PWHL's Toronto, Ottawa teams lock up top draft picks with training camps on horizon

With less than a week to go before training camps begin, rosters are starting to take shape for teams in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

The PWHL has announced more than 70 signings in the new league, with sights set on beginning play in January.

The biggest signings this week were a pair of first-round picks in Toronto defender Jocelyne Larocque (No. 2 overall) and Ottawa defender Savannah Harmon (No. 5), who both locked in for three years.

Larocque, 35, is one of the most decorated members of Canada's national women's team, with two Olympic gold medals, three world championship gold medals, two NCAA national championships and a Clarkson Cup under her belt.

From Ste. Anne, Man., Larocque was named Manitoba's Indigenous Female Athlete of the Decade in 2021.

The signing reunites Larocque with her national team defensive partner, Renata Fast, giving Toronto arguably the best shutdown defensive pair in the league.

WATCH | CBC Sports'  Anastasia Bucsis speaks to Larocque after being drafted:

"We're close friends, we obviously have played together for five-plus years now," Larocque said at the draft when asked about playing with Fast. "There's a comfort there and I'm excited that we'll be on the same professional team together."

Harmon, who is from Downers Grove, Illinois, won a world championship with Team USA this past spring, adding to a resume that includes two NCAA titles when she was captain of Clarkson University in 2017 and 2018.

Ottawa GM Mike Hirshfeld pointed to Harmon's leadership qualities when announcing her signing.

"She is a complete hockey player and will be an incredible asset for our team," Hirshfeld said in a statement.

The financial terms of the contracts haven't been released, but the