Meet the Toronto Sceptres' 2025 Training Camp Invites

Heading into training camp, the PWHL's Toronto Sceptres already have a relatively complete roster, with just a few open spots for unsigned or invited players. Twenty-eight players will report to camp beginning on Friday, Nov. 7, with National Team players reporting two days later on Sunday, Nov. 9, following the end of the international break. The Sceptres begin on-ice practices Nov. 11.

For Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury, bringing in a small group has its purpose.

"We have been very intentional with our training camp roster this year, with such a short time together," Kingsbury said in a press release. "Keeping the roster on the smaller side will allow the players more visibility, and the staff will be able to make better informed decisions. This is a great group of athletes; we know it will be a competitive period to foster a team built for success."

The Sceptres are projected to have four invited players at training camp, in addition to four unsigned draft picks and one unsigned free agent.

Forwards 

Kristin Della Rovere

The 24-year-old Caledon, Ont., native is looking to return to North America after spending last season playing in Italy. Della Rovere signed with Bolzano and obtained Italian citizenship as part of a longer-term goal to represent Italy in the 2026 Olympics. Last season, she helped the national team to the IIHF Women's Division 1B World Championship, with seven points in five games. Italy earned promotion to Division 1A as a result. In 20 EWHL games, Della Rovere recorded 22 goals and added 26 assists for 48 points. She also has prior PWHL experience after spending the 2023–24 season with Ottawa (1–0–1 in 9 games).

Sara Hjalmarsson

Hjalmarsson, another invite with pro experience, is looking to secure a roster spot in the PWHL after several seasons in the SDHL. A long-time member of the Swedish national program, the 27-year-old is well-known on the international stage. She's represented Sweden at all levels—Olympics, Worlds, and U18s—and was named one of the team's top three players at this year's Worlds. The Sceptres drafted Hjalmarsson with the 35th overall pick (fifth round) earlier this summer. A former captain of Linköping, Hjalmarsson recorded 64 points in 67 games over the last two seasons with the club. She's also put up 10 points (3–7–10) in 14 games this season to date with the SDHL team. Will she have the chance to exercise the PWHL out clause on her SDHL contract?

Lauren Messier

Messier, a 22-year-old native of Burlington, Ontario, hopes to kick off her pro career following four seasons at Dartmouth. Messier put up 48 points (23–25–48) in 117 games at Dartmouth. She may not be outstandingly known for her offense, but she is a proven leader and a steady presence on the ice, having played in every game for the Big Green over her four seasons. She was named a co-captain as a junior and continued to serve as a captain in her final season. Earlier this year, she won the Agnes B. Kurtz Award for proficiency in athletics and dedication to furthering women's sports, presented annually by the college.

Anneke Linser Rankila

Rankila is another player with PWHL experience who will be attending Sceptres camp, having skated in three games with the team last season. She went unsigned in free agency this summer after not really getting much of a chance to show her skills last season, but has at least earned a camp invite. The 25-year-old definitely has offensive potential, as shown by the fact that she scored 31 points in 36 games during the 2023–24 SDHL season. She also averaged 0.56 points/game in the NCAA, but at this point, it's a question of if there's a spot open for her and just how much of an opportunity she'll have.

Clara Van Wieren

Van Wieren is another unsigned pick, having been selected by the Sceptres with their third-round, 23rd-overall spot. Kingsbury noted Van Wieren's leadership as one of her key assets, also pointing out her size and her responsibility on the ice. The 23-year-old spent five seasons at Minnesota-Duluth, captaining the team in her final year and leading the team with 40 points in 39 games. Through her NCAA career, she registered 125 points (55–70–125) in 174 games. She was twice named the WCHA's outstanding student athlete of the year, and previously won two medals with Team USA at U18s.

Kiara Zanon

Another unsigned draft pick, Zanon is the highest-selected of the bunch. The Sceptres picked her up with the 16th overall selection in round two earlier this summer. After the draft, Kingsbury had a lot of great things to say about the 23-year-old, calling her "dynamic, offensive, and smart, with a high IQ." Zanon finished her collegiate career ranked third among active NCAA players in career assists and fourth in career points, having spent three seasons at Penn State and two at Ohio State. The numbers don't lie: she is an offensive powerhouse, having put up 191 points (75–116–191) in 171 NCAA games. Can her success continue at the pro level?

Defense

Hanna Baskin

The lone defensive invite comes into camp off four seasons at Minnesota-Duluth. Baskin was the youngest of Toronto's draft picks this summer after being selected 43rd overall (sixth round). She's not particularly known for her offense—she had 55 points in 144 NCAA games—but on the flip side, her offense did improve year over year. She's been noted for her shot and ability to find space on the ice. The 22-year-old has also held numerous leadership roles on previous teams, including as an alternate captain in her senior season with the Bulldogs, and was UMD's breakthrough player of the year in her junior season.

Goaltenders

Sarah Coe

Coe, an Ajax, Ont., native, heads into Sceptres' camp on the heels of her fourth season at RIT. Her numbers over four years were not great, though the 2.32 GAA and .923 save percentage she put up through 26 games last season were the best of her collegiate career. Through four years with the Tigers, the team's record with Coe in net was 18–63–8, while she averaged a 3.22 GAA and .908 save percentage.

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Jessie McPherson

McPherson, a 22-year-old native of Chatham, Ont., is coming off five seasons of college hockey and looking to hit the pros. She spent four seasons at Vermont before spending her final season as a graduate transfer at Minnesota State. After playing in just seven games in her freshman season, McPherson really took over the crease for the rest of her time with the Catamounts. She appeared in all but two games in her junior year and played in 26 of 35 as a senior. Her time at Minnesota State wasn't quite as good—she wasn't the starter and put up a 3.06 GAA and .895 save percentage—but overall, she was excellent at the NCAA level. Across 105 games, she went 54–34–10 with a 2.06 GAA and .914 save percentage. Last month, McPherson was named to the inaugural roster for the Ridgetown Royals of the American Premier Hockey League, becoming one of the first women to play in the senior league.

As of writing, the Sceptres have 19 players signed for the upcoming season. Teams can include a maximum of 23 active players on their final roster, along with up to three reserve players. For Toronto, there's definitely the potential that several of these camp invites or unsigned draft picks find themselves on the roster or in the reserve squad, if they can have a strong showing at camp.