Natalie Spooner ready to play any role for Canadian hockey team at 4th Olympics

You could hear the emotion in Canadian general manager Gina Kingsbury’s voice as she told Natalie Spooner that she’ll be going to her fourth Olympic Games.

The cameras were rolling when Hockey Canada management delivered good news to the 23 players heading to Italy to try to defend their Olympic women’s hockey gold next month.

“Personally, I’ve witnessed the last few years and everything that you’ve been through and I think you’re exactly what this team needs,” Kingsbury told the Toronto Sceptres forward. “But certainly in the last years where you’ve had to struggle with a lot of things, injuries, coming back after [the birth of her son] Rory, and we’re really excited to have you on our team.”

Spooner reacted with tears of joy, but also relief. The call was a weight off her shoulders.

It’s been a long road for the 35-year-old from Scarborough, Ont., native to return from a major knee injury that came after an MVP performance in the first season of the PWHL.

Kingsbury and Canadian head coach Troy Ryan have seen those challenges up close. Kingsbury is also the general manager of the Sceptres, and Ryan is the PWHL team’s coach.

It means they've seen all the work she's done behind the scenes to get back to where she is now.

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“Honestly, I can’t picture myself or this group doing it without you,” he told her.

At the end of the call, assistant coach Caroline Ouellette gave Spooner, her former teammate, a piece of advice: play free and be yourself.

“We need that from you,” Ouellette said. “We need you to just go and bring all the strengths that you have. You’ve been in those moments and you’ve always embraced that pressure. We count on you to be you, and it’s going to help our team