In a thrilling display at the Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa Charge forward Rebecca Leslie stole the show at the Senators' annual Skills Competition. Amid the backdrop of Canada’s recent Olympic hockey disappointment, local fans found a welcome diversion in this showcase of talent.
The event split players into two teams, captained by Thomas Chabot for Team Black and Drake Batherson for Team White. Both teams featured a mix of NHL stars, PWHL representatives from the Ottawa Charge, and promising talents from the junior Sens program.
Team Black (Chabot) included:
- Thomas Chabot, Nick Cousins, Dylan Cozens, Ridly Greig, Tyler Kleven, Kurtis MacDermid, Jordan Spence, Linus Ullmark, Rebecca Leslie (Charge), Ronja Savolainen (Charge), Reagan Keck (Jr.
Sen), Aidan McCoy (Jr. Sen).
Team White (Batherson) featured:
- Drake Batherson, Lars Eller, Claude Giroux, Nick Jensen, Shane Pinto, Fabian Zetterlund, Artem Zub, James Reimer, Gabbie Hughes (Charge), Sarah Wozniewicz (Charge), Tucker Sheunemen (Jr.
Sen), Emily Harrision (Jr. Sen).
The competition included events like the puck control relay, hardest shot, fastest skater, shooting accuracy, obstacle course, shootout, and a 3-on-3 game. While fans often focus on the fastest skater and hardest shot, it was Rebecca Leslie who captured attention with her precision in the shooting accuracy contest.
Leslie dazzled with her sharp shooting, needing just five shots to knock down four targets in a remarkable 9.54 seconds. Her performance outshone all others, marking her as a standout in the competition. As the first Ottawa-born player in Charge history, Leslie’s roots run deep, with her brother Zac having played for the Belleville Senators.
Ridly Greig claimed the fastest skater title, narrowly edging out Nick Cousins. However, with speedsters Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson absent due to Olympic commitments, Greig’s achievement came with a nod to the missing competition.
Drake Batherson unleashed the hardest shot of the day, clocking in at a blistering 106 mph, with Tyler Kleven close behind at 101.7 mph.
For those eager to dive deeper into the details, the full results are available on the Senators' website, and fans can relive the excitement through the recorded live stream on YouTube.