CBC has locked in a Hockey Night in Canada return to the PWHL schedule, and the deal will put eight Saturday night league games on the network this season.
That’s the biggest broadcast note to come out Monday, and it arrives after Sportsnet and CBC split earlier in the offseason. Even with a limited package, the Hockey Night in Canada brand gives the league a significant boost - and it also opens the door for more women’s hockey voices to appear on the pregame and postgame panels.
On the Ottawa Charge side, last Wednesday brought a key signing when the club agreed to a one-year deal with first-round pick Vivian Jungels. Drafted 11th overall, Jungels was viewed as the draft’s top defensive specialist after her senior season at Wisconsin, where she played alongside K.K. Harvey.
Ottawa should have more rookie business to handle soon as the season approaches. The Charge’s home opener is set for December 6 against the Toronto Sceptres, and the full schedule is due out this coming Friday.
Training camp begins November 18, and Ottawa will play two preseason scrimmages, against Detroit on Nov. 23 and Toronto on Nov. 24.
There’s also been a fresh look at how Ottawa’s blue line stacks up around the league. Ian Kennedy’s defensive rankings for The Hockey News gave the Charge a grade of B, which placed sixth among PWHL teams. That matters because Ottawa’s defense was part of what kept the team from reaching the top three last season.
Hockey Canada also released its 48-player invite list for the upcoming IIHF World Championships, and three Charge players made the cut. Defender Jocelyne Larocque is once again in the mix as a veteran second-pair option.
Forward Rebecca Leslie, whose absence from the 2026 Olympics followed a top-five scoring finish in the PWHL, was rewarded with a silver medal. Sarah Wozniewicz is the biggest long shot for a roster spot, but the 22-year-old still put up 12 points in 21 games last season, a pace that would land comfortably inside the top 30 among forwards.
GM Mike Hirshfeld will also serve as the team’s assistant general manager.
Thursday also brought the PWHL’s All-Star Game announcement, and it’s set for March 7. The format calls for four teams of 10 players, chosen by fan vote, competing in a 3-on-3 tournament. The teams will be Canada, USA, Europe, and Rookies.
In Other News...
Senators Add A Physical Edge Fans Will Notice Right Away
Hayden Hodgson has carved out a 10-year professional career by leaning into the kind of game that tends to show up most on the ice and least on the stat sheet. The 30-year-old right winger, known for his physical style, is set to bring a harder, heavier presence to Ottawa as the Senators open the season with an eye toward more energy and grit at the bottom of the lineup.
For a team that can use a little bite in its forward group, Hodgsons fit is pretty clear: fourth line duties, spot duty as an extra forward, and the sort of shift-to-shift edge that can change the tone of a game. The path to earning that role opened up in part because of the roster picture around him, and now the question is how quickly he can turn a camp opportunity into a regular imprint on the Senators night-to-night identity. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Face One Huge Test After Losing Brady Tkachuk
Brady Tkachuks exit in June left a real void in Ottawa, stripping the Senators of their captain, tone-setter and one of the most recognizable faces of the rebuild. In the aftermath, the organization is left trying to absorb not just the loss of a top player, but the challenge of replacing the emotional edge and nightly standard he brought to the lineup.
The burden now shifts to the core that remains, with questions hanging over who actually becomes the new voice in the room and who can steady the team when the season turns choppy. Tim Sttzle and Linus Ullmark loom large in that conversation, because Ottawa does not just need scoring and saves, it needs someone to help define what the Senators look like without the guy who used to set the pace. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Now Face A Leafs Problem That Goes Beyond The Usual Stars
Torontos opening-night roster move adds another layer to a rivalry that already tends to revolve around the obvious names, and Ottawa has reason to pay attention. The Maple Leafs have been trying to make their forward group harder to game out, and the latest addition gives them a bit more balance behind the headline scorers the Senators have long had to account for in these matchups.
For Ottawa, the concern is not just facing star power when the two teams meet, but dealing with a lineup that can change shape without losing much bite. A deeper Toronto forward mix can make matchups trickier, especially in games where Ottawa is trying to control the middle of the ice and keep the Leafs from rolling through one dangerous pair after another. [Read more 🡒]