Sarah Nurse leads free-agent signings by Toronto's PWHL franchise

Toronto signed its first three players for the new Professional Women's Hockey League.

Forwards Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull, along with defenceman Renata Fast, have signed three-year deals, the league announced Wednesday.

Salary figures were not disclosed, but the PWHL's annual salaries will range from $35,000 to $80,000 US.

The trio of stars have all won gold medals with Canada's Olympic team.

"We are beyond excited and proud of the three foundation players we have signed," said Toronto  general manager Gina Kingsbury.

"For us, it was all about them as a group, building a puzzle that we knew would work well together and give us the best foundation to our team's success. When I think of the qualities of this group, I think of character, leadership, and talent. A combination we believe we can build upon in the draft and for years to come."

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Nurse, 28, was one of the stars of the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The Hamilton native broke the single-tournament scoring record with 18 points en route to a gold medal. She was featured on the cover of EA Sports NHL 23.

"I am incredibly excited to begin this new chapter as one of the first-ever players signed to the PWHL and to bring professional women's hockey to Toronto," said Nurse. "Growing up so close to the city and getting to watch so many professional teams thrive in the market, I have always seen Toronto as the mecca of hockey and pictured myself representing the city on a larger stage." 

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Turnbull, from Stellarton, N.S., is a skilled two-way player who has won a pair of Olympic medals, including 2022 gold and two world titles.

"To have the