The Ottawa Charge has announced it will be protecting forward Rebecca Leslie, defender Ronja Savolainen and goaltender Gwyneth Philips from the expansion process. These three players are exempt from being selected by the PWHL's four new expansion teams in Detroit, Hamilton, San Jose and Las Vegas. The roster distribution process will take place in multiple phases up until the June 17 draft.
Over the last two days, the league announced multiple free-agent signings, as players needed to be on contract with a team to be included in one of the three protection slots. However, considering all three of Ottawa's protected players are signed with the team until the end of next season at the earliest, the team has not announced any free-agent signings at this point in the process.
Ottawa was one of three teams opting to protect one player at each position with a forward, defender and a goalie, alongside Seattle and Vancouver. Some teams like Boston and Toronto protected a pair of defenders, while Minnesota and Montreal protected a pair of forwards.
Inevitably, Ottawa's list excluded some fan favourites, including rookie defender Rory Guilday, Russian sensation Fanuza Kadirova and captain Brianne Jenner, as well as forwards Emily Clark and Gabbie Hughes. But with a four-team expansion process looming, it would be impossible for Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld to keep them all, no matter how much he might want to.
Rebecca Leslie
Around this time last year when the Charge was in this same dilemma of choosing the three players it wanted to protect from expansion, Leslie wasn't even on anyone's radar after coming off a three-point season. Turns out a lot can change in a year. Now, the 30-year-old forward is one of the most valuable forwards in the league after finishing the regular season with 14 goals and 23 points, before adding another six points to her tally in the postseason.
Leslie has been a dynamic addition to Ottawa's top line, playing alongside captain Brianne Jenner and rookie Sarah Wozniewicz, both of whom have been left unprotected from expansion. Using a protection slot on Leslie was one of the team's best decisions, especially when looking at faces this team can build a franchise around. Hailing from Ottawa, Leslie has long worn the 'hometown hero' crown and can certainly become the name of this franchise in coming seasons, especially if she can find her way back to the same offensive dominance. She's also very involved in the local community off the ice, and will be a great candidate for a leadership role on this Charge roster in upcoming seasons.
Ronja Savolainen
Savolainen, a Finnish defender, has been a steady presence on the blue line for Ottawa. Her defensive awareness and physical play make her a valuable asset as the team looks to build a championship-caliber roster. Protecting her ensures stability on the back end.
Gwyneth Philips
Philips, the goaltender, has shown tremendous potential and consistency between the pipes. Her athleticism and quick reflexes have made her a key part of Ottawa's success. Keeping her in the fold was a priority for the organization.
