PWHL Toronto’s Natalie Spooner named IIHF Female Player of the Year

PWHL Toronto’s Natalie Spooner is going to have to buy a larger trophy case.

The star Canadian forward was named the IIHF’s Female Player of the Year Tuesday, receiving over 33 per cent of the vote from nearly 100 media members from the top 16 nations of the Women’s World Championship program.

Spooner led Canada to a gold medal with a goal and four points at the Women’s Worlds and was named the PWHL’s inaugural Billie Jean King MVP with Toronto after leading the league with 20 goals and 27 points.

The 33-year-old ran away with the voting. PWHL New York’s and American forward Alex Carpenter finished second with 14.6 per cent of the votes and PWHL Montreal’s and Canadian star Marie-Philip Poulin came in third with 11.5 per cent.

Others to receive votes were Alina Muller, Jenni Hiirikoski, Sandra Abstreiter, Aija Balode, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Taylor Heise, Klara Peslarova and Susanna Tapani.

Unfortunately, PWHL Toronto is preparing to begin next season without Spooner, as she underwent knee surgery in early June.

This is the second year that the IIHF has given out the award, with American forward Hilary Knight earning the honour in 2023. The Female Player of the Year is intended for a player who excelled at both the IIHF level and in the highest calibre of domestic league in their country.

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