Ottawa Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld had little to do but watch and hope as his team battled for the Walter Cup during a six-day stretch that ended Wednesday. Now he moves from fan status directly into the fire as the central figure in the Charge's future success.
It all begins early next week, when the PWHL will reveal details discussed with the players' association of the talent dispersal to four new teams in Hamilton, Detroit, Vegas, and San Jose. From what's been leaked, it will be a variation of the 2025 expansion draft format in which existing teams could protect four players from the incoming Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent. This year, it's believed, clubs will initially be allowed to slap "hands off" labels on just three.
"It's going to be a difficult off-season again," said Hirshfeld, who works closely with head coach Carla MacLeod on off-ice matters and receives valuable input from scouts Brian Durocher, Chris Peterson and Mel Davidson. "We're going to lose players as part of the expansion process, but, again, I'm confident in our process, I'm confident that Carla and I are on the same page, and we know the types of players that make great players here in Ottawa. So we're confident that we'll be able to come back again and have another great season next year."
MacLeod admitted she was becoming accustomed to the "rebuilding" process. "It's a hand we have to play," she said. "All we can do is sit down and figure out the vision for Ottawa Charge and try to put the pieces together, as we've always done from the start of this endeavor three years ago. The group that is in front of us at training camp is the group we're going to elevate and grow and try to get the most out of. I think that's something we believe in, that's something we've proven over the first three seasons that we're able to do, and we take a lot of pride in that. We try to maximize every player that's in our organization, we try to make them as comfortable and confident as they can be to perform to their best, and that's not going to change. So, as we navigate these next couple of months, we'll do what we do, and we do it well. And then, when we get to training camp, we'll continue to grow our team."
Without waiting for all the nuances of the expansion process, let's consider the big decisions facing the Charge. Which three players should the Charge protect? If that is indeed the number, it's at least one shy of a simpler solution. Gwyneth Philips isn't going anywhere. She's 25 years old and, if not the best goalie in the league, certainly one of the top three. Case closed. Rebecca Leslie, 30, is also a no-brainer. The only player on the roster from Ottawa, she has become a hometown darling and one of the best players in the PWHL. The clincher is her offensive prowess. Leslie finished the 2025-26 regular season tied for second in league goal-scoring with 14 and was the co-leader in playoff goals with four. It's important to note that the Charge scored just 71 times during the 30-game campaign, which was the fewest of the four teams qualifying for postseason play, and then managed just 15 goals in eight playoff games.
