Nov 30, 2024; Toronto, ON, CANADA; Toronto Sceptres defender Renata Fast (14) plays a pass against the Boston Fleet in the third period at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn
Nov 30, 2024; Toronto, ON, CANADA; Toronto Sceptres defender Renata Fast (14) plays a pass against the Boston Fleet in the third period at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn
Renata Fast is not going away from Toronto after deciding to pick them over Hamilton in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). The Toronto Sceptres announced on Wednesday, June 3, that she has re-signed with them on a three-year contract through the 2028-29 season.
She is now one of the three protected players of Toronto as part of the Expansion Roster Distribution Process in the build-up to the 2026-27 season of the PWHL.
Ian Kennedy, The Hockey News—Women's editor, took to X to share some details surrounding the Standard Player Agreement reached between Fast and Sceptres.
“The Toronto Sceptres have escaped one issue by signing and protecting Renata Fast. Fast had been tied to negotiations with Hamilton, but ultimately chose to stay in Toronto,” Kennedy wrote in his post.
Fast, 31, called it “kind of a fun experience” to go through the process of being courted by Hamilton after her decision was announced to the world. Hamilton is one of the four new teams included in the PWHL’s expansion alongside Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Jose.
“I knew where my heart was the entire time going through the process. I feel that I have invested so much into Toronto and feel so strongly about the organization being here from Day 1. I knew it was at the top of my list,” she explained her decision to choose the Sceptres, as per the Toronto Sun.
The Canadian defender also addressed speculation about her PWHL status among fans on social media.
“I didn’t really take calls with many other teams despite the rumors spiraling online,” Fast remarked while laughing. “Obviously, with there being interest, I thought about it, but I couldn’t imagine being anywhere but Toronto.”
The three-year contract between Fast and Sceptres is reportedly worth an average of $114,000.
Renata Fast’s PWHL career with Toronto Sceptres
Prior to the PWHL’s inaugural season in 2024, Renata Fast was signed as one of three foundational players by the Toronto Sceptres alongside captain Blayre Turnbull and Sarah Nurse. Over the last two-and-a-half years, she has become an institution at the franchise after they made the Walter Cup Playoffs twice in a row.
The Sceptres finished top on the points table in the inaugural season before securing second place in the 2024-25 season.
Fast became the 2024-25 PWHL Defender of the Year after becoming a joint leader in scoring among the defenders with 22 points (6G / 16A) in 30 games. She also became the first defender to be voted among the finalists for the PWHL Billie Jean King MVP Award.
The Burlington, Ontario native is the second defender to reach 45 points (10G / 35A) in PWHL history after playing her 80 regular season games. In the recently concluded 2025-26 season, she wasn’t quite at her best, finishing up with 10 points (1G / 9A) in 26 games.
Toronto also missed out on the playoffs after finishing fifth in the eight-team league last season, set to expand to 12 teams.
Moreover, Fast became an Olympic gold medalist in ice hockey competition with Canada at Beijing 2022 while also winning the world title three times.
Will Renata Fast continue on her path of success with the Toronto Sceptres in the PWHL? Let us know in the comments.
Written by
Arjun Sharma
Edited by
Ankita Yadav