Tori Charron started playing hockey around the young age of 4 or 5, as her older brother was also playing hockey. For the Canadian, it’s been eight years since she last stepped on the ice as a player, as her last game came as a member of the Norwich Cadets. Now, with the 2021-22 PHF season well underway, the Ontario resident is back playing in her home province with the Toronto Six. Since she graduated, Charron has continued to skate, while finding work as a referee in the OUA. However, the 29-year-old wished she could have continued playing competitively after college.
The forward amassed record collegiate totals, as she tallied 67 points on 46 goals and 21 assists through only 51 games with the Elmira Soaring Eagles. Charron became one of only four players to score six goals in a game, and one of only six players to collect eight points in a single contest. After spending two seasons in Upstate New York, Charron transferred to Norwich, where she completed her undergrad.
When students head off to college, getting homesick can be a regular trend, however, the Vermont scenery was one of the few things that gave the lefty some comfort. “It kind of felt like Canada with the trees and the mountains,” said Charron. “We started in October when all the leaves were changing.”
Allowing her to get quickly acclimated, the Goodwood, ON native proceeded to amass 90 points, scoring 59 goals and 31 assists in 59 games. “I like scoring goals,” she said when reflecting on her time with the Cadets. “I had awesome teammates around me, who made it easy for me to do that.”
Tori isn’t the only former Cadet now competing in the PHF. She’s joined by forward Kaycie Anderson, who was her teammate at Norwich, now with the Connecticut Whale. The Maple Plain, MN native also happened to be Charron’s roommate on the road. Asked about her relationship with Anderson, Tori said with a chuckle, “Yeah, we were actually roommates for my two years there. We have a lot of memories, and we had a lot of pre-game rituals,” she continued.
The former teammates met up recently in Toronto, as the Connecticut Whale visited the Six for their first-ever homestand. Reacquainting for the first time since college, Charron shared, “I brought my dog because Kaycie hadn’t seen her in eight years.”
Anderson wasn’t the only Whale member with a Norwich background. Amanda Conway, now in her second pro season, also skated with the Cadets, but attending at a different time.
With so much to look forward to in her first pro season, one thing stood out to Charron that she couldn’t wait to have back. “The atmosphere, you don’t realize how much you miss it,” she expressed. The two-time ECAC Player of the Year added that this year marked the first time she had practiced in six seasons.
The Premier Hockey Federation recently announced that this year’s All-Star Showcase is being held at Six’s home of Canlan Sports – York University. Hoping to make an impact that lands her a roster spot, Charron stated the importance of the event to help showcase the league’s best players. “It’s a great opportunity for the PHF because of how many opportunities and great athletes there are in the GTA,” she concluded with a smile.