Looking At Ottawa's PWHL Roster So Far

Ottawa grabbed three of the biggest names in the game in free agency, but some believe they missed at times in the draft. Here's a look at what Ottawa has...and needs.

Looking at Ottawa's roster, there's a lot this team has...and presumably, a lot they can still add. Carla MacLeod will certainly squeeze every ounce of potential from her players, and winning low scoring games. That model could become Ottawa's calling card, because if there's one deficit they exited the draft with compared to other organizations, it's scoring depth.

To find the top six scoring Ottawa will need to run alongside other teams in this league, MacLeod will likely need to re-arrange her lineup, testing players on their off wings, or shifting players from the middle. Brianne Jenner is the prime candidate here as she's already been playing on the wing with Team Canada, and given how Ottawa's right side panned out, shifting Jenner to the wing makes sense. The other option would be to give Daryl Watts looks on her off side. Watts is one of the game's elite offensive talents who has been cast aside at times. If any coach can help Watts thrive, it's MacLeod.

One could question taking Ashton Bell as early as Ottawa did, but in the hunt for an offensively minded defender, she fit the bill. Grabbing Savannah Harmon was a coup for the team who did not sign a defender, and following that with USA national team veteran Jincy Dunne who will be itching for a top four role, and Czechia national team captain Aneta Tejralova gives Ottawa a lot of options up front. Zoe Boyd is a defender who can develop into a bigger role as the season goes on, and Amanda Boulier is an underrated puck mover. Ottawa would be wise to look at one of the few remaining veterans on the back end to shore up their seventh spot. Luckily, Emerance Maschmeyer will provide a safety net, and Sandra Abstreiter as her backup won't look like a noticeable dip in net. In fact, Abstreiter could eventually start to steal some starts.

Luckily for Ottawa, an aggressive post draft push could soften their issues up front. Immediate names to target? Mikyla Grant-Mentis comes to mind, as does Madison Packer. Both veterans could provide scoring depth and a physical element. It's hard not to see Packer and MacLeod meshing in terms of their inspirational leadership styles. If general manager Michael Hirshfeld is looking for a sneaky pickup to shock all who overlooked them, Allie Thunstrom and Jonna Albers have top six upside, and are two of the fastest players in the draft, or among those who signed in free agency. Kaitlyn Tougas and Sarah Bujold are other sleeper options who can absolutely score. There are also players like USA national team member Becca Gilmore, who will certainly be low on confidence after being passed over in the draft. There's no medicine better for that than a Carla MacLeod pep talk, and it would be surprising if Alena Mills doesn't end up on Ottawa's fourth line, or as a depth player.