PWHL Toronto signs Daryl Watts to two-year contract

It looks like big-money Toronto isn’t just for the boys.

On Friday, PWHL Toronto made a huge splash, signing forward Daryl Watts to a two-year contract.

Ian Kennedy from The Hockey News was the first to break the news.

“Daryl had a great season with Ottawa,” General Manager Gina Kingsbury said in a release. “She is an incredible offensive threat that has proven herself in this league. We felt adding some offence to our roster was an important piece to the puzzle.”

Watts was one of the most sought-after players once free agency opened on Friday, with many teams inquiring about the 25-year-old. It was rumored that Boston and Montreal were front-runners for Watts, especially Boston. The team from New England seemed to have more cap space than other teams, and are in desperate need of scoring.

However, as the day went along, teams dropped out of the sweepstakes, with Toronto seemingly sweeping and grabbing Watts, who is from the Six.

“Toronto is my home,” Watts said. “Having grown up here watching the Toronto Maple Leafs makes returning to Toronto to play professional hockey a dream come true.” 

Watts was one of the most exciting players during the inaugural season, being one of Ottawa’s top players. After a slow start, she picked up steam in the latter-half of the season, scoring 15 points in the last 15 games of the season, including scoring a hat trick on March 23…against Toronto.

Watts ended up scoring 10 goals and seven assists in 24 games, finishing third on the team in scoring, and 12th in the PWHL. She is an electrifying player with the ability to create scoring opportunities and can certainly thrive when teamed up with others who can match her speed and talent.

The former Mississauga Chief burst onto the scene during her collegiate career, becoming the first freshman at Boston College to win the Patty Kazmaier Award as the best player in NCAA women’s hockey. After two years in Chestnut Hill, Watts transferred to Wisconsin, where she found team success, winning a national championship in 2021.

After she graduated, Watts decided to join the Toronto Six in the second half of the 2022-23 Premier Hockey Federation season. She added some necessary scoring to a team capable of being a championship contender. The Six went on to win the franchise’s first and the league’s last Isobel Cup.

The only thing that is missing from Watts’ terrific career is a solid international tenure. She played for Team Canada at the IIHF Women’s Under-18 World Championships in 2016 and 2017, but has never seen the ice with the senior national team. However, playing under Canadian National Team head coach Troy Ryan, and getting an opportunity to be on lines with the likes of Sarah Nurse, Blayre Turnbull and Emma Maltais, Watts has the chance to elevate her game to change that narrative. Watts and new Toronto teammate Emma Woods were both invited to Hockey Canada’s summer camp.