Less than three weeks ago, the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge were still in the midst of the Walter Cup Final. Today, that team as we knew it no longer exists. Through two phases of the expansion process, the Charge have lost several key pieces. They’ll now get to protect three additional players as the process continues.
Ottawa Charge’s Key Losses
Brianne Jenner became the first player in PWHL Hamilton franchise history, signing a three-year deal on June 5.
This was a big loss for the Charge, to say the least. Jenner led the team in scoring this past season with 26 points, including 14 assists. Her three-year career in Ottawa spanned 82 regular season games and 16 playoff games, totaling 65 points and six game-winning goals. Jenner was also the first-ever captain in Charge history.
(Note: because Jenner was on an expiring contract, she doesn’t technically count as a player lost for the Charge. The team will certainly feel her absence, though.)
Emily Clark inked a deal with PWHL Hamilton on June 7. Clark had two years left on her contract with the Charge. Like Jenner, she was also an original Charge player. In three seasons, she appeared in 84 regular season games, scoring 43 points (16-27). She also had five points in 16 playoff games.
Rory Guilday signed with PWHL San Jose on June 5. Like Clark, she was also still under contract with the Charge. In her rookie season, Guilday registered nine points, including eight assists, in 30 regular season games. She led the team with 35 blocked shots. She also contributed two assists in eight playoff games.
Ottawa Charge’s Next Protections
In phase one, the Charge protected goaltender Gwyneth Philips, defender Ronja Savolainen and forward Rebecca Leslie. All three were already under contract.
Here’s how the Charge’s roster looks heading into the next phase:
- Signed & eligible for protection: Michela Cava, Emma Greco, Gabbie Hughes
- Expiring contract, eligible for signing & protection: Maggy Burbidge, Brooke Hobson, Taylor House, Reece Hunt, Jocelyne Larocque, Stephanie Markowski, Brooke McQuigge, Kateřina Mrázová, Vita Poniatovskaia, Kathryn Reilly, Alexa Vasko, Olivia Wallin, Kendra Woodland
- Expiring contract, rights held: Sanni Ahola, Peyton Hemp, Fanuza Kadirova, Sarah Wozniewicz
At this point in the expansion process, unrestricted free agents are no longer eligible for ‘selection’ by expansion teams. They can choose to sign wherever they want; there’s no further mandatory selection which would require them to go to a new team. The potential selection process that could activate in phase four would involve only players who are already under contract.
With that said, I’d use these next three protection slots on the players who are already signed: Michela Cava, Emma Greco and Gabbie Hughes.
Cava joined the Charge in January as part of a six-player trade from Vancouver. In 17 regular season games, she registered four assists and was a plus-3. She added three points in eight playoff games, including the game-winning goal that sent the Charge to the Walter Cup Final. To date, she’s skated in 110 PWHL games (Minnesota, Vancouver & Ottawa, regular season + playoffs) and accrued 52 points.
Greco, a defender, also joined the Charge in the aforementioned trade. She skated in 17 regular season games for Ottawa, recording two assists, and also appeared in eight playoff games. She’s appeared in 98 games (Minnesota, Boston, Vancouver & Ottawa, regular season + playoffs) and accrued five points in her PWHL career.
Hughes was third on the team in scoring with 16 points, including 11 assists. She’s scored 49 points, including 29 assists, in 97 games (regular season & playoffs included), all with the Charge. In 2025, she was Ottawa’s fourth protected player in that expansion draft.
All three players each have one year left on their contract.
