OTTAWA 鈥� The Ottawa Charge have plenty to be proud of after a strong showing in the Professional Women's Hockey League's second season, but the real test lies ahead with inevitable roster changes on the horizon.
Following a heartbreaking 2-1 overtime loss to the Minnesota Frost in the deciding Game 4 of the Walter Cup final on Monday, players were still processing the defeat while also dealing with uncertainty about what the team will look like next season.
As the league prepares to expand into Vancouver and Seattle, the Charge, and the other five current teams, will lose four players to the expansion draft. Each team can protect three players initially, with the option to protect a fourth after two are selected.
Protection lists are due next Tuesday, and with significant changes expected, the Charge's path forward is anything but certain.
General manager Mike Hirshfeld said they have already decided on who they will protect and will be letting players know Thursday during exit meetings.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a tough day,鈥� Hirshfeld said. "I鈥檓 sure of it, not looking forward to some of the conversations, but I also understand that this is a great moment for this league.鈥�
The Charge (12-2-4-12) finished third in the regular season to advance to the playoffs for the first time. Ottawa beat the number-one seed Montreal Victoire in the opening semifinal round to earn a berth in the final.
Ottawa had a strong showing in the final, but an inability to score when most needed proved costly as defending champion Minnesota took the best-of-five series 3-1. Every game required overtime and was decided by one goal.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot to be proud of this group and this year, highs and lows, injuries of top players, and there鈥檚 a lot that happened this year and to be where we ended up is pretty special,鈥� said forward Gabbie Hughes. 鈥淭hat just speaks volumes to the group that we have.鈥�
There was much to like from where Ottawa started the season to where it ended. The Charge failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, but were able to persevere and punch their ticket on the final day of the regular season.
鈥淩eally proud of the gains we made here from year one to year two,鈥� said coach Carla MacLeod. 鈥淏ut, you know, by no means are we going to sit back and rest on our laurels. We鈥檙e going to keep going here, so there鈥檚 a lot of opportunity ahead of us.鈥�
Much will be made of goaltender Gwyneth Philips鈥� emergence. Philips had a limited role as Emerance Maschmeyer鈥檚 backup early in the season, but when the veteran netminder went down in March the 25-year-old rookie stepped in with poise making a strong impression in net.
Through eight playoff games Philips posted a .952 save percentage, made 257-of-270 saves throughout the Charge's playoff run and was named the 2025 Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP.
"For a goalie to have success, you know, people in front of them have to be playing well, and I think we played really well, especially defensively,鈥� Philips said. 鈥淎nd so I think definitely some other people in the series it could have gone to them, but I think it does kind of validate how good we were defensively."
Philips admitted the expansion draft served as incentive through the playoffs.
"We knew this team wasn鈥檛 going to look the same, and how much respect and love we had for each other, we wanted to go out with a bang."
Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, and Maschmeyer were Ottawa鈥檚 first signings when the league launched, but it would be surprising to see all three return next season. While they understand it鈥檚 part of the business it doesn鈥檛 make it any easier.
"I think growth for the league is great, it鈥檚 exciting," said Clark. "But obviously it鈥檚 not lost on us that the reality is that there could be some big changes."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025.
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press
