The Toronto Sceptres missed the PWHL playoffs for the first time. It came with a stifled offense, a powerless power play, missed opportunities, and some bright spots for the Sceptres.
The Toronto Sceptres missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. They remained in the race until the final day of the season. Statistically, however, the Sceptres struggled in nearly every category.
Toronto stayed in the race as long as they did via more regulation wins than any other non-playoff team, and more than the fourth place Ottawa Charge. Overall however, the Sceptres finished with six fewer wins than the Charge.
Goal Scoring Abysmal
Toronto averaged only 1.7 goals per game this season. Their 51 goals were 20 less than fourth place Ottawa, and 40 goals less than the league's offensive leader, Minnesota.
Daryl Watts who had 19 points in 30 games was the lone Sceptres player to finish in the top 20 in league scoring, and was the only player to hit double digits in goals this season for Toronto.
Toronto finished near the bottom of the PWHL in both expected goals and net expected goals. Net expected goals predicted three of four playoff teams this season with the exception of the league's leader by a wide margin in the marker, the New York Sirens. Their lack of xG shows Toronto was not getting to high danger scoring areas, while allowing their opponents to high danger spots more often.
Toronto's offensive struggles started with the possession game. Toronto was the worst team in the PWHL in the face-off circle this season, and unfortunately for the Sceptres, the biggest area of weakness for them came on defensive zone face-offs where the team only won 43% of draws. Similarly, Toronto won 49% of their puck battles this season, one of only three teams on the negative side of the marker.
Preseason Trade
When Gina Kingsbury pulled the trigger on PWHL Draft day to acquire Ella Shelton in exchange for the third overall pick, and a fourth round pick, the question was...why? Shelton is an incredible defender, regarded as one of the best in the league, but the Sceptres' defensive depth was already substantive with Renata Fast, Savannah Harmon, Kali Flanagan, and Allie Munroe as a solid top four. What they didn't have was scoring. Casey O'Brien, who New York picked third overall, was the 2025 Patty Kazmaier winner and NCAA leading scorer. She went on to scored 22 points in 28 games, three more than Toronto's leading scorer, Daryl Watts. When you add the second player to that trade, New York's selection of Maddi Wheeler, it becomes even more lopsided as Wheeler would have tied for fourth on Toronto in scoring with identical numbers to Emma Maltais.
It was impossible to predict how this trade would have played out, but Toronto's blueline looked like they lost the chemistry they had, and their scoring struggled. The missed opportunity to select O'Brien, and then taking a defender with their second or third pick, which could have landed them Nina Jobst-Smith or Riley Brengman, or even targeting another in free agency for depth, hurt.
Powerless Power Play
The Toronto Sceptres had the second worst powerplay in the league at only 10.8%, a mere 0.1% ahead of Vancouver, who had the worst powerplay.
In 2024-25, Toronto had the best power play in the league at an impressive 25.8%. Certainly the losses of Sarah Nurse and Hannah Miller to Vancouver hurt, but there were controllable factors that played a part. Toronto was the least accurate passing team in the PWHL this season connecting on only 81% of their pass attempts. In terms of where those passes were directed, Toronto also made significantly fewer passes to the slot than any other team in the league this season. It speaks of a team often kept to the periphery. The result was Toronto recording the fewest power play shots this season, and a 10.8% success rate.
Was There An Olympic Sized Impact?
There's no doubt that the focus around Toronto was split between the Sceptres and Team Canada this season. With Troy Ryan serving as head coach and Gina Kingsbury as general manager for both Toronto and Team Canada in an Olympic year. Canada struggled mightily leading up to the Olympics, as did Toronto, whose core was built around their six Canadian Olympians. When the Olympics ended, it was almost as if the pressure had been lifted from the group and they could go back to playing and focusing on only Toronto. After recording only an overtime win and five losses in the six games leading up to the Olympics, the Sceptres emerged from the Games recording points, including four wins, in six straight games after the Olympics.
Where Were The Bright Spots?
It wasn't all failure for the Sceptres. The team managed to fight their way to ten regulation wins, fourth most in the league. The team also allowed the third fewest goals against.
It's no coincidence Raygan Kirk finished third in most statistical categories among goaltenders this season. Kirk and Elaine Chuli entered the 2025-26 season with the expectation the two would split time throughout the season as a tandem. That quickly changed through Kirk's play as she established herself as one of the top goaltenders in the league, one who could soon be a leading candidate to play for Team Canada.
Kirk posted a 1.87 GAA (3rd) and .934 save percentage (3rd) with three shutouts (4th).
Daryl Watts remains one of the game's premier forwards, and captain Blayre Turnbull had her best PWHL campaign to date up front. It just wasn't enough for a playoff spot this season.