Nine players from the Toronto Sceptres represented their respective countries at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Each of them, plus coach Troy Ryan – also the coach of Team Canada – reflected about their experiences in a Thursday media availability:
Kristin Della Rovere, Italy – on playing with Team Canada alumna Laura Fortino:
It was incredible. I think having a player with so much experience, especially at that Olympic level was really important for our team. She was the only player who has been in the Olympics before, and being in those high-stress situations was really big for me. She’s a player that I grew up watching, and I remember back in 2014 watching her in my eighth-grade classroom on the big screen with Team Canada. She’s always a player that I’ve looked up to, and to have her on my team, and to learn from her, and to hear from experiences, and just have her in my corner was really special.
Sara Hjalmarsson, Sweden – on losing the bronze medal game to Switzerland:
I don’t think people had too many expectations of our team going into the tournament, but I know for us, for our team and for our staff, we really thought we had the group for it. Getting through that quarter-final was a big hurdle for us. It was really nice to get through and win against Czechia. We knew we could do it, it’s just a matter of putting it together. Looking back at it, I think we’ll be happy with that, because we haven’t done that in a bunch of years now, but at the end I think medalling was our goal. You always want to win the last game
Anna Kjellbin, Sweden – on learning from the Olympic experience and preparing for the rest of the PWHL season:
We do know what situation we’re in, and I think coming from the Olympics, hopefully, brought good confidence for us all. So that will be something that we’ll definitely bring to the team and continue from there.
Emma Maltais, Canada – on how to turn the silver medal result into something positive:
It’s no secret, if you’re a hockey player you want to win a gold medal. I think that’s okay to realize and be honest about. But I think our performance in the gold medal game was the best, honestly, we could have done, and the best we performed. I think, it’s just the game of hockey, sometimes it doesn’t go your way. I’m personally looking at the whole Olympics as a learning experience, some more wisdom to put under our belts. We’re all fairly young players that have been to at least one Olympic Games. So that’s a lot for our professional careers, and that’s some really cool experience that we can bring to the PWHL.
Renata Fast, Canada – (same reflections as Maltais):
We’re obviously disappointed with not bringing back gold. I think in reflection, we’re all very proud of that last game that we had. When you come back, and get back around the Sceptres teammates who’ve been working hard while we’ve been gone, I think there was a little bit of excitement to see all those teammates again and to be reunited with them. Now it’s focusing on the Sceptres and this back half of the season.
Ella Shelton, Canada – comparing the 2022 CoVid Olympics in Beijing to the 2026 Winter Games
Just having people in the stands and familiar faces, and having that outside world be a part of our world while you’re still in this bubble, per se, of a village (in 2022.) I think it’s hard to compare the two Olympics, just because it’s just so different on so many levels.
Daryl Watts, Canada – on her first Olympic experience:
The village was a super cool experience, just to be with all the other athletes from so many different countries. And the opening ceremonies were incredibly cool.
Natalie Spooner, Canada – on preparing for the Sceptres west coast road trip so quickly after returning from Italy:
It’s definitely a bit of an adjustment, but I think we’re just gonna have to do it quickly and be ready to go. I think the good thing was, when we were in Milan, we were a bit on a different schedule anyway, staying up late. So we were kind of on Toronto time, so it might not be as big of an adjustment as most people think.
Blayre Turnbull, Canada – on the ‘outside noise’ regarding coach Troy Ryan:
A lot of people on the outside who were making comments about our team and our potential and the coaching strategy and the roster management — those people don’t have any clue what happens within our locker room or what happens on the bench. I think it was great to see our team stay together and stay connected throughout the Olympics. I think it would have been telling if we had gone our separate ways or if we lost people throughout the journey and we didn’t. In fact, the opposite happened where it brought us together even closer. It helped us bond and really instilled the underdog mentality that I think we needed heading into the gold medal game.
Troy Ryan, Canada – on his future with the national program:
A lot of those finer details within those decisions I think still need to be worked out. Succession planning is always an important thing within national team programs, and I can only speak for my part in it. I would definitely encourage some succession planning in which ultimately I would want to help. I mean the program that has been so good to me and I think I have been good for that program as well, you want to be a part in helping them transition and move forward in the direction that is best for the program but also best for the individual players within it as well.
The Sceptres’ next two games are in Seattle and Vancouver, on Friday and Sunday respectively.
