The 2026-27 season will require a strong level of fight and competition from a Toronto Sceptres group that is working on building a new identity.
Defender Ella Shelton is ready to bring competition and fun to the new season. She spent the off-season playing games like Spike Ball with her fiancé and convincing her national camp teammates to break out the board games during downtime. Having fun on and off the ice is important to the 2024 First Team All-Star, and she hopes the Sceptres can channel that energy as they gear up for the start of the season.
As one of Toronto’s strongest defenders, Shelton paired with Renata Fast on the Sceptres’ top line last season. She slotted in well and blocked more shots than she has in her career with 55 over the season, but experienced a dip in points with only seven last year.
Ahead of this season, she’s spent some disciplined time working with trainers and coaches and had a great time back on the ice with her national teammates earlier in the month.
Shelton spoke with The IX Sports about the start of the season and the recent changes in Toronto. Here are some of her thoughts on the last few months of training and what she expects for the season ahead.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
At camp
Let’s start with the Team Canada camp that you were just a part of. What was it like to be at that camp and to get back on the ice with some of your teammates?
I think it’s just really fun to always go back to camp. I mean, we have such a long off season, too, so any small glimpse of the chance to play a hockey game that’s not small group sessions always sounds exciting. And I think going back to this camp, it was just fun for the group to get back together since the Olympics. I actually had never been to Québec City, so that was my first time there.
With it being your first time in Québec City, was there a memorable thing that you got to do off the ice as a team?
Ann-Renée Desbiens actually had set up a dinner for us to go to, and it was optional, but a lot of girls came, which was really fun to see. And it was just fun to sit in a different setting, away from the rink, away from hotel living, and just be able to connect and have conversations and sit around the table. I love how many games we play when we’re together as a group. I’m a big card game, board game kind of girl, and I just have so much fun when we have something else to do other than always sit in the meal room or go to our rooms.
On the Sceptres
Switching gears to the Sceptres now, I wanted to ask you about your off-season training. Did you have a chance to get some time on the ice?
I thought my offsite season training was really good this season. My fiancé and I actually skate and train together, so it was really easy to go and be on the ice with him and work with our skills coach that we both work with. I think, honestly, those little skill moments — the guy that we work with breaks down things to the like smallest degree or the smallest micro sand piece that I guess is the best way. It’s like a little piece in this bigger pot, and he does such a good job explaining it and going through the amount of reps. You get a chance to really talk about it, and get different perspectives.
During this offseason, there were a lot of changes, of course, to the Sceptres team — especially with the new coach. I’m wondering if you have had a chance to chat with Pascal yet?
I got to meet him twice. We did a virtual meeting, and a lot of it was just about the identity of the hockey player that I am and what I bring to the group.
Do you have any first impressions of him as a coach?
What I understood is that he was a straight shooter, and he’s just like, ‘I’m just going to tell you how it is.’ And I think sometimes players just want that. I know sometimes it comes across the wrong way, and delivery is always a huge thing in communication, but in general I just think having some fresh eyes come in might help the Sceptres get just a different approach to things.
Looking ahead
As you look ahead here, what do you think a successful Sceptres training camp would look like?
I think the quickest that you can get your group to gel together, whether it’s off the ice, on the ice, like all that stuff — I think that’s what’s going to make you successful. Our season’s so short, and every game truthfully matters. Like, every point matters. But the faster your team can come together and have a collective idea of how you guys are going to be successful, then that would be the reason why you would be winning games and find yourself in a good spot in the end.
What do you think the ideal Sceptres’ culture would look like?
I think the first thing you have to think about is, how do you make the environment fun and exciting to show up every day? I think, regardless of how tired you are, it should be: ‘You guys are all excited to be tired, that we have the chance to play hockey every day, or get to go to the rink every day.’ So, I think, as long as you can make that environment fun, exciting, and enjoyable, that’s gonna be your biggest thing that would help your team be successful.
