Victoire acquire forward Kaitlin Willoughby from the Sceptres for defender Anna Kjellbin
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (March 13, 2025) – The Montréal Victoire and Toronto Sceptres have completed a trade, with Montréal acquiring forward Kaitlin Willoughby from Toronto in exchange for defender Anna Kjellbin. The trade was the first and only deal made today before the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) trade deadline at 2 p.m. ET.
“First of all, we'd like to thank Anna for the trust she had placed in us and for accepting a contract with our team,” said Montréal General Manager Danièle Sauvageau. “Anna is the captain of her national team and has had a significant impact on our players, coaching staff and support staff. Her time with us has been nothing but positive. We wish her all the best with her new team. Kaitlin's arrival allows us to add even more depth to our squad. Both teams are visibly happy with these additions, which answered both of our needs.”
“With the trade deadline, we felt strongly about bringing another defender onto our roster,” said Toronto General Manager Gina Kingsbury. “Anna, a right-handed D, brings international experience and is a proven leader as the captain of Team Sweden. We are excited to welcome her to our Sceptres family. At the same time, we thank Kaitlin Willoughby for her contributions to the organization and her impact on the team, fans and community as an inaugural member of Toronto’s team.”
Willoughby has been a two-year member of the Sceptres, first joining the team in the inaugural season as a free agent invite, then signing a one-year contract extension prior to the 2024-25 campaign. The 29-year-old from Prince Albert, SK, has recorded one assist in 43 career regular-season games in Toronto. Prior to the PWHL, Willoughby spent four seasons with the PWHPA from 2019-23 and one season with the CWHL’s Calgary Inferno in 2018-19. She is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan where she played five U SPORTS seasons with the Huskies.
Kjellbin was selected by the Victoire in the sixth round of the 2024 PWHL Draft and signed a one-year contract with the team ahead of this season. She appeared in 18 games for Montréal and recorded her only point, an assist, against Toronto as part of a 4-3 overtime win for the Victoire on Dec. 21 at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Prior to the PWHL, the 30-year-old from Göteborg, Sweden, played 15 years in the SDHL, most recently with Luleå HF, where she won three-straight championships. Kjellbin also represented her country at the 2022 Olympics and has played in five Women’s World Championships, serving as Sweden’s captain in the 2024 tournament in Utica.
Montréal’s next game is Tuesday night in Boston against the Fleet, then Toronto hosts the New York Sirens on Wednesday.