Daryl Watts (born May 15, 1999) is a Canadian ice hockey forward for PWHL Detroit of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a member of the Canada women's national ice 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 (three First Team selections), she was 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 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 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 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.

During the league's expansion to 12 teams ahead of the 2026–27 season, Watts was left unprotected by the Sceptres and accepted an Expansion Foundational Offer (EFO) with PWHL Detroit on June 5, 2026. She became the first player signed by the team, and the first player in PWHL history to sign a four-year contract.

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.

On February 7, 2026, Watts was one of six Canadian skaters making their Olympic debut as Canada played Switzerland. Defeating Switzerland in a 4-0 final, Watts contributed a multi point effort, recording a goal and assisting on a goal by Sarah Fillier.

In the final game of preliminary round play of Group A, Watts recorded a goal as Canada beat Finland by a 5-0 mark.

In the 2026 Olympic quarterfinals against Germany, Watts had a goal and assist in the match, a 5-1 win. In the match, she assisted on the goal scored by Marie-Philip Poulin, tying Hayley Wickenheiser for most Olympic goals all-time with 18.

In the semifinals of the 2026 Olympics, Watts assisted on a goal by Marie-Philip Poulin in a 2-1 win. Said goal was the 20th of Poulin's Olympic career, setting a scoring record.

Team Canada and Watts took home the silver medal with a loss to long time rival the United States.Watts finished as Canada’s highest scorer with 8 points in 7 games, including 2 goals.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2013–14 Toronto Jr. Aeros Prov. WHL 1 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 1 0 2014–15 Toronto Jr. Aeros Prov. WHL 37 28 20 48 6 13 6 6 12 0 2015–16 Mississauga Jr. Chiefs Prov. WHL 34 30 35 65 24 11 4 7 11 2 2016–17 Mississauga Jr. Chiefs Prov. WHL 31 37 15 52 22 13 14 3 17 8 2017–18 Boston College Eagles WHEA 38 42 40 82 34 — — — — — 2018–19 Boston College Eagles WHEA 39 22 26 48 20 — — — — — 2019–20 Wisconsin Badgers WCHA 36 25 49 74 4 — — — — — 2020–21 Wisconsin Badgers WCHA 21 19 17 36 0 — — — — — 2021–22 Wisconsin Badgers WCHA 38 28 29 57 12 — — — — — 2022–23 Toronto Six PHF 12 3 4 7 6 4 0 1 1 0 2023–24 PWHL Ottawa PWHL 24 10 7 17 8 — — — — — 2024–25 Toronto Sceptres PWHL 30 12 15 27 12 4 1 1 2 2 2025–26 Toronto Sceptres PWHL 27 10 9 19 4 — — — — — PHF totals 12 3 4 7 6 4 0 1 1 0 PWHL totals 81 32 31 63 24 4 1 1 2 2

Hockey Canada Year Event GP G A Pts PIM2016 National Women's U18 Championships 54 4 8 02017 IIHF U18 World Championships 52 1 3 42026Milano Cortina Olympics72682

Awards and honours 2018 Boston College Athletics Female Rookie of the Year Award 2018 Cammi Granato Award, awarded to Women's Hockey East Player of the Year 2018 Hockey East Rookie of the Year 2018 Women's Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Year 2017–18 First Team Hockey East 2018 Patty Kazmaier Award CCM/AHCA 2018–19 Second Team All-American CCM/AHCA 2019–20 Second Team All-American 2019–20 NCAA scoring champion (74 points) 2019–20 Wisconsin Badgers Offensive Player of the Year honors: (tied with Abby Roque). 2020–21 NCAA leader: points per game (1.79) 2020–21 NCAA leader: goals per game (0.89) 2020–21 NCAA leader (tied): goals (17) 2020–21 WCHA leader: game-winning goals (4) 2020–21 WCHA Player of the Year 2021 University of Wisconsin Female Athlete of the Year Top-three Finalist: 2021 Patty Kazmaier Award CCM/AHCA 2020–21 First Team All-American 2020–21 All-USCHO.com First Team 2024–25: PWHL Second All-Star Team 2026 Olympic Silver Medal

References

External links

Daryl Watts at Hockey Canada

Daryl Watts at Milano Cortina 2026