Toronto forward Natalie Spooner voted IIHF top female hockey player for 2024

Canadian forward Natalie Spooner has been named the International Ice Hockey Federation's female player of the year for 2024.

Spooner had a league-leading 20 goals and 27 points for Toronto in the inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League season en route to being named the league's MVP and top forward.

The 33-year-old from Toronto also had a goal and four points to help Canada win gold at the 2024 women's world championship in Utica, N.Y.

Spooner received 33.6 per cent of the votes cast by media from the top 16 nations of the IIHF's Women's World Championship program.

She finished well ahead of her closest competitors. American Alex Carpenter received 14.6 per cent of the votes, while Canada captain and PWHL Montreal star Marie-Philip Poulin of Beauceville, Que., got 11.5 per cent.

Czechia captain Roman Cervenka was voted male player of the year after leading his team to gold at the world hockey championship.

WATCH | Spooner Mic'd Up with CBC Sports: