Ottawa Charge dealt huge blow
To the disappointment of hockey fans in the nation’s capital, time may be running out on the Ottawa Charge. Last week Ottawa’s city council passed a vote 15-10 in favour of the plan known as Lansdowne 2.0, which includes a reduced capacity arena for the Charge.
The new rink will reportedly host 5,500 people; 3,000 fewer seats than its current home, TD Place Arena. Ottawa has averaged over 7,000 attendees per game in each of its first two seasons.
“It’s a tough situation,” Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, said to HockeyHotStove.com. “We’ve got to keep growing, this league is thriving, so disappointing obviously to see that the capacity there is going to decline. Our team has really taken over that market, and we have a community of fans that are amazing. We don’t want to leave Ottawa, but at the same time, we don’t want to go backwards.”
For comparison, the capacities of the other PWHL Canadian home rinks are: Coca-Coliseum, Toronto, 8,140; Place Bell, Montreal, 10,000; Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, 16,000
PWHL announces rule changes
There are two primary changes to the league’s rulebook for the 2025-26 season. First, a team must have three goalies under contract. The third goalie should be immediately available in the event that a netminder becomes injured, at which point the second goalie becomes the replacement, and the injured goalie is deemed ineligible to return to that game.
Second, the coach’s challenge is now removed. All video reviews to the league’s Central Situation Room are initiated by either a CSR official, or on-ice official. Plays may be reviewed for: missed game stoppage event in the offensive zone leading to a goal; goalie interference; or delay of game (puck over glass), in addition to goal review procedures.
Knight named Seattle captain
Hilary Knight was named the first captain in Seattle Torrent history, after serving in that role with the Boston Fleet (nee PWHL Boston) for the league’s first two seasons. Also the current captain of Team USA heading into the Olympics, Knight was presented her first Seattle with the “C” by Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell, a one-time international rival.
“It’s a huge honour to lead what is already a phenomenal group,” Knight said in an Instagram post. “And to do it in an inaugural season in a city and region that has such a deep, rich history of women’s sports legacies is incredible.”
Spooner gets advice from NHL source
Natalie Spooner of Toronto is looking to have a bounce-back season after recovering from the effects of ACL surgery resulting from a devastating injury in the 2024 playoffs. She showed up at Sceptres training camp this week not wearing a knee brace, which is positive news for her teammates.
Zach Hyman from the Oilers offered her a tip.
“We were at our first Olympic training camp, and I was talking to Zach Hyman, because I’d heard how he had the same surgery as me,” Spooner said. “I was like ‘I’m just feeling slow’, and he’s like ‘Don’t worry, it comes back after the year. Are you running, what are you doing? Are you in the brace? Get out of the brace, it will help you so much!’”
Seattle ‘revenge game’ in New York on hold
The New York Sirens lost three key players: Jessie Eldridge, Alex Carpenter and Corinne Schroeder to the expansion Torrent. When the PWHL schedule was initially released, Seattle was listed as playing its first road game in New York on December 28.
The game between the two teams will still take place, but in Dallas, at American Airlines Center, as part of this year’s Takeover Tour. The Sirens are still the ‘home’ team for that outing. Seattle’s other road game versus New York this season is scheduled for April 4, in a venue still to be determined.
