PWHL Toronto signs Natalie Spooner to two-year contract

The PWHL’s Toronto franchise locked in a two-time Olympic gold medal winner.

Toronto announced they signed forward Natalie Spooner to a two-year contract on Tuesday afternoon. The team drafted Spooner in the fourth round (23rd overall) in the PWHL Draft last September.

“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,” said Spooner. “I know this is just the beginning, but I can’t wait to get going and make Toronto a women’s hockey city!”

Spooner, 33, is one of the most accomplished players in history. Having won two Olympic gold medals and a silver with Team Canada, she also played in nine World Championships, winning two gold medals, six silvers and a bronze.

Professionally, she spent the last four years with the PWHPA. Between 2012-13 and 2018-19, Spooner was the face of the CWHL’s Toronto Furies, scoring 54 goals and 48 assists for 102 points in 115 games through six seasons, scoring a career-high 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points in 2015-16.

She is the Furies’ all-time leading scorer. She also led the 2014 Clarkson Cup post-season in scoring with five points in four games, helping the Furies capture their first championship in franchise history.

In college, Spooner spent four seasons with The Ohio State University, scoring 100 goals and 63 assists for 163 points in 127 games. In her senior season, she scored 31 goals, which at the time was the single-season goal record in school history.

Also, her 50 points during her senior season was the highest point total of her career at any level. Her 100 career goals is first all-time in Buckeyes’ history and her 163 career points rank second all-time.