Rebecca Leslie is proving that in the PWHL, you don’t need a star-studded international résumé to carve out a top-line role-you just need grit, patience, and when the moment comes, a little bit of magic.
Now a key piece on the Ottawa Charge’s top line, Leslie’s rise is a testament to persistence. She wasn’t handed a starring role, nor did she arrive in the league with the kind of Olympic pedigree that typically fast-tracks players to top-line minutes.
In a league where many of the premier spots are reserved for those who’ve shone on the world stage-think World Championships, Olympic Games-Leslie’s route was more winding. But she’s making the most of her opportunity, and the results are speaking volumes.
Through 13 games this season, Leslie has racked up 9 points, placing her among the top 15 in the league in points per game. That’s no small feat, especially considering the company she’s keeping on that list.
But what makes her story even more compelling is that she’s doing it without the usual credentials. Outside of a gold medal at the 2013-14 U-18 World Championships, Leslie’s international experience is limited.
She wasn’t a top draft pick either-far from it. She was selected 71st overall in the 12th round of the inaugural PWHL draft by Toronto.
And yet, here she is.
Leslie’s college numbers hinted at her potential. As a senior and captain at Boston University in 2017-18, she put up 55 points in 33 games-seventh-best across all of NCAA Division I.
But that production didn’t immediately translate to the pros. In her first PWHL season with Toronto in 2024, Leslie managed 9 points across 24 games, mostly playing in the bottom six.
After moving to Ottawa the following year, her regular season numbers dipped even further-just 3 points in 27 games.
But the playoffs told a different story.
Leslie came alive when it mattered most. She tallied 3 points in 8 playoff games, including opening goals in both the series-clinching win over Montreal and Game 1 of the Walter Cup Final against Minnesota. Those moments didn’t just show up on the scoresheet-they showed up in the trust she earned from the bench and the belief she sparked in her teammates.
That momentum carried into the offseason, right into the heart of the expansion draft. Ottawa, like the rest of the league, had to make tough decisions.
Their roster was hit hard-losing talent to free agency and expansion-but instead of looking outward, the Charge looked inward. They needed internal reinforcements, especially with Emily Clark, one of their key offensive players, struggling early in the season.
Leslie answered the call.
Sticking with her hometown team, she slotted into a top-line role alongside veteran Brianne Jenner and third-round rookie Sarah Wozniewicz. The chemistry clicked.
During a recent six-game winning streak, that trio became a driving force. Jenner led the way with 6 points, while Leslie and Wozniewicz each chipped in 4.
For Wozniewicz, those were her first points of the season after a slow start. For Leslie, it was confirmation that she belonged.
The Charge reached the Walter Cup Final last year on the back of smart, disciplined team defense and standout goaltending from Gwyneth Philips. But this year, there’s a sense that the team is evolving-looking to add more punch up front. And with Leslie stepping up, they’re finding it.
She’s not just filling a hole on the wing. She’s helping to define what this Ottawa team looks like in 2026: balanced, opportunistic, and quietly dangerous.
The top six is still a work in progress, but Leslie’s emergence has given the Charge a new layer of depth and versatility. And for a player who had to fight her way out of the bottom six, that’s a storyline worth watching.
Rebecca Leslie isn’t just making the most of her shot-she’s making it count.