The Ottawa Charge held their end-of-the-season press conference on Friday, giving select players, along with management, an opportunity to reflect on the season one final time before many departed for home for the summer. And while much uncertainty lies ahead with the upcoming expansion, much as it did this time last season, there remains a great deal of pride within the organization in the work that was done, which became a theme throughout the morning's event.

"It's definitely still fresh, still upset, still disappointed," said Rebecca Leslie, who had a breakout season with her hometown team. "But I'm feeling a lot of gratitude for our group and pride to represent the Ottawa Charge, the city. It was an incredible season for our group."

After posting a 9-8-1-12 regular season record, the Charge made it to Game Four of the Walter Cup Finals for a second consecutive season, falling short this time to the Montreal Victoire. And while the sting of losing once again is still fresh, the team remains focused on the work done in the locker room and the internal growth the organization showed this season.

"Something that I'll always remember from this season is the team and the culture that we created," said assistant captain Emily Clark. "It really was something special and something that I was so proud to be a part of."

That culture, and how close the team became during the season, was certainly a result of the players, and more importantly, the people, who were brought in through free agency, trades, and the draft. Another larger element to that was how the group came together in support of their head coach, Carla MacLeod, and her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

"It's always hard to see someone you care about go through something so difficult," said Rory Guilday. "She handled it with grace and courage, and we just wanted to be there for her. We really rallied behind her. She's our rock, our head coach."

Canadian Tire Centre Update

As for what comes next for this group, beyond expansion, which is undoubtedly on the minds of Charge fans, is where the team will play next season. Ottawa played its regular-season home games, with a couple of exceptions, at TD Place once again this season, and moved to the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, for the duration of its playoff run.

"I can tell you that there are ongoing discussions with the league," said General Manager Mike Hirshfeld. "We're getting closer to a resolution, and hope to have something to announce in the near future about where we'll be playing next year." And while there was no specific date for said announcement, Hirshfeld did state, "I would expect it will be within the next couple of weeks."

Team Canada's New Coach?

Before moving on to expansion, a topic of conversation of late has been the candidacy of MacLeod for the head coaching position with Team Canada after former Toronto Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan announced his likely departure. MacLeod acknowledged that her journey has taken her to many places and afforded her many opportunities, but that her focus is in Ottawa and with the Charge.

"It's not even on my radar," she said. "I can assure you that my priority is this franchise and to continue to grow it with Mike [Hirshfeld] and our staff. I'm not sure where the future sits, but I can assure you that I'm so thrilled with where I'm at and where my feet are in this moment."

PWHL Expansion

With the season now over and players leaving the city, the focus next shifts to expansion and the work needed to determine who to protect.

"The final version of the rules is still being worked out, but we should know within the next couple of days," said Hirshfeld. "I've thought about it at a very high level about what our plans look like because we're going to have to make them very quickly. We're going to really start digging into it on Sunday."

The uncertainty about who will and will not return as members of the Charge is not lost on the players, even though the season has just ended for the group.

"It's sad, and those of us who have been in the league, we know expansion rips apart teams," said assistant captain Jocelyne Larocque. "There is an acknowledgement that this group will be different next year, and it is sad because it is such a special group." But with that sadness comes an excitement about the trajectory women's hockey is on. "It's exciting that there will be four more teams," Larocque added. "That means that there will be over 100 more jobs for women to play, along with staffing. So it's also exciting."

Despite another defeat in the Walter Cup Finals, and with much uncertainty ahead both on and off the ice, the 2025-26 Ottawa Charge will be remembered as a group who played with grit and determination, creating a culture that became integral to the group's identity.