Spooner’s Return to Practice A Welcome Sight for the Sceptres

“It felt like Christmas morning for everyone, seeing them back there.” is how Renata Fast put it, after injured players Natalie Spooner and Megan Carter joined the team for their first full practice on Monday.

“We had a meeting Saturday with medical strength conditioning, obviously with Gina [Kingsbury]. And they thought that everything's been trending in the right direction and that both Spooner and Carter could practice today,” reported coach Troy Ryan.

Spooner has been rehabbing an ACL injury since last May, and Carter was not cleared to play at the start of the season, so both have been skating together before and after practice, working diligently to get back to a team that can really use both.

“Obviously I get excited that that's a huge step,” a full practice for both, is how Ryan put it, and added that they didn’t need to be in non-contact jerseys, so it’s full speed ahead for the pair. Although they are not set to re-join the team for game action, the encouragement of seeing them in practice is a boost for the Sceptres.

“They have been grinding for months now, just the two of them on the ice,” said Fast.

”They have different schedules than the team has had and you look at a player like Carter, she's new, she's a rookie and she's doesn't get to be around the team as often.

“And then Spooner, she's such a loud person and she brings so much energy to the locker room; we've missed that.”

Carter was the team’s second-round pick in the 2024 draft (12th overall) after a stellar season at Northeastern. Spooner was not only the PWHL’s leading scorer, but also named the Most Valuable Player at the end of season.

“The work ethic she's shown to come back and to do it with still a positive attitude, it's just so valuable,” said Ryan.

“And I think even as we at times struggle to score a goal, your group just needs an early one sometimes, and that's what Spooner does. So it's not that her presence is going to change the whole dynamics of some things, it just may give you enough at times to get the life back.”

In the locker room and off the ice, Spooner brings qualities that help team morale, mood, and energy, he noted.

“It's tough to be quiet around Spooner, she just brings such a good energy. I don't think you'd find many players in hockey that just treat everybody the exact same too; she's kind, she's caring, she's energetic.”

On the blue line, and especially on the penalty kill, Carter’s strong defensive play will add stability, Ryan said.

“That's one of the big parts of her game is on those penalty kills, just eating those pucks and she doesn't mind getting in front of them. And she'll be huge in that area.”

Toronto has been playing better in their last several games, but is only now starting to see the results of their improved play. They’ve had some tight finishes and contests that are high-pressure situations, and the scoring touch that Spooner can bring would be invaluable.

“Now if you can just add that early goal or that power play net-front goal, with Spooner, the rest kind of looks good,” is how Ryan put it.

“For both of them to be back on the ice with us was great. It's exciting to see them back there. They're going to add a ton,” said Fast.

Toronto’s next game is Wednesday against the Boston Fleet.