Toronto acquires free agent forwards Daryl Watts and Emma Woods – The Rink Live

TORONTO – Of the six teams in the PWHL, Toronto has perhaps been the most active since the free agency period began on June 21.

Most organizations are solely focused on re-signing the free agents who were on one-year contracts in 2024 to their own respective rosters, but Toronto became the first team to officially sign not just one, but two players from other teams through the route of free agency this offseason.

The club announced the signings of forwards Daryl Watts from Ottawa and Emma Woods from New York on June 21. Both skaters signed a two-year contract with Toronto, lasting through the 2025-2026 season.

These signings come after the club already announced the extensions of two other free agents, defenseman Allie Munroe and forward Hannah Miller, both of whom will remain with the team for the upcoming season. There was also news around Toronto as the organization revealed that forward Brittany Howard would not return to the roster in 2024-25 due to her acceptance of a coaching job within the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program and goaltender Erica Howe announced her retirement.

Watts, Woods, Munroe and Miller will help round out Toronto’s roster for next season and will join 11 other athletes currently on multi-year deals. Those skaters include forwards Natalie Spooner (currently injured), Victoria Bach, Maggie Connors, Jesse Compher, Emma Maltais, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull, defensemen Renata Fast, Kali Flanagan and Jocelyne Larocque and netminder Kristen Campbell.

Forward Daryl Watts signed a two-year contract with Toronto on Friday after a promising season in Ottawa. The 25-year-old scored 10 goals and seven assists in 24 games played and ranked third in total points scored in Ottawa in 2024.

“Daryl had a great season with Ottawa. She is an incredible attacking threat who has proven herself in this league. We felt adding some offense to our roster was an important piece of the puzzle,” Toronto general manager Gina Kingsbury said in an organization news release. “We are thrilled to have Daryl join PWHL Toronto and see her play in front of the crowds in her home city!”

Watts, originally from Toronto, played two years of collegiate hockey at Boston College, where she won the prestigious Patty Kazmaier Award as a freshman in 2018. She then transferred to Wisconsin and played there for three seasons, eventually winning a national title in 2021. The 6-foot-4 forward joined the PHF’s Toronto Six after graduating for a year of professional hockey and was eventually drafted for the sixth round of the 2023 PWHL Draft from Ottawa.

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

Contributed / PWHL / Matt Zambonin / Freestyle Photography

Signed to a two-year deal by Toronto, Woods is a 28-year-old forward who has two goals and three assists for New York in 2024. The Buford, Ontario native was drafted in the 2023 14th round of the PWHL Draft and signed a one-year contract with the team for the 2024 season.

“We loved how Emma played for PWHL New York this season,” said Kingsbury. “Emma brings a 60-yard game and is very versatile. She has a high competitive level and her impact will be felt in our line-up. We are excited to bring Emma back to Toronto and have her join our team for the next two seasons!”

Woods played four years of collegiate hockey at Quinnipiac before joining professional hockey. She competed overseas for a few seasons before joining the PHF’s Toronto Six for a handful of years. The 6-foot-4 forward was almost a point-per-game player with the Six in 2022-23, so there’s a lot of potential in her game as she returns to Toronto.

“I am incredibly excited to sign with Toronto and return home to continue my professional career. Clearly, I am joining a very talented group and an organization that demonstrates strong values ​​and a commitment to winning,” said Woods. “I would like to give my best on the ice and contribute to the success of this team next season! There aren’t many hockey markets that compare to Toronto, and I can’t wait to play in front of my family, friends and the best fans and compete for the Walter Cup!”

According to the Players Association, the salary terms of the two news contracts are not being disclosed.

Sydney Wolf is a reporter for The Rink Live, primarily covering youth and high school hockey. She joined the team in November 2021 and graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in mass communications and a minor in writing and rhetoric studies.