto’s plus-19 was second-place Montreal’s plus-three.

The Sceptres will have nine new players on opening day, including six forwards. One of those new players at the top is Daryl Watts. The 25-year-old forward was signed as a free agent by Ottawa, where she scored ten goals for the team.

“Ever since I was a kid, my dream was to play on a professional team in Toronto, the city where I come from,” Watts said. “It’s just crazy to think it’s reality. Growing up, I was the Maple Leafs’ biggest fan. I still am. So this is my Leafs, so to speak.”

After a successful college career at Boston University and Wisconsin, she thought her hockey days were over, even though she became the first freshman to win the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top U.S. college player and a national championship in her senior year at Wisconsin won.

Watts decided to enroll in a master’s degree in commercial real estate in Wisconsin.

“Basically because of the uncertainty for the women’s professional hockey landscape and the lack of money. I just didn’t see a future for myself in women’s hockey,” she said.

But the opportunity arose to play for the Toronto Six of the Premier Hockey Federation in January 2023 and for Ottawa last year.

Now she plays for her hometown Sceptres and is on the radar of the Canadian national team.

Watts’ new teammate Renata Fast, a strong defender for Toronto and Canada, is looking forward to playing at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Toronto outgrew the 2,600-seat Mattamy Athletic Center last year and moved its playoff games to the 8,140-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum at Exhibition Place.

“I can’t wait to put on our new jerseys with this group of players,” said Fast, whose team practiced at its new home on Friday.

“I think we had a really good training camp. It’s really special to think about what the Coca-Cola playoffs were like and know that we’ll be there again in front of our fans with our logo.”