There have been two different Jocelyne Larocque's on the ice in the last year. One is the Larocque who seemingly was on the decline with the Toronto Sceptres and Team Canada. The other has been the rock anchoring the Ottawa Charge's blueline though their regular season and playoff run.
Since the blockbuster trade that brought Larocque (and Victoria Bach) to Ottawa in exchange for Savannah Harmon and Hayley Scamurra, Larocque has looked like she found the fountain of youth somewhere in Ottawa's Rideau Canal. Her game appears refreshed, her impact multiplied, and her lease on life in this league and globally as an elite defensive defender is back.
What has changed since Toronto?
The stark contrast in Larocque's game from Toronto, and even Team Canada, to how well she is playing with Ottawa is quite clear. The reasoning however, is more nuanced. Perhaps it's as simple as the fact Larocque feels she has something to prove after her longtime coach and general manager in Toronto, who both guide Team Canada as well, traded her for American opponent Savannah Harmon. While that might play a minuscule role, the more obvious change is how Larocque is being utilized, and the system she's within in Ottawa.
Offensive output has never been a key aspect of Larocque's game. With Toronto however, their system of nearly positionless hockey for their defenders often saw Larocque jumping down below the offensive goal line, rushing the puck into the zone, or even at times finding herself at thee offensive net front looking for chances.
For a player who has remained among the elite players with Canada's national team for 15 years, offense has never been a focus of Larocque's game, nor should it be. In 94 games between the PWHPA, World Championships, and PWHL since 2022, Larocque has two goals. One for Canada, one for Toronto.
Her game flourishes as a hard noses, shutdown defender. Not one who should be regularly tasked with transporting the puck, joining the rush, or pinching deep into the offensive zone from the blueline.
In Ottawa, she's not expected to do that. And while at times, old habits have died hard, overall, Larocque has done what Ottawa needs: she's made her new team harder to play against, won puck battles in the corners, in front of her own net, and along the boards, and she's removed pucks from pressure.
Ottawa Better Utilizing Larocque
Every player has a sweet spot for time on ice. In Ottawa, coach Carla MacLeod has discovered that with Larocque. In Toronto, alongside Renata Fast, the team overused their top pairing night in and night out. Last season, Larocque played more than 25 minutes in 18 of the 23 games she appeared in. She played more than 28 minutes in 10 of those games, and more than 30 minutes seven times. She topped out at a staggering 39:15 played in a 3-1 regulation regular season game against Boston. That's two-thirds of a game.
This season, after opening the season with back-to-back games above 26 minutes with Toronto, Larocque was traded six gams in. In 24 games with Ottawa this season, Larocque crossed the 25-minute threshold only once. In fact, Larocque saw less than 20 minutes of ice eight times this season with Ottawa, something that never occurred in year one with Toronto.
Rather than being part of a two-woman show alongside Renata Fast in Toronto, despite the strength of the Sceptres' second pairing of Kali Flanagan and Allie Munroe, Larocque is now playing as part of a cohesive unit. Alongside Ashton Bell, she's formed the team's top pairing. And with the support of Aneta Tejralova, Ronja Savolainen, Stephanie Markowski, Jincy Roese, and Zoe Boyd, the Charge have become more difficult to play against. Boyd in particular has flourished with Larocque on board, as it's clear the younger defender mimics her game closely to the veteran Jocelyne Larocque.
At 37-years-old, Larocque is the PWHL's oldest player. Her effectiveness however, when tasked with the obligations that made her one of the world's toughest, and most difficult to beat shutdown defenders, has not dwindled when she's used appropriately. It's in this sweet spot that Larocque now finds herself in Ottawa.
On paper, the December 30 trade that brought Larocque to Ottawa looked to heavily favour Toronto. And in some ways, Toronto got their value from the deal as well, including in parting ways with Bach, who has not found a contributing role in Ottawa either. But the results are clear as the Ottawa Charge advanced to the Walter Cup finals, while the Toronto Sceptres watch from home.
Larocque's impact with Ottawa's in-you-face, highly competitive style, has been immense. Not on the scoresheet of course, but in the wins column where it matters most.