Sceptres' Spooner not ready to start season after ACL surgery

Toronto Sceptres forward Natalie Spooner won't be in the lineup to start the season as she continues to recover from ACL surgery, general manager Gina Kingsbury told reporters Tuesday, according to The Hockey News' Curtis Martin.

Spooner won PWHL MVP in the league's first season after tallying 20 goals and 27 points in 24 games. She led the league in goals by nine.

The 34-year-old required surgery after sustaining a torn ACL during Game 3 of Toronto's first-round series against the now-Minnesota Frost in May.

Spooner had hoped to be available for the Sceptres' opener on Nov. 30.

"(The start of the season) is circled in red pen because that's what I want to happen," Spooner told The Canadian Press' Donna Spencer in October.

Spooner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and has won three IIHF World Championships with Canada.