PWHL Expansion Draft Predictions: Ottawa Charge

With the PWHL’s expansion to Seattle and Vancouver for the 2025–26 season, every team is preparing for some painful decisions. Each original franchise will lose four players during the signing window and expansion draft, but they can protect up to four core pieces to shield from selection.

For the Ottawa Charge, the challenge is about balancing short-term competitiveness with long-term sustainability. With a roster full of emerging stars and veteran leaders, their protection strategy says a lot about where they believe the future of the franchise lies.

The Three Initial Protected Players

1. Gwyneth Philips (G)

You don’t leave a future franchise goalie unprotected, especially not one who’s helped her team clinch a playoff spot, been nominated for Goaltender of the Year in her rookie season, and backstopped them all the way to the Walter Cup Final. Philips has been calm, technically sound, and unshakably clutch when it matters. With the Charge looking to contend for years to come, she’s a lock.

2. Emily Clark (F)

Clark has been a consistent two-way presence, delivering both offence and leadership. She posted 19 points in 30 games this season and plays in every key situation, but it’s her playoff impact that sealed her spot. Clark scored the series-clinching goal against Montréal, sending Ottawa to the Walter Cup Final and proving, once again, she rises when it matters most. A leader on and off the ice, she’s the kind of player you build around.

3. Gabbie Hughes (F)

Hughes has been one of Ottawa’s most dangerous offensive players two years in a row, emerging as a go-to forward in high-pressure moments. She finished the regular season with 16 points, and continues to evolve her game at both ends of the ice. Still just 25, she’s not even at her ceiling yet, protecting her is about locking in both the present and the future.

Once Two Players Are Taken

4. Ashton Bell (D)

Bell quietly logged heavy minutes all season and has become Ottawa’s most versatile defender. At 25 years old, she still has untapped upside and plays a complete 200-foot game. If Ottawa loses two players early, locking Bell down helps stabilize the blue line long-term.

Strategic Exposures: Why Jenner and Maschmeyer Probably Stay

On paper, it might seem shocking that Brianne Jenner and Emerance Maschmeyer could be left unprotected in an expansion draft. Between them, they’ve won Olympic medals, World Championships, and helped build the Ottawa Charge into a Walter Cup Finalist. But in reality, Ottawa knows what it’s doing, and the risk is calculated.

Jenner, 33, has already spoken about her commitment to Ottawa. She’s not just a leader on the ice: she’s a mentor to the next generation, a community figure, and the heartbeat of the team’s identity. She’s also a mom to three young children, and deeply rooted in the city. Expansion teams aren’t likely to waste a pick on someone who’s already planning for retirement and has made it clear she isn’t going anywhere. Leaving her unprotected is less about undervaluing her, and more about trusting the circumstances.

Maschmeyer, meanwhile, continues to play at an elite level; she was lights-out before getting injured midway through the season. But the league’s goaltending talent is overflowing, and expansion teams will be spoiled for choice. Maschmeyer is also a new parent, raising a young child with her wife in Chelsea, Québec. Like Jenner, her personal ties to the region make her unlikely to relocate, especially to a brand-new market with so many unknowns.

This allows the Charge to protect rising stars like Gwyneth Philips, Gabbie Hughes, and Ashton Bell, players who represent the long-term future of the franchise, while trusting that cornerstone veterans will remain in place by choice.

Who I Think They’ll Lose

Here’s the four I believe Ottawa will part with through the expansion signing window and draft:

• Ronja Savolainen (D): A dynamic, physical top-pair defender with international experience and offensive upside. Her SDHL success and transition to the PWHL make her a dream target for an expansion blue line.
• Kateřina Mrázová (F): A high-IQ playmaker, she’s consistent, creative, and would instantly improve any top six.
• Mannon McMahon (F): A gritty, reliable forward who never misses a game. She brings the kind of work ethic and awareness that’s perfect for rounding out an expansion roster.
• Danielle Serdachny (F): A long-term investment. She has a huge ceiling, and while her rookie year had ups and downs, her scoring pedigree and age make her extremely attractive for a team building for the future.

All four would be tough losses, but if Ottawa comes out of this with Philips, Clark, Hughes, and Bell still in the fold, they’ll be well-positioned to compete in 2025–26.