When the Charge hit the ice on Nov. 18 for the start of pre-season camp, the team will look a little different.
During the 2025-26 post-season, several of the team’s franchise players, standout draft picks, and fan favorites were lost to free agency and expansion. So what will the coaching staff be looking for as they rebuild? Let’s get into it.
Leadership
With the loss of captain Brianne Jenner and alternate captain Emily Clark to PWHL Hamilton, the team will look at returning players ready to step into leadership roles.
Alternate captain Jocelyne Larocque will probably keep her role. As for the captaincy and other alternate, there haven’t been any formal announcements.
Given her experience as an alternate captain of the Czech national team, we could see Kateřina Mrázová wear the ‘C’ this year. Having another veteran presence in the leadership group could prove crucial as the team integrates the fresh talent they scored in the draft.
Rebecca Leslie seems like an obvious choice for a letter. She led the team in goal-scoring last year and was one of three protected players during the expansion draft. Plus, Leslie’s status as a hometown hero has cemented her as a fan favorite in the city.
Gabbie Hughes has consistently been a top performer for the team. She’s also shown her leadership abilities through her community work and mental health advocacy. It wouldn’t be surprising if the team asks Hughes to step into an official leadership role.
Defense
The team chose to leave 2025 first-round draft pick Rory Guilday unprotected during expansion. In doing so, they lost one of their top young defensive talents. So they’ll be looking to their new draftees and camp invites to assess their potential.
As the Charge’s 2026 first-round draft pick, rookie Vivian Jungels shows a lot of promise. She’s self-described as a two-way defender. In her last season on defense for the University of Wisconsin, she posted 21 points across 39 games. Her play style is likely to mesh with the Charge’s approach.
Tory Mariano is another rookie to watch. She plays a physical game and is a true stay-at-home defender. Her talents could suit the team well and provide some depth to their defensive unit.
Scoring production
The Charge are heading into the pre-season without four of their top-10 scorers from last season. The team will be looking to mix up line combinations to generate scoring chemistry.
Jordan Ray is a rookie out of Yale University. She was selected by the Charge in the second round of the 2026 Draft for her shooting and scoring ability. During her time at Yale, Ray collected monster stats in goals and assists. In her final year, she recorded 17 goals and 32 assists across 36 games. There’s a good chance she’ll be a critical generator for the team.
Final thoughts
Head coach Carla MacLeod has had great success in getting her teams to work together quickly despite roster changes. Chemistry will be the factor that makes or breaks this roster. Coming out of two years of shakeups and expansion, this season will be an opportunity for the team to start building toward a long-term trajectory.
In a statement about their pre-season roster, general manager Mike Hirshfeld said, “We’re excited by our returning players and the new generation coming in to take up the mantle following expansion. This is going to be a competitive camp, and we are curious to see how the battles will play out at all three positions.”
