With the 2025 PWHL Draft set to take place in Ottawa, Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld met with the media to reflect on a challenging offseason and offer a glimpse into the team’s plans moving forward.
Free agency didn’t go the way the Charge had hoped. Several key players left, and despite aggressive offers, few chose to come in. But with the draft on home ice, the focus is now shifting to how Ottawa can retool through young talent.
Free Agency Recap
To say the offseason, particularly free agency, has been difficult for the organization would be an understatement. The team saw more players leave than re-sign and brought in few outside additions. But according to management, it wasn’t for a lack of trying.
“Free agency is competitive when there are eight great hockey markets out there to play in,” Hirshfeld said. “We made very compelling offers, and financially, we were right there.”
Hirshfeld specifically addressed the pursuit of Tereza Vanišová. “We made a very strong offer to Tereza,” he said. “We thought we had a really good shot at her, but she wanted to pursue another opportunity in Vancouver.”
He added that similar offers were extended to Shiann Darkangelo, who signed with Montreal for the chance to play with Marie-Philip Poulin, and Zoe Boyd, who joined Boston.
Hirshfeld’s message to fans was clear: “We are working hard at this, we are doing everything that we can to field a competitive team, and we want to get back to the Walter Cup final this year and win it… I think fans are going to be very happy with the team that we ice for game one of the season.”
One final note: Hirshfeld shared that the organization has been doing a lot of reflecting on how they might have approached free agency differently and seen more success.
“There are some tweaks that we’re going to make internally to help us enhance our reputation among players around the league,” Hirshfeld shared. But he added, “We talked to the agents and they said that we did terrific presentations and said that the players were blown away by the offers that we presented and the opportunity to come and play in Ottawa.”
Looking Ahead to the Draft
Shifting gears to the draft, Hirshfeld said all options were on the table. “We have a lot of spots still to fill because expansion really thinned us out,” he said. “I think we’re looking at both defenders and forwards. I can tell you we aren’t looking at goaltending,” he added with a smile.
Asked about the type of defender the team is targeting, Hirshfeld was clear. “We like defenders that clear the front of the net, that box out, that are tough, that give a hit there and bump there. Those are types of players that we like, those are the types of players that our coaching staff likes.” He went on to add “We’re looking at all types of defenders.”
One of the many individuals supporting the Charge through this process is Melody Davidson, the longtime national team coach who helped Canada to multiple Olympic and world championship titles. She’s advising the organization heading into the draft and brings another experienced voice to the table as Ottawa looks to reset its roster.
It’s been a tough offseason for the Charge, no question. But with the draft taking place in Ottawa and a strong group of prospects available, the team has a real opportunity to add talent and address key needs. This draft will be an important step in shaping the roster heading into the season.