Emma Woods Bio
Emma Woods is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). Standing 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 146 pounds, she is recognized as a right-shooting forward who has built her career across collegiate, North American, and international leagues. Since beginning her professional career in 2017, Woods has competed in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL), the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), and the PWHL.
Born in London, Ontario, and raised in the nearby community of Burford, Woods grew up as one of the only girls playing on boys’ teams, an experience that helped shape her competitive drive. She attended Paris District High School before going on to play NCAA Division I hockey at Quinnipiac University. Her path has taken her through China, Sweden, and several North American franchises, reflecting both her adaptability and her steady progression as a two-way forward.
Early Life and Background
Emma Woods was born on December 18, 1995, in London, Ontario, and grew up in the small community of Burford, Ontario. She was raised alongside her older sister Rebecca, her twin brother Calvin, and her younger brother Hayden, in a household that clearly encouraged athletic participation. The rural southwestern Ontario setting provided limited options for organized girls’ hockey, so Woods began skating and competing with the boys’ Burford Coyotes, playing on those teams through the bantam age division.
In 2011, her leadership and character away from the rink were formally recognized when Woods received the Phyllis Gretzky Memorial Award for Female Youth Leadership from the Brantford Sports Council. That same period marked her growing reputation as a multi-sport athlete. For her secondary education, she attended Paris District High School, where she played varsity ice hockey, volleyball, junior basketball, soccer, tennis, track and field, badminton, and baseball.
Woods won county-level championships in badminton, tennis, and baseball, captured a regional tennis title, and competed at the provincial level in both ice hockey and tennis. She was a three-time MVP of her high school ice hockey team and served as captain twice. In 2013, her high school career was capped when she was named the Paris District Senior Female Athlete of the Year.
Path to Professional Hockey
Woods’s progression toward elite-level hockey began with her selection by the Buffalo Beauts in the fourth round, 14th overall, of the 2016 National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) draft, signaling her status as a top NCAA prospect. Rather than turning professional immediately, she continued her development at Quinnipiac University, where she played four seasons of NCAA Division I hockey with the Quinnipiac Bobcats women’s program in the competitive ECAC Hockey conference.
Her college resume steadily grew. As a sophomore, Woods was named to the ECAC All-Academic team. As a junior, she served as an alternate captain and earned a place on the All-ECAC Third Team. In her senior season, she was elevated to team captain, underlining the respect she commanded within the program. The mix of academic recognition, leadership responsibilities, and on-ice production established her as a complete two-way forward heading into the professional ranks.
Emma Woods Career
Early Career (2017–2019)
Emma Woods launched her professional career overseas in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. In the 2017 CWHL Draft, she was selected in the seventh round, 49th overall, by the Vanke Rays, one of two new CWHL expansion teams based in China. Woods opted to sign with the Vanke Rays for the 2017–18 CWHL season, beginning her pro journey in Asia and embracing a unique cross-cultural chapter of her career.
The following year, the Vanke Rays merged with the other Chinese CWHL franchise, Kunlun Red Star, forming the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays. Woods remained with the rebranded club for the 2018–19 CWHL season, providing organizational continuity during the transition and continuing her growth as a reliable forward against top international competition.
European Stint and NWHL Expansion (2019–2023)
In the 2019–20 season, Woods moved to Sweden to play for Leksands IF of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL). She produced an impressive 29 points in 35 games, finishing tied with fellow Canadian Brooke Boquist for second-most on the team. The Swedish campaign sharpened her offensive game and broadened her international experience before she returned to North America.
In June 2020, Woods signed with the Toronto Six, the NWHL’s newest expansion franchise, becoming the seventh player to join the organization. Her Toronto Six roster featured several former Quinnipiac teammates, including Kelly Babstock, Sarah-Ève Coutu-Godbout, Shiann Darkangelo, and Emma Greco, as well as Vanke Rays alumna Elaine Chuli and Leksands teammate Brooke Boquist. Woods served as one of the team’s alternate captains, alongside Emma Greco, while Shiann Darkangelo was appointed the first captain in franchise history. Woods and Darkangelo assisted on the first goal in Toronto Six history, scored by Lindsay Eastwood against the Minnesota Whitecaps during the 2020–21 season.
PWHL New York Era (2023–2024)
Woods re-signed with the Toronto Six on June 26, 2023, but the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) was purchased and dissolved just three days later, voiding her contract. She promptly declared her eligibility for the new Professional Women’s Hockey League and was selected in the fourteenth round, 81st overall, by PWHL New York in the inaugural PWHL draft on September 18, 2023.
During the 2023–24 season, Woods anchored the second line as a center for PWHL New York, finishing the campaign with two goals and five points. Her role as a dependable middle-six forward helped stabilize the franchise during its debut year.
Toronto Sceptres Era (2024–Present)
On June 21, 2024, the opening day of PWHL free agency, Woods signed a two-year contract with Toronto, joining the Toronto Sceptres. The move brought her back to the city where she had built her early NWHL legacy and placed her within a competitive roster aiming to contend in the league’s second season. Her established leadership and two-way game positioned her as a stabilizing presence up the middle of the Sceptres’ lineup.
Driving Style and Strengths
Woods is best described as a versatile, two-way forward whose game is built on responsibility rather than flash. She excels in a center role, supporting defensively, winning faceoffs, and distributing the puck efficiently. Her years of captaining and serving as an alternate captain reflect the trust she earns in locker rooms, while her 29-point SDHL campaign underlines a capable offensive ceiling when paired with skilled linemates.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Woods’s career is her assist on the first goal in Toronto Six franchise history, a milestone she shares with captain Shiann Darkangelo. She is also recognized as the recipient of the Phyllis Gretzky Memorial Award for Female Youth Leadership in 2011 and as a multi-time MVP at Paris District High School, achievements that trace her leadership from youth hockey to the professional ranks.
Emma Woods Career Wins
Although individual goal and point totals across her various leagues are not fully aggregated in available sources, Emma Woods has built a career marked by consistent contributions at every stop. Her statistical highlights include 29 points in 35 games with Leksands IF of the SDHL and a two-goal, five-point debut season with PWHL New York as the franchise’s second-line center.
Professional Highlights
Woods’s professional journey is itself a series of highlights, including being drafted by the Buffalo Beauts in 2016, signing with the Vanke Rays in 2017, joining Leksands IF in 2019, helping establish the Toronto Six as an alternate captain in 2020, being selected by PWHL New York in 2023, and signing with the Toronto Sceptres in 2024. Each transition reflects steady progression through competitive professional environments.
Other Performances
At the collegiate level, Woods earned ECAC All-Academic honors as a sophomore and was named to the All-ECAC Third Team as a junior while serving as alternate captain, before being elevated to team captain as a senior at Quinnipiac. These honors underscore her development as both a student-athlete and a leader within one of the strongest conferences in NCAA women’s hockey.
Emma Woods Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Emma Woods grew up in Burford, Ontario, with her older sister Rebecca, her twin brother Calvin, and her younger brother Hayden. She has frequently credited her family environment for instilling the discipline and competitive mindset that fueled her hockey career. Her early decision to play with the boys’ Burford Coyotes, often as the only girl on the roster, was supported by her family’s encouragement to compete at the highest level available.
Personal Life
Woods maintains an active public presence through her Instagram account, where she shares updates from her professional and personal life. She was named the Paris District Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 2013, a recognition that reflected her standing as a multi-sport standout. Her journey from rural southwestern Ontario to professional hockey illustrates a path shaped by perseverance, family support, and an early willingness to compete against boys in order to chase her dream.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year represents Emma Woods’s first full season under contract with the Toronto Sceptres, following her June 2024 free-agent signing. Her two-year deal, running through 2026, places her within a franchise building toward sustained PWHL contention, and her role as an experienced center gives the Sceptres a steadying presence on the second line and in key faceoff situations.
Woods enters the season aiming to translate the defensive reliability she showed with PWHL New York into offensive production within Toronto’s system. Reuniting with familiar teammates from her Toronto Six days adds another layer of chemistry, and her captaincy experience at Quinnipiac and as alternate captain of the Six suggests her voice will carry weight in the Sceptres’ locker room.
Looking ahead, Woods’s combination of leadership, two-way skill, and familiarity with multiple professional leagues positions her as a valuable contributor for the Sceptres’ push up the PWHL standings in 2025. Her continued growth, paired with the stability of a multi-year contract, gives her both the platform and the runway to expand her offensive role while maintaining her trademark defensive responsibility.