Allie Munroe is a perfect fit for Toronto Sceptres' leadership group

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It kind of flew under the radar a little bit with the playoffs arriving and all the excitement that this time of year brings, but the Toronto Sceptres filled a role within their organization that they do not take lightly over the past week.

It’s a leadership role that has been empty since the Sceptres dealt Jocelyne Larocque to the Ottawa Charge on trade deadline day.

With Larocque’s departure, the Sceptres were down to a captain in Blayre Turnbull and one alternate in Renata Fast.

Named to fill that second alternate role and proud to do so was Allie Munroe, a Day 1 member of Toronto’s roster and a key physical presence on its blue line.

Munroe was caught off guard when head coach Troy Ryan asked to speak with her following the second to last game of the season vs. New York. The team had just completed a rather emotional shootout win over the Sirens with Munroe’s fellow Nova Scotian Carly Jackson picking up a win in her first PWHL game in the Toronto net.

Munroe had no idea what Ryan could want with her and was floored when he asked her to accept the alternate captain’s role.

“We have so many good leaders on our team and I look up to so many people so it’s going to be a surprise to hear your name talked about in that way,” Munroe said, explaining her shock that day. “To fill the shoes of Jocelyne Larocque is huge so, yeah, I was shocked, but obviously really grateful and honoured.”

Ryan said the team talked about filling the leadership void back in January when Larocque was traded, but it just didn’t feel right.

“Some of it is probably out of respect for Larocque,” Ryan said of waiting to name a new alternate. “She is not easily replaced. She was a great leader. Sometimes you wait until the dust settles a little bit because if you pick it right away, are you picking it based on a quick judgement or are you actually putting thought into it?

“But we talked about it early on, was it the right thing to name someone right away? We thought Renata and Blayre were doing a great job. We just thought (this week) it was the right time.”

And while Ryan admitted the decision wasn’t an easy one made by management, the coaching staff and some of his leadership group, he’s thrilled with who that group settled on.

“Allie is just — I mean Gina (GM Gina Kingsbury) spoke very well about it — but the values that mean a lot to us as an organization right now is Allie in spades. Just a great person and a great player.”

Munroe expects she’ll be more of a lead-by-example kind of leader than the vocal type and that fits in nicely as the vocal part is already in the capable hands of Turnbull, whose communication skills combined with her all-out approach to every game ensures whatever messages she is sending are well received and followed.

“I’ll say what’s needed when I have to, but I’m definitely not crazy vocal,” Munroe said.

Her messages are more likely delivered on the ice where she, along with Turnbull and Fast, set the Sceptres’ physical tone for the game.

That aspect of the game is going to play heavily into the Sceptres’ upcoming playoff run and Munroe, who never shies away from that kind of play, fully expects to be in the thick of it even if it might be a little different than how it has been to date.

“I think the physicality has changed a little,” Munroe said. “For a lot of us it’s a little more how to be smart and physical at the same time now rather than just going for the big hit.

“Try to get a lot of little bumps and those will add up by the end of a series. I think we are still figuring that out, but it’s a long series so you want to get those hits in early and hopefully get people off their game.”

That will always be a calling card of Munroe’s game only now she’ll do it with a big letter ‘A’ on her jersey.

Game 1 of Toronto’s best-of-five semifinal matchup with Minnesota begins Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Coca Cola Coliseum.

mganter@postmedia.com