Ayr’s Trussler hopes to end Toronto hockey career on winning note
Taylor Trussler’s impressive fiveyear run with the Toronto Varsity Blues is coming to an end.
In the best-case scenario, the Ayr native will finish her university career at next month’s U Sports women’s hockey championship in Saskatoon.
In the worst-case scenario, it will finish in a best-of-three Ontario University Athletics playoff series with the Queen’s Gaels that started Wednesday night in Toronto.
“It’s both sad and exciting; I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter of my life, but I’ve made a lot of friends and memories here, so moving on from that will be tough,” said the soft-spoken Trussler on Wednesday afternoon.
“My time here has made me a better person, a better leader on and off the ice, and taught me to interact with different personalities and opinions, which is a good skill to have.”
Trussler, 23, led the Varsity Blues in scoring during the regular season with 10 goals and 13 assists in 27 games and will be counted on to produce similar numbers in the playoffs.
Overall, the Toronto captain has posted 50 goals and 46 assists in 130 career games.
Toronto, the No. 8-ranked team in Canada, is attempting to repeat as OUA champions and hoist the McCaw Cup for the third time in the past four seasons. The OUA will send two teams to nationals, and Toronto sits behind No. 3 Guelph and No. 7 Nipissing in the provincial pecking order.
Toronto is also trying to make it to the U Sports championship for the fourth time since Trussler’s rookie campaign in 2018-19. The Blues reached consolation finals in previresumé, ous appearances, winning one and losing the other, and in 2020 played one game before the tournament ended because of COVID-19.
“In the grand scheme of things, I don’t think many teams expect to get there (nationals) in the first place, so I feel pretty fortunate to have been there three times already,” said Trussler.
“Not many girls have that on their so that’s pretty cool.”
Trussler started her hockey scrapbook at age four, competing against the boys in Ayr. She would later win a midget “AA” national girls’ championship with the Brantford Ice Cats in 2016 and score a doubleovertime playoff goal against the Ryerson Rams in 2020 that propelled Toronto to an OUA title.
The Southwood Secondary School alumna, formerly of the Cambridge Rivulettes, was named to the OUA all-rookie team in 2019. She was an OUA first-team all-star in 2022 and an OUA second-team all-star in 2023.
“She’s a special person and, as a player, I appreciate her love for the game, her desire, her
determination and commitment to be the best she can be,” said Toronto head coach Vicky Sunohara.
“She’s worked so hard for everything, all her accomplishments, and she’s been a big part of our team’s success. I just can’t say enough about her; she’s a quiet leader, so passionate, and she leads by example,” added Sunohara, who won 15 gold and three silver medals during a storied career (1989-08) with Canada’s national team. The end of Trussler’s university career doesn’t necessarily mean the end of her hockey career.
Trussler recently signed with an agent and hopes to continue playing in Europe next season.
She’s heard good things from friends about playing in SweSunday den and would like to turn pro before moving on to the next stage of her life which, at this point, sees her leaning in the direction of policing.
“I like the idea of doing something different every day,” she said. “Sitting around in an office all day, that’s not for me.”
The Varsity Blues travel to Kingston on Friday for Game 2 of their series with the Gaels. Game 3, if necessary, is Sunday in Toronto.
Elsewhere, the Laurier Golden Hawks faced the Waterloo Warriors on Wednesday night in Game 1 of their best-of-three quarter-final series. Game 2 is Saturday, and Game 3, if necessary, is Sunday.
In men’s hockey, Laurier opened its best-of-three series on Wednesday night at Toronto Metropolitan University. Game 2 is Friday night in Waterloo, and Game 3, if necessary, is in Toronto.
Basketball
The women of Waterloo will host a quarter-final game on Friday night, and Laurier took part in a Round 1 sudden-death playoff game against the McMaster Marauders on Wednesday night.
On the men’s side, Laurier hosted the York Lions in a sudden-death game on Wednesday night.
Volleyball
Waterloo hosted Western in a Round 1 women’s playoff game on Wednesday night, while Waterloo’s men took on the Nipissing Lakers in a sudden-death match.