Kayla Vespa
| Kayla Vespa | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
April 1, 1997 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| PWHL team | New York Sirens | ||
| Playing career | 2020–present | ||
Kayla Vespa (born April 1, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is signed as a reserve player for the New York Sirens of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). She has previously played in the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) and college ice hockey for St. Lawrence University.
Playing career
[edit]College
[edit]After a St. Lawrence coach saw Vespa play, she was offered a full scholarship.[1] Vespa played for St. Lawrence from 2016-2020, making 135 appearances.[2]
Professional
[edit]Vespa began her professional career playing with the PWHPA in 2020. She played in multiple showcases, commuting to be able to play with a team in Toronto.[3][4]
Vespa was drafted by New York in the thirteenth round, 76th overall, in the inaugural PWHL draft. She signed a one-year contract with the team and scored in the first PWHL game against Toronto, a 4-0 victory.[5][6] For the 2024-25 season, the Sirens signed Vespa to a Reserve Player contract.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Vespa began playing hockey at five years old, often playing on boys teams. She played soccer and ran track for St. Jean de Brébeuf high school in Hamilton. She wore number 10, which she continues to wear as a hockey player. She graduated with honors in biochemistry at St. Lawrence University. She worked for the City of Hamilton full-time as a member of the parks and roads department, driving a snowplow on the night shift.[1][4] Vespa has also been involved with the Stoney Creek Sabres Girls Hockey Association, coaching the U13A girls.[3]
Career statistics
[edit]| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2016–17 | St. Lawrence University | ECAC | 36 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | St. Lawrence University | ECAC | 34 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | St. Lawrence University | ECAC | 29 | 1 | 19 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | St. Lawrence University | ECAC | 36 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Team Sonnet | PWHPA | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Team Sonnet | PWHPA | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Team Adidas | PWHPA | 19 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | PWHL New York | PWHL | 23 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| PWHL totals | 23 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b Wells, Jon (16 January 2024). "When Kayla Vespa was a kid, women's pro hockey was just a dream. Now she's scoring goals with PWHL New York". The Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ "Kayla Vespa". St. Lawrence Athletics. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ a b Staffieri, Mark (2022-05-05). "Kayla Vespa proud to be part of PWHPA | Women's Hockey Life". Women's Hockey Life. Archived from the original on 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ a b Peesker, Saira (2024-01-11). "Former Hamilton snowplow driver Kayla Vespa among the women making history with PWHL". CBC. Archived from the original on 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ "New York blanks Toronto, wins PWHL's first game". ESPN. 2024-01-02. Archived from the original on 2024-09-25. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ Kennedy, Ian (2023-11-07). "New York Signs Canadian National Team Member Jessie Eldridge". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ "NEW YORK SIRENS ANNOUNCE 2024-25 ROSTER". The PWHL. 2024-11-29. Retrieved 2024-12-04.