TORONTO (June 17, 2025) – The Toronto Sceptres have come to terms with goaltender Elaine Chuli and forward Claire Dalton on one-year Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Standard Player Agreements, the team announced today. Both players are signed through the 2025-26 PWHL season.
“Elaine brings consistency to our team. A proven goalie in the league, she brings a lot of traits we value both on and off the ice. We are also excited to have signed Claire Dalton, who brings size, a great shot and a high ceiling,” said General Manager Gina Kingsbury. “We believe these two athletes will excel in our market, and we are excited to have them in Sceptres jerseys.”
From Waterford, ON, Chuli has spent the past two seasons as a member of the Montréal Victoire after being selected 78th overall by the team in the inaugural PWHL Draft. This past campaign, the 31-year-old appeared in 11 games with 10 starts for a record of 2-2-1-6 and a .910 save percentage. Previously, Chuli backstopped the Toronto Six of the PHF to an Isobel Cup in 2022-23 and was named PHF Goaltender of the Year in 2021-22. She also competed professionally with the Vanke Rays (CWHL, 2017-18), Toronto Furies (CWHL, 2018-19), and PWHPA (2019-20) before joining the Six in 2020. Her collegiate years were spent at the University of Connecticut (2012-16) where she set multiple program records.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be coming home to Toronto and joining the Sceptres for next season. It means a lot to me to be back close to home and have the chance to play in front of such a passionate fan base,” Chuli said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent this city and this organization, and I’m ready to compete to bring a championship back to Toronto.”
Dalton, who hails from Toronto, was selected by Montréal as the 67th pick in the inaugural PWHL Draft. The past two seasons, she has matched her offensive production with nine points: 3-6—9 in 30 games played in 2024-25, and 5-4—9 in 20 games played in 2024. Joining the PWHL straight from the NCAA, the 25-year-old attended Yale University where she was captain in her final season. Dalton ended her collegiate career with 133 points in 130 games for an average of 1.02 points-per-game and set the program record for assists with 89.
“I am really excited for the opportunity to be a Toronto Sceptre! I’m looking forward to coming home and playing in front of friends and family,” said Dalton. “I’ve admired the competitiveness and style of play Toronto has demonstrated these past two seasons and hope to contribute positively to an already great group.”
Chuli and Dalton are the first two players to sign with the Sceptres this offseason and join nine returnees already under contract including forwards Emma Maltais, Blayre Turnbull, Daryl Watts and Emma Woods; defenders Renata Fast, Savannah Harmon and Allie Munroe; goaltenders Kristen Campbell and Raygan Kirk.
This week marked the first opportunity, following the Expansion Draft, for teams to sign players on expiring contracts. The Sceptres will also continue adding to its roster with six picks in the 2025 PWHL Draft, including the third overall selection. The 2025 PWHL Draft presented by Upper Deck will take place on Tuesday, June 24 at 7 p.m. ET, with the first three rounds broadcast live on TSN and in its entirety on TSN+ and on the league’s YouTube channel.
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