Kaylee Hunter looks to make bigger impact during 2026 NSL season

AFC Toronto forward Kaylee Hunter doesn't bat an eye when asked about her personal goals for the 2026 Northern Super League season. 

"I want to hit 20-plus goals," she said.

That might seem overly ambitious, but Hunter, an 18-year-old from Calgary, has every reason to set her sights high during her second year as a professional.

Hunter was second in NSL scoring in 2025 with a team-high 16 goals during the regular season and playoffs, and was named to the league's best 11 team. She also had four assists as she played a big role in helping Toronto win last year’s Supporters' Shield as the NSL regular season champions.   

Having previously represented Canada at both the under-17 and under-20 levels, Hunter made her senior team debut at last month's SheBelieves Cup and has since gone on to earn a second cap.    

In this one-on-one interview with TFC Republic conducted before AFC Toronto's 2026 season kicked off last week, Hunter discusses her outstanding rookie campaign, her goals for this year, her national team aspirations, the importance of the NSL and much more.  

This Q&A has been lightly edited and trimmed for brevity and clarity.      

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The 2026 season was very successful in a lot of ways for AFC Toronto. But does the disappointment of its loss to Vancouver Rise FC in last November's NSL final still linger? 

Getting over a loss like that is definitely super hard, especially in the final. But I think that's honestly just soccer – it doesn't go your way sometimes. I think we deserved it more than Vancouver did on the day, but sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way, and you get unlucky. Those are things you just have to face and accept and learn from. I think there's so much that we can take from last year, that game specifically, and just put it forward into this season. That final wasn’t the way that we wanted it to go, but we're not going to let it define us.   

Is it a motivating factor at all for this season?  

Yeah, it's definitely a motivating factor. I think our goal from the beginning of last season was to win the [Supporters’ Shield]. I think that shows and proves who the best team was playing through 25 games. I think that really determines who the best team was. And obviously, we wanted to win the NSL final. We wanted to win both trophies, but I think winning the league was the most important part for us and proving that we're the best team throughout the entire season. So, I think we did that part, and we were really happy with that. But now this year, we're hoping to be even more complete by winning the league and winning the final. I think we can be proud of the season we had last year, and definitely that final is going to be a motivating factor this year. 

You had a lof of individual success with everything you achieved in 2025. How do you look back upon your first full season as a professional player in the NSL?  

Going into the year, I didn't really know what to expect. I didn't know what the team would be like, what the league would be like. But once I got a hang of things and I started getting going, I really enjoyed myself, and you could see that. I surpassed my expectations, my staff's expectations and my team’s expectations, but I think that's just one thing about me. I like to be surprising, and I like to be the young gun who could come in and keep up with all the pros and stuff like that. I was super happy with how my first year went, but I know that there's still so much more that I can do and so much more room to grow. So, that's what I'm striving for this year.   

As a teenager, how did you find going up against women much older than you who have been in the professional game for a very long time? 

Growing up, I always did play a couple age groups above me, so I've kind of had the experience of always playing with older players. But definitely coming into the professional game, you're going to play with players who played in the NWSL before, who have played overseas, and in Europe. There are so many different experiences that all these older pro players bring to the game and getting to be in with them and experience that, I think I just tried to take as much as I could from them, even the players I was playing against.   

And honestly, my team made it super easy. They're very welcoming at the beginning, and we kind of started clicking right away. We were super cohesive. I don't let my age bother me. I just put my head down and work. And it doesn't matter how old you are, I think you can still be the star player in the team if you put your head down and work and really want it.  

Were there any moments in particular that stood out on a personal level from your first season?  

There was a span of two games in mid-season when I scored two goals against Ottawa and then two goals against Halifax. So, I had four goals in two games and that just really sparked me. I'm really proud of that.  

What was it like playing for coach Marko Milanović? What kind of impact, if any, did he have on your development during your first season as a professional?  

Honestly, I love Marco. He's probably been one of the most impactful coaches that I've had so far in my career. He's hard on me and I think I need that. Sometimes I don't like it to come easy. He's not afraid to yell. He's not afraid to put it on me. So, I like that. And he's hard on me, and that really pushes me and just makes me work harder, and I realize my mistakes and what I can do better. And I really appreciate that in a coach. So, I've got a lot of respect for him.   

What goals, if any, have you set for yourself this year?  

I want to hit 20-plus goals. I want to honestly put my head down and work every day, even in the training environments, get better, make all the little fixes. And I want to continue on my path with the national team. And as far as the team goes, we have the same goal as last year, just trying to go forward and win the league, make it to the final and win everything that we can. 

You made your senior national team debut for Canada in March at the SheBelieves Cup vs. Argentina? What was it like to play internationally for your country at the very highest level? 

It was one of the biggest honours in my life. It’s something that I've worked literally my whole life for and was something that I've dreamt about doing. Stepping foot on that field surrounded by so many players that I used to watch growing up was honestly a dream come true, and it was such a privilege to be able to wear the badge and represent Canada. But now I know that there's still so much more I want to accomplish this year and moving forward into next year with the World Cup.  

What went through your mind when Casey Stoney told you that you would be starting in that game? 

Honestly, it was just super special. I didn't think that my first cap would be a start. It was something that I took in and I tried to be at my best and kind of show that I belong there. And I think I did. I didn't really play scared. I think I was getting on the ball, getting at people, being brave, and showcasing the kind of player that I am. So, I'm glad that I was able to do that, and I respect Casey. I think she put a lot of trust in me, and I'm thankful that she did that and she gave me a chance.  

Can you tell me about growing up in Alberta? What was your entryway into the game?  

I started to play when I was three. I have three older brothers, and they all played soccer as well. We all played for the same club growing up. We would go to our neighbourhood field all the time, and we would just kick it around between us, so I think they're a big reason why I fell in love with the game – getting to watch them and learn from them, and they're still super supportive of me now. If it weren't for them, I probably wouldn't be the person and player that I am today, so I give them all the credit.   

You played a bit for Calgary Blizzard SC in League1 Alberta before moving out west to join the Vancouver Whitecaps residency program. How did that opportunity come about?  

It was definitely a big sacrifice and a decision that I had thought about for a long time. Vancouver had wanted me since I was 13 or 14, but me and my parents and my family decided to wait. We felt if they really wanted me, they would put their trust in me and keep on waiting for me. So, then we decided when I was 15 that it was a good time to make the transition over to Vancouver. It was definitely difficult at first, but now looking back on it, it kind of set me up for success.

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Did you have players who you idolized or patterned yourself after while growing up?  

Christine Sinclair, I think, is obvious. She’s probably the one for most players because she's just done so much for women's soccer in general around the world, not even just in Canada. So, she’s definitely a player that I like to look up to, and also her being the top goal scorer internationally, that's something that I strive for.  

Jessie Fleming was also somebody who I looked up to when I was younger. I think her ball control in the midfield is great and she’s just a player who is always working hard. She went to UCLA and played for Chelsea. My dream club is Chelsea. So, yeah, I look up to her, and getting to play alongside her with Canada was super cool. It was a full circle moment for me. That was pretty cool, chatting with her and just getting to know her as a person, because growing up, I saw her from afar, and only knew her as a professional soccer player.  

What has it meant to you to be able to earn a living and play at home in the NSL? 

I think what Diana Matheson has built for women's soccer in this country is amazing, and it's a testament to who she is and how much she loves the game and how much she wanted to change women's sports here in Canada, and I really admire her for that.  

All of us players who have the honour and privilege to represent Canada as a country, and play in our hometowns and in different cities in Canada, and getting fans to every game, and integrating within the community, and doing our part in inspiring the next generation –  that's what this league was built for, and I think we've done a very good job at doing that so far.   

And I think we're only going to get better; we're only going to keep on growing. There are so many young girls now that can look up to us and come out to our games weekly and just be inspired. Because when we were younger, we didn't have that opportunity. The only way to go professional, you had to wait till you were 18, or you had to go to NCAA and then go pro from there.

So, I think having a pathway now, it's kind of just opened the gates for a lot of players who maybe aren't interested in university, or don't want to move away from home, and they want to play in their hometown. I think it's really just opening up so many different opportunities for players, and with the quality of players that we have, we can really build something special here. 

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