The Ottawa Charge has undergone a significant roster transformation over the past month, with the average age of the team dropping sharply due to expansion and free agency. General manager Mike Hirshfeld, however, prefers not to call it a rebuild. 'I don’t think it’s a rebuild at all. I call it a reset and reload,' he told reporters on Friday.
Investing in Youth
Hirshfeld outlined the team's strategy to get younger and develop players entering their prime years. 'The plan was to get younger. We wanted to invest in and develop players who are entering the primes of their careers, and with expansion on hold for a couple of years, we want to build around this younger core, and I think we’ve accomplished our goal,' he said.
The median age of Ottawa's signed players now sits just below 26 years old. This shift comes after the team lost key veteran leaders to expansion, raising questions about whether the absence of an established veteran group will cost the team in the short term.
Bounce-Back Bets
Hirshfeld is a firm believer in bounce-back seasons and has chosen to invest in players who may not have lived up to their potential last season. A prime example is the trade for 24-year-old Jenna Buglioni, who has yet to record a point in the PWHL after 18 games with the Seattle Torrent. 'We’ve been watching her progress last season, and we obviously saw that she wasn’t in Seattle’s lineup as much as we expected, so when you see that, you think maybe there’s an opportunity and a change of scenery and a fresh start for her,' Hirshfeld explained.
Buglioni was a standout two-way forward at Ohio State University, averaging more than 30 points in her last four NCAA seasons. Despite being a first-round pick by Seattle, she struggled to find her footing and was often a healthy scratch. Hirshfeld believes that with the right usage and coaching in Ottawa, Buglioni can regain her college form and help replace some of the centre depth and offence lost in expansion.
Determined to Prove Herself
Buglioni is reportedly highly motivated to succeed with her new team. 'She’s already so determined to have a big year this year. Last year didn’t work out the way it hoped, but she’s already working out, she told me she’s been in the gym for three weeks already, she wants to be in the best shape she can be in for next season,' Hirshfeld said.
Ottawa had its eye on Buglioni in last year's draft, ranking her among their top 15 picks. Now, the Charge hopes she can be a key part of their young core moving forward.
Looking Ahead
The Charge has managed to develop a promising young group that has all the ingredients to compete in the PWHL. However, with the median age of the roster below 26, only time will tell if the absence of an established veteran presence will impact the team's performance in the short term. Hirshfeld remains confident in the 'reset and reload' approach, betting on youth and bounce-back seasons to drive success.
