As the Ottawa Charge prepare for a new chapter at the Canadian Tire Centre, the release of the 2026-27 schedule marks another box checked, bringing the team and its kazoo-wielding fanbase one step closer to puck drop.

“There’s a lot to be excited about with this schedule. We’ll be tested early with so much time on the road, but that’s an opportunity for us to come together, establish who we are and earn our position,” said Charge Head Coach Carla MacLeod, via team release. “What’s especially exciting is the opportunity to finish the season with six of our final eight games at Canadian Tire Centre. We want to make CTC a place our players love playing, and our opponents hate coming into. After back-to-back trips to the Walter Cup Finals, we understand how hard it is to get there—and there’s absolutely some unfinished business for our group. We can’t wait to get started.”

Ottawa, which will play in the newly-formed Eastern Conference alongside the Boston Fleet, PWHL Hamilton, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, and Toronto Sceptres, will begin the 2026-27 season with a road heavy schedule, playing only three games at the Canadian Tire Centre between an afternoon matchup with the Toronto Sceptres on December 6 and another afternoon game on January 17 versus the Boston Fleet.

When the Charge do return home, the team will play nearly half of those games on weekends, which will include two Saturday games, three Sunday games, and one Friday game, with Wednesdays being the busiest weekday, with four games. Fans of the other teams will be in luck, as every team will visit the Canadian Tire Centre at least once this upcoming season.

For broadcasts, TSN will be the Charge's primary home, with 17 games airing on the network, followed by Sportsnet with 5 games. Tuesday's On Prime Video will include 5 games, with CBC airing three Saturday afternoon games. For fans in Canada, PWHL games not carried by a national media partner are available on the league’s YouTube channel and website.

The PWHL's Takeover Tour continues this season, with four games featuring the Charge: January 12, February 3, February 15, and March 12. The venues for these games will be announced at a later date.

After calling TD Place home for the past three seasons, the Charge begin a new chapter in Ottawa's west end at the Canadian Tire Centre with 13 home games featuring new teams, dynamic players and familiar faces, all of which will be met with particular enthusiasm from the fanbase.

Here are five home venue matchups Charge fans will have circled on their calendars.

1. PWHL Hamilton - Saturday, April 3 at 2:00pm EST

This will be the most emotional game on the team's schedule, of that there is no doubt.

The return of former captain Brianne Jenner will cause many in the stands to search their pockets for tissues. Her impact on the ice was matched by the unforgettable connections she made in the community, especially with the Capital City Condors. Emily Clark also falls into this category, as the former assistant captain and first-ever player signed by the franchise helped set the tone on the ice and set an example of what community involvement looks like every day.

This matchup will also feel somewhat like two Charge teams facing off against one another, as Hamilton's roster includes many other former players, including Peyton Hemp, Alexa Vasko, Anna Shokhina, and former fan-favourite defender Zoe Boyd.

2. Vancouver Goldeneyes - Friday, March 26 at 7:00pm EST

Caroline Harvey. That's it. That's the reason. Harvey's first game in the nation's capital will be the hottest ticket in town.

Harvey arrives in the PWHL with much fanfare and excitement, and with good reason. She is coming off a season in which she won a national championship with Wisconsin, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, WCHA Player of the Year, Defender of the Year, an Olympic gold medal, and tournament MVP honours. Those are only a few of the many accolades and honours the defender has earned over her career, and likely a preview of the many she'll earn throughout her professional career.

2. Montreal Victoire - Saturday, February 6 at 2:00pm EST

A rematch of a hard-fought Walter Cup Finals, this will mark the first time the two teams have faced each other since May 20, when the Victoire were crowned champions on Ottawa's home ice. While many faces have changed, the memories of that loss remain fresh in the hearts of players and fans alike. Expect that same electric atmosphere, on full display during those two games, to be ever-present on this night.

While Marie-Philip Poulin will remain out of the lineup due to offseason knee surgery, the Victoire roster still has plenty of offensive upside. The additions of Jessie Eldridge, who has always been a thorn in the Charge's side, along with Emma Maltais and Petra Nieminen, the team's 12th overall selection in the 2026 PWHL Draft, are among the reasons this game will be exciting.

4. PWHL San Jose - Tuesday, December 15 at 7:00pm EST

This will be the first matchup against former first-round pick Rory Guilday, a player who quickly became a fan favourite in the nation's capital for her physicality and confidence. Guilday led the team in blocked shots and hits during the regular season while playing the third-most minutes (627:23), underscoring her importance to the team. Many fans shared their disappointment when news broke that she had become the second player to join the expansion franchise during Phase 2 of the PWHL’s Expansion Roster Distribution Process.

The game will also feature Laila Edwards, the dynamic forward-turned-defender who enjoyed a dominant tenure with the Wisconsin Badgers. The fourth overall selection in this year's draft can take over a game and has the trophy cabinet to prove it.

5. Toronto Sceptres - Sunday, December 6 at 2:00pm EST

Every time the Charge face off against their provincial rivals, fans get an exciting game. For Ottawa fans in particular, the clubs' final two 2025-26 meetings ended in shutouts, with Gwyneth Philips posting a combined 83 saves.

While the Sceptres may not have the scoring punch they had last season, adding someone like Kirsten Simms with the eighth-overall selection in this year's draft could help. Coming off a season in which she scored 59 points in only 31 games, Charge fans should buckle up for some exciting plays in the offensive zone.