Fleet’s Zoe Boyd out day-to-day with lower-body injury

An untimely injury to start the new season.

On Sunday, the Boston Fleet announced that defender Zoe Boyd is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. In response, the team has signed blueliner Olivia Zafuto to a 10-day contract to help fill out the team’s roster for the opening day of its season.

The team didn’t explain when or where Boyd was hurt. She did play in the Fleet’s preseason finale against the Montreal Victoire last Monday, but only registered 12:05 of ice time, the lowest of any blueliner for Boston in the 3-2 loss.

Boyd was one of the notable additions to Boston’s roster this past offseason. After spending the first two seasons with the Ottawa Charge, the Caledon East, Ont. native signed a one-year contract to move to New England. She was on a solid blue line that used to feature names like Aneta Tejralova, Ashton Bell and Jincy Roese. All of which have now gone elsewhere this offseason.

The 24-year-old might not have had the biggest numbers in terms of offense in the nation’s capital, but here ability to be a shutdown asset, playing second- and third-pair minutes in Ottawa. Last season, she posted three assists in 23 games, posting a plus/minus of +2 while averaging close to 15 minutes of ice time per game. She didn’t score a point in the postseason, but was an important piece in helping the Charge make it to the PWHL Final, ultimately losing to the Minnesota Frost in a thrilling four-game series.

In 47 games in her PWHL career, both regular-season and playoffs, Boyd has posted six assists, with a -2 rating.

Zafuto started the 2024-25 season on Boston’s reserve list and was slated to do the same this year. Yet, she will appear in the team’s opening game on Sunday against the Montreal Victoire. She was initially taken by New York in the 12th round of the inaugural PWHL Draft. She played 13 games for NY in the team’s first season, posting an assist. The 28-year-old didn’t see any action last season.

Per her short-term deal, Zafuto could be in the lineup for the Fleet’s first two games of the season, including next Saturday when they visit the Toronto Sceptres.

The Fleet will meet the Victoire at the Tsongas Center in Lowell at 1 p.m. ET.