Sceptres’ Daryl Watts out day-to-day with upper-body injury

A notable injury this early in the season for the Toronto Sceptres.

On Saturday, the team announced that forward Daryl Watts is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury. In repsonse, the Sceptres have signed forward Lauren Messier to a 10-day contract.

With the short-term deal, Messier is eligible to be in the lineup for Toronto’s next three games, and is expected to dress in the team’s home opener against the Boston Fleet on Saturday.

Watts was banged up in the team’s first game of the season against the defending Walter Cup champion Minnesota Frost, a rematch from the past two semifinals. In the opening minute of the third period, Watts was checked into the boards by Frost’s rookie Abby Hustler, leaving Watts in a great bit of pain. The Toronto native laid on the ice for a couple of minutes before skating off the ice under her own power. However, she went straight down the tunnel to the Sceptres’ dressing room and didn’t return.

Toronto managed to hang on for a 2-1 win. Watts finished with a plus/minus of +1, blocking a shot in 15:50 of ice time.

It isn’t the most ideal start for the 26-year-old. After signing a big contract to come home, Watts led the Sceptres with 27 points during the 2024-25 campaign, posting 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points. She also scored a goal and an assist in the team’s four-game series against Minnesota.

In 59 PWHL games, both regular-season and postseason, the 2018 Patty Kazmaier Award winner has scored 23 goals and 23 assists for 46 points.

Messier will be making her PWHL debut against the Fleet. She was invited to Toronto’s training camp and made the team’s reserve list at the start of the season. She enters the pro ranks after playing four years at Dartmouth College, where she scored 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 points in 117 games.

The Sceptres (1-0-0-0) are set to drop the puck against the Fleet a little after 2 p.m. ET.