PWHL Toronto defenseman Allie Munroe signs a two-year extension

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Allie Munroe may not be the first name that comes to mind when it comes to the PWHL Toronto roster, but she is the first player the team saw fit to re-sign.

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Of all the players on a one-year contract with Toronto, Munroe, 27, stood out in particular for the consistent physical edge she brought to the rink every day.

Munroe and Flanagan were paired with Kali Flanagan for most of the year and were Troy Ryan’s second pair behind his national team duo Renata Fast and Jocelyne Larocque.

Munroe averaged just over 19 minutes per night and collected just 12 minutes in penalties, despite being a physical tone-setter.

Her 31 goals in 24 regular season games put her sixth overall in the league. Among the five ahead of her were teammates Renata Fast, who led the competition, Blayre Turnbull and Emma Maltais.

The Yarmouth, N.S., native re-signed with the team on a two-year deal on Thursday.

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“Allie plays a reliable physical game that deepens our backend,” team manager Gina Kingsbury said in a team statement. “She exemplifies the values ​​of our organization. We are excited to have All on our blue line for the next two seasons.”

Munroe spent a year in the Swedish league after graduating from Syracuse, where she was named CHA Best Defenseman in 2016-17 and 2018-19.

“I’m so excited to be coming back to Toronto for another two years,” Munroe said via the team statement. “I am very grateful to continue my career and have the opportunity to play for this incredible organization.”

Toronto and the other five teams that make up the PWHL have an exclusive period until June 21 to offer extensions to players currently under contract.

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It won’t be a surprise if the next player to earn an extension from Toronto is forward Hannah Miller.

Miller, drafted 74^e generally in the 13^e round in the inaugural draft, was Toronto’s third leading scorer behind Natalie Spooner and Sarah Nurse with seven.

Bringing her back, while the date for Spooner’s return from knee surgery is still uncertain, seems likely.

Nurse, Turnbull, Maltais, Fast, Larocque, goaltender Kristen Campbell, forwards Spooner, Jesse Compher, Victoria Bach and Maggie Connors already have multi-year deals on Toronto’s roster, as does Munroe’s defensive partner Flanagan.

According to the rules of the players’ association, the salary terms of contracts were not disclosed.

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