Sceptres sign Kristen Simms to three-year contract
The Toronto Sceptres continued their preparations for the 2026-27 PWHL season on Thursday, signing forward Kristen Simms to a three-year contract less than two months before dropping the puck on the fourth season of PWHL play.
The 22-year-old joins the Sceptres officially after the club selected her eighth overall in the first round of the 2026 PWHL Draft, coming off a high-scoring collegiate career with the University of Wisconsin Badgers.
Now in the professional game, she’ll look to ignite Toronto’s offense, which scored a measly 51 goals in 30 games in the 2025-26 campaign, and will take on a new challenge under head coach Pascal Rhéaume, who replaced Troy Ryan midway through the offseason.
The 22-year-old Simms scored 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points in 31 games as a senior with Wisconsin, bringing her collegiate career total to 100 goals and 238 points in 152 games, helping the team win three NCAA titles in the process.
“We’re really excited to have Kirsten commit to Toronto for the next three seasons,” said Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury. “She brings offensive skill and creativity to our lineup, and we believe there’s a lot of upside to her game. Having her here for three years gives us the opportunity to build together, and we’re excited about the impact she can make on our team and in the Toronto market.”
In addition to her college-level success, Simms won an Olympic gold medal with the USA at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, and secured silver medals at the 2025 and 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championships.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know my teammates, learning from the incredible players and leaders in this organization, and doing whatever I can to help our team succeed,” said Simms in the team’s announcement. “I want to bring energy, compete every day, and be someone my teammates can count on. I can’t wait to get started and be part of what we’re building in Toronto.”
The Sceptres are set to open the 2026-27 season on the road on Oct. 6 against the Ottawa Charge, and will lock down their roster after a late-November training camp, which includes preseason contests against the Charge and expansion PWHL Hamilton.