After brief stints with PHF's Whale and PWHL Montreal, Poulin-Labelle arrives in Toronto

Maude Poulin-Labelle's arrival in Toronto marks the steadying of an up-and-down 2023 for the 24-year-old.

After finishing a five-year NCAA career at Vermont and Northeastern, Poulin-Labelle signed a one-year, $69,000 contract with the PHF's Connecticut Whale in May. The pact was voided just over a month later when the Mark Walter Group acquired the league as part of the creation of the PWHL.

Then, in September, Poulin-Labelle was drafted by Montreal in the 10th round, 55th overall in the first-ever PWHL draft, only to be cut from the main roster at the end of the preseason in early December.

The result of a chaotic few months is a spot in Toronto and a joke among Poulin-Labelle's family: that Maude's been on three professional teams but still has yet to play a pro game.

"I'm really someone flexible and I don't wanna stress about things," Poulin-Labelle said. "So obviously, it's been a lot, but in a way, I really feel like Toronto's the right place for me with what (general manager) Gina (Kingsbury) told me about the organization. I feel I'm all set and this is where I needed to be, so that's where life brought me."

The decision to bring Poulin-Labelle to Toronto wasn't an easy one, for the player or for the team.

Kingsbury contacted Poulin-Labelle on Friday after roster cuts were circulated internally within the PWHL. Toronto's GM asked about Poulin-Labelle the person, not the hockey player, to better know who she would be bringing into the team.

As the end of the waiver window neared, Kingsbury offered Poulin-Labelle a roster spot on Sunday morning after mulling the decision over the weekend.

The offer from Kingsbury was the only one that came, which left the Sherbrooke, Quebec native with two options come Sunday: remain close to home but as a reserve player with Montreal, or make a bittersweet move away from family to Toronto and sign a contract.

Of course, she chose the latter.

"Taking a new player in in this league means putting a player out, so it's something to take seriously," Poulin-Labelle said. "I like that (Kingsbury) took it really seriously as well. Like it shows me that she cares about every player, she cares about the team culture."

Poulin-Labelle noted she didn't come to Toronto just because they had an open roster spot. Rather, she wanted to join the team after hearing Kingsbury describe the program, culture, and players.

"From the call, I just went from, 'okay, I'm just going to listen', cause I'm a reserve player, to now like 'wow, if I could, I would choose Toronto as well," she said. "So that was important to me, to want to go (to Toronto), and not just 'there's a spot, I'll go there.'"

She added: "What comes first for me and my family is hockey and to be in a place where we see me getting better and improving. I think with how the outcome went, it is Toronto, and I'm really excited for that."

Poulin-Labelle's arrival in Toronto also provides her an opportunity to learn from four defenders with Olympic experience: Jocelyne Larocque, Kali Flanagan, Lauriane Rougeau, and Renata Fast, whom Poulin-Labelle admittedly admires.

"Renata Fast is someone I really looked up to, and I like the way she plays. When we were in Utica, I was like 'Oh, she's so good.' And now I'm here on the same team."

Poulin-Labelle said she got to Toronto Tuesday night and met her new teammates on Wednesday before practice. Her first reps alongside Fast and with head coach Troy Ryan won't come until next week, however, after the Rivalry Series slate in Kitchener and Sarnia.