What will Tobin Heath bring to OL Reign and back to the NWSL?

Tobin Heath may be returning to the NWSL, and with it could come a needed scoring boost to OL Reign.

Heath has always made an impact in her time on the field, be it through scoring or assisting on goals.

Raise your hand if you’re excited for more @TobinHeath @NWSL goals this year. 🙋‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/b9tR6RFSf4

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) June 15, 2022

Through 70 appearances with the Portland Thorns from 2013 until 2019, Heath scored 12 goals.

The thorns had Tobin Heath and they truly let her go huh? Wild... pic.twitter.com/Gyp6o1Qyd9

— KG (@JulsVal_and_Gal) May 29, 2021

In her time at Manchester United prior to joining Arsenal, she managed just eight appearances but scored four goals.

While Heath isn’t always scoring, she’s extremely good at timing her goals correctly and is seemingly unstoppable when she does.

You're not stopping her. @TobinHeath puts in the Thorns' 3rd goal!! #BAONPDX #PORvWAS pic.twitter.com/r3YyHxHXKd

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) May 22, 2016

In Seattle, she would once again be teaming up with Kim Little, who she played alongside with at Arsenal, and was once the NWSL’s leading scorer.

“I can honestly say I have never played with a better player than Kim Little,” Heath told Arsenal.com. “I was thrilled to play with her and witness her quality in training and in the games. She does the little things in football that are just brilliant, and honestly, I can’t speak highly enough about her. On the pitch it’s fantastic.”

The only question that remains with Heath is how healthy she is. Her time at Arsenal was spent mostly on the sidelines with injuries, including a minor hamstring injury that ended her season and her time with the club.

But what little time she did spend on the field was impactful — through nine appearances, Heath managed two goals.

OL Reign currently sit sixth in the NWSL standings with 10 points, having only recently gotten their first two wins of the season. But in that time, they’ve struggled offensively despite having the necessary weapons. They’re second in the league with 93 shots and 42 shots on goal but have only scored six goals — which is good for second-worst in the NWSL.

With the potential additions of Heath and Little, OL Reign could find themselves climbing the table in the second half of the season.