Daryl Watts


Daryl Watts is a Canadian ice hockey forward for the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women's Hockey League and a member of Canada’s national women’s hockey team.
Watts finished her NCAA career as the second-highest scorer of all time and remains the
highest-scoring active player to have competed in NCAA women’s hockey. A four-time NCAA
All-American, she is the first freshman ever to win the Patty Kazmaier Award. She also publicly disclosed a US$150,000 salary for the 2023–24
PHF season, which remains the highest publicly disclosed annual salary in professional
women’s hockey. In 2021, she was named University of Wisconsin Female Athlete of the Year.

Playing career

Hockey Canada

Watts was a member of Canada's entry at the 2016 IIHF U18 Women's World Championships in St. Catharine's, Ontario. Her first appearance in a Hockey Canada jersey took place in August 2015 as Canada's National Women's Under-18 Team challenged the United States in a three-game series in Lake Placid, New York.
In the gold medal game of the 2017 IIHF U18 Women's World Championships, contested at PSG Arena in Zlin, Czech Republic, Watts scored a goal for Canada in the third period, their first of the game. Although said goal would tie the game, the US would score twice in the final three minutes, prevailing in a 3–1 final.

College Career

Boston College (Hockey East)

Watts played her first two collegiate seasons at Boston College. During the 2017–18 season, she recorded 42 goals and 40 assists for 82 points in 38 games, leading all of NCAA Division I women’s hockey in scoring. That season, she won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, becoming the first freshman to receive the honour. She was also named NCAA Rookie of the [Julie Chu Women's National Rookie of the Julie Chu Women's National Rookie of the Year Award|Year Award|Year], Hockey East Player of the Year, and Hockey East Rookie of the Year.
Watts returned for the 2018–19 season, recording 48 points in 39 games, before entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Wisconsin (WCHA)

Watts transferred to the University of Wisconsin in 2019. She led the NCAA in scoring during the 2019–20 season and was named WCHA Player of the Year in 2021. That same season, she scored the overtime game-winning goal in the NCAA national championship game.
In recognition of her achievements across all varsity sports, Wisconsin named Watts its Female Athlete of the Year in 2021.

Professional Career

Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)

In January 2023, Watts signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Six of the Premier Hockey Federation. She joined the team late in the 2022–23 season and won the Isobel Cup championship.
Ahead of the following season, Watts publicly disclosed that her 2023–24 salary would be US$150,000, a figure that received widespread North American media coverage and remains the highest publicly disclosed annual salary in professional women’s hockey.

Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL)

Following the dissolution of the PHF, Watts entered the PWHL and was selected by Ottawa in the league’s inaugural draft. After the 2023–24 season, she became a free agent and signed with the Toronto Sceptres.
While with Toronto, Watts emerged as one of the league’s top offensive players, becoming the second player in PWHL history to reach 50 career points. She was named a PWHL Second Team All-Star in 2025.

International play

Watts represented Canada at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship and later earned selection to the senior national team where she won silver in the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship. In January 2026, she was named to Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan.

Awards and honours