Latest news with #GinaKingsbury
National Post
27-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Toronto Sceptres draft night trade brings Ella Shelton back to plenty of familiarity
The newest veteran defender on the Toronto Sceptres looked down at the colours and crest on the jersey she was wearing and wondered aloud how long it was going to take to get used to them. Article content But the colours are going to be the only uncomfortable thing for Ella Shelton as she makes the move from the New York Sirens to the Sceptres. Article content Article content Shelton, 27, was acquired on draft night for the Sceptres third-overall pick and their third-rounder, 27 th overall. Article content It brings the Ingersoll native back to some familiar company in national team GM Gina Kingsbury, head coach Troy Ryan and players like Renata Fast, Blayre Turnbull, Emma Maltais and Natalie Spooner, who Shelton has shared plenty of days and nights with during the international portion of her career. Three world championship gold medals and an Olympic gold medal are just some of the spoils from playing with that group. Article content On top of that familiarity, she's now just a two-hour drive from the family farm, is back living in the same city with one of her brothers and has an extensive family support system throughout the area from Toronto all the way back to the family home in Ingersoll. Article content Article content Shelton learned of the deal just before Cassie Campbell took to the stage at the brand new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on the outskirts of Ottawa early on draft night and drew gasps from the crowd with the news that Shelton had just become a member of the Sceptres. Article content The gasps may have also been about New York earning the right to claim the top two forwards in the draft after adding Patty Kazmaier winner Casey O'Brien with the third pick after selecting the imposing Kristyna Kaltounkova with the night's first pick. Article content Article content All Shelton needed to see was the joy in the faces of the veteran Sceptres in the crowd as the cameras panned to them to know she was going to be very happy with the deal. Article content Article content 'I think it's really exciting to be back home,' Shelton said Friday while surrounded by microphones and cameras in the Sceptres locker room. 'I wouldn't trade my two years in New York for anything. I think they have done a lot for me there, too, but I'm excited for a new opportunity and a new space and see what I can do for Toronto.' Article content In joining Toronto, Shelton becomes a teammate of the player she most models her game after in Fast, the newly minted PWHL defender of the year. Article content 'I can't say enough good things about Renata Fast,' Shelton said. 'She is one that took me under her wing when I graduated from college. She was one I could reach out to and ask any question and I didn't feel out of place. And then just seeing her work ethic over the past couple of years has just been tremendous and very motivational for myself.
National Post
25-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
A banner day at PWHL entry draft resets Toronto Sceptres roster
There is a pillow calling Gina Kingsbury's name following today's PWHL Awards ceremony and she can't wait to accept the invitation. Article content Like all the various decision-makers in the PWHL, the Sceptres GM has been burning the midnight oil for weeks now as the league went through the business of adding two expansion teams into the league on equal footing while still doing the work necessary to prepare for a six-round entry draft. Article content Article content Kingsbury and her staff arrived in Ottawa needing to fill some big holes in their lineup, solve an overcrowded goaltending situation and basically get the organization back on solid footing after enduring the roller-coaster ride that was the expansion process. Article content Kingsbury should sleep well in the coming days because it appears she has addressed all of those needs. Article content It began with a move that will likely not get the attention it deserves given how divided the attention of the league's followers was on draft night with all the new faces coming into the league. Article content Article content While teams were stockpiling potential in the young college stars or in some cases veteran international talents, Kingsbury and the Sceptres dealt away their first pick, third overall, to acquire 27-year-old defender Ella Shelton from New York. Article content Shelton has long been a favourite of both Kingsbury and Sceptres coach Troy Ryan, who have seen her talent up close for years as a member of the Canadian national team. Article content Article content But the Ingersoll native, who always has seemed like a natural fit in Toronto, wound up in New York in the inaugural draft and thrived in the Big Apple even as the Sirens themselves struggled to find consistency. Article content Article content Shelton easily is among the top five defenders in the league and joins another in that group in Toronto with Renata Fast, giving Ryan and his coaching staff a pair of defenders capable of doing whatever the team needs most at any given moment in a game. Article content In a league that is morphing more and more to a win-now mode given the roster upheaval expansion brings — and don't kid yourself, more is coming, next year if not the one after that — getting a league-proven star at the very top of her game is good business. Article content 'Bringing Ella to Toronto is something we are really excited about,' Kingsbury began in her post-draft interview. 'We have always wanted Ella Shelton in Toronto. I think anyone would want Ella Shelton in their lineup. Article content 'Once we saw (Sirens GM Pascal Daoust) was having more and more signings on the defensive side, we thought he would be more willing to let go one of his (more accomplished) defenders,' Kingsbury said. 'So, we started to have conversations about what that would look like and eventually came to an agreement.'
Reuters
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Sceptres sign F Clair DeGeorge to one-year contract
June 24 - The Toronto Sceptres have agreed to terms with forward Clair DeGeorge for the 2025-26 season, the PWHL team announced Monday. The 26-year-old free agent from Alaska played for the Montreal Victoire in 2024-25 and recorded two assists in 26 regular-season games. With Minnesota in the inaugural PWHL season in 2023-24, she had one assist in 23 games in the regular season and appeared in all 10 playoff games for the Walter Cup champions. "We are excited to welcome Clair to our organization," Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury said. "Clair is a 200-foot center that is defensively responsible with some offensive upside. She will bring PWHL experience to our lineup including being a Walter Cup champion." At Ohio State, DeGeorge scored the winning goal in double-overtime that sent Ohio State to the 2022 Frozen Four. She added a goal and an assist in the final to secure the Buckeyes' first national championship. "In becoming a Sceptre, I am excited for the opportunity to develop as a player and experience the electrifying support from Toronto's fans," DeGeorge said. "I hope to bring not only my love for the game and support for teammates, but to bring my size, speed, and vision on the ice." --Field Level Media
CTV News
23-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
PWHL's Toronto Sceptres sign forward Clair DeGeorge to one-year contract
Montreal Victoire's Clair DeGeorge (26) moves in on Boston Fleet goaltender Aerin Frankel during first period PWHL hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, March 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes TORONTO — The Toronto Sceptres have signed forward Clair DeGeorge on a one-year contract, the Professional Women's Hockey League team announced Monday. The 26-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, had two assists in 26 games with the Montréal Victoire last season. DeGeorge helped the Minnesota Frost win the Walter Cup in the PWHL's inaugural 2024 season. She had one assist in 23 regular-season games and appeared in all 10 of the team's playoff games. DeGeorge is the eighth player to sign with the Sceptres this off-season, along with goaltender Elaine Chuli and forward Claire Dalton, who both played with her last season in Montreal. The move comes a day before the PWHL's 2025 entry draft in Ottawa. 'We are excited to welcome Clair to our organization,' Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury, said in a release. 'Clair is a 200-foot centre that is defensively responsible with some offensive upside. She will bring PWHL experience to our lineup, including being a Walter Cup Champion.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2025.
National Post
23-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Sceptres sign ex-Montreal forward Clair DeGeorge to 1-year contract
The Toronto Sceptres have signed forward Clair DeGeorge on a one-year contract, the Professional Women's Hockey League team announced Monday. Article content The 26-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, had two assists in 26 games with the Montreal Victoire last season. Article content Article content DeGeorge helped the Minnesota Frost win the Walter Cup in the PWHL's inaugural 2024 season. Article content She had one assist in 23 regular-season games and appeared in all 10 of the team's playoff games. Article content DeGeorge is the eighth player to sign with the Sceptres this off-season, along with goaltender Elaine Chuli and forward Claire Dalton, who both played with her last season in Montreal. Article content The move comes a day before the PWHL's 2025 entry draft in Ottawa. Article content 'We are excited to welcome Clair to our organization,' Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury, said in a release. 'Clair is a 200-foot centre that is defensively responsible with some offensive upside. She will bring PWHL experience to our lineup, including being a Walter Cup champion.' Article content
