Voting for the PWHL Awards in season two was tricky in some areas, but there’s one category where there was simply no contest: best defender. Toronto’s Renata Fast was far and away the best and most valuable defender in the league, and deserves consideration for the overall league MVP. Fast led all defenders in assists, hits, points, power play points, power play assists, time on ice, game winning goals, and PIM. She was tied for 8th in league scoring, had the most hits of any player, tied with Sarah Fillier for most assists with 16, and was the time-on-ice leader over stalwarts like Megan Keller and Micah Zandee-Hart. Fast was instrumental in Toronto’s move up the standings to second overall after a tough start for the team.

I got the chance to talk to the Burlington, Ontario native and Team Canada star at the end of the regular season to ask about the playoffs, and about her stellar season.

What kind of challenge does Minnesota present specifically?

They've got a deep roster. They're solid, they play a pretty structured game and obviously winning last year, they know what it takes to win. But at the end of the day, every team in this league is solid. So every single night throughout the entire season has been a battle against every opponent. I think we're expecting a hard-fought game and we're going to have to be ready to play in those hard areas to get our chances.

In the playoffs things do tighten up. How do you add to the transition game to try to increase the offense?

I think ‘transition’ is probably the key word there. The game is going to be full of transitions and who can capitalize the most on those. There's no doubt when you get to playoffs the defensive details are sharpened up on both sides of the ice – better sticks, better gaps. So we're going to have to fight for every inch on the ice. But it's got to start with being willing to get pucks in and behind their players and then going and getting those and making them turn. So the transition game will be key.

The team was practicing zone entries; is that an emphasis?

Yeah, zone entries has been a little bit of our focus the last bit, just improving those and deciding times when we can enter with numbers and take advantage of that entry versus realizing that they have good defensive zone structure and we need to get it in behind them.

So just making that read, but you look at their core on Minnesota, they have a pretty solid D core. We're going to have to be able to read that when we have an opportunity to get pucks behind them or when we can take advantage of their gaps.

It’s not about revenge, but the experience from last year is very helpful.

Yeah. Last year was a huge learning experience. We had never played a five-game series before. I think the most any of us had ever really played was maybe like a three-game series.

We came out of the gates hot and then you see how quickly the momentum can shift and next thing you know you're fighting game five and it can go either way. So I think the group just understands the dynamics of how a series can work. And when you play the same opponent consistently, how adjustments can be made and how you need to be capable of also making adjustments on your end with the way the game changes.

So yeah, obviously it's in the back of our mind. There's a lot of players that experienced that last year, but we also have a lot of new players who this is their first time in this situation. So just onboarding them and using kind of our experiences from last year.

You make adjustments during a series and after games, but even in-game, does that become important?

Yeah, the best teams can make in-game adjustments. The best teams can make adjustments in periods, during periods, right? So not waiting till the period's done, but noticing something and making the change. So you have to be a really adaptable team in the playoffs because those are the ones that usually are able to capitalize the most.

We have the group to do it. I think some of our focus this year has been to be adaptable and to be smart with our structure and our systems. So we have the group that that can do it.

You have had an outstanding year, and we talked a little bit about how Troy Ryan has helped you make some adjustments to shoot more. From the mental side of things, has there been a message or self-talk change, even a mantra or anything that you've added?

Yeah, I feel like it started a little bit at the end of last year, actually, at the World Championship last year, it was in our preliminary game against the U.S. in Utica. We went to overtime and I didn't start overtime, but I got my first shift and I remember sitting on the bench before I went out and I was like, ‘Why not me?’

Like, why not me? What's holding me back to just going out there and play my game? What's there to fear? And I had probably some plays in OT that typically I'd be too fearful to make. And they were good plays and it gave me confidence. And then I think I just rolled with that from that moment on, just literally being like, why not?

Why not me? Asking myself that question all the time and, what is there to lose? It's a game, it’s hockey. Yeah, there's a lot at stake and playing in gold medal games or in playoff series like this, there's a lot at stake. But if you don't put everything towards it, you'll have regrets.

So just trying to play with literally, coming out of the game, like I gave 100% effort and that's all I can ask for. So I think it's just allowed me to have a free mind and willing to take a little bit more chances.

So, just that little extra, like if you make a mistake, it's okay. But better that you try, right?

Yeah, I've literally been like, well, if I make a mistake it would motivate me more to have a better play the next time. I think even in the gold medal game this past year in Czech, on one of the goals against, I didn't love my play on it. But I came back to the bench and I was like, now go make a good play. Just kind of flipping the script a little bit and realizing that hockey is a game of mistakes.

And so physically, you've got incredible athleticism to start with, but have you changed anything or made any adjustments this season?

No, I don't think so. I honestly think I'm just at an age where I've put in years and years of work on my strength and conditioning, my habits, the way I eat, the way I recover. And I think my mind is just finally putting it all together. I feel like I'm reading plays a lot better. It just feels like all the work I've been putting in for years is finally – all of those different buckets are filled and I'm seeing the results from it.

So it's it's just been years of it. And it's been rewarding to see it come together and just giving me more confidence.

And then the other stat that you're probably aware of is the penalty minutes, you've got that edge, but I think that comes from your competitiveness, obviously. You're more competitive than maybe people realize and that's really showing up this season.

Just yeah, I mean, I'm not happy with my penalty minutes, but I realize, yeah, I do play a game on the edge, and I'm very aware of that. And It's a fine line. You have to read the refs every night. And like, I know I'm going to go to the box sometimes just with the way I play, but yeah, the intention is always just to play a hard game and to make the opponent feel like they don't have as much space, but also hopefully motivate my teammates to play that hard game as well.

So yeah, I'm ultra competitive and every night I want to win and I want our team to have success and sometimes, you go a little too far and get sent to the box.

It shows how invested you are and how much you care. Has that added to your fierceness during the game this year?

Yeah, I think I am playing at my best when I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. So it's like I said, finding that balance. But at the end of the day, I have respect for every player in this league. And when we do have those battles and those tussles, I know they're just as competitive as I am. So it's all a lot of just wanting to win for your team and doing the best that you can. But yeah, I do know that my game's at my best when I have a chip on my shoulder, but it's just managing it so I’m not in the box.