The Ottawa Charge have signed Norwegian defender Emma Bergesen to a one-year contract. Bergesen becomes the first player from Norway to sign in the PWHL.

“Emma is a young defender that our group thinks has a good upside,” said Charge General Manager Mike Hirshfeld. “She is a puck moving defender with strong offensive instincts. Her hockey sense and her vision are excellent. We truly like her potential.”  

The 5-foot-8 defender was a two-time First Team All-Canadian playing U Sports hockey including winning a 2023 national title with Mount Royal University.

Last season she played pro in the SDHL scoring 19 points in 33 games for SDE.

“I’ve had a hard time to calm down since getting this contract to play in the PWHL. It was a huge goal of mine to play in this league once it got started,” said Bergesen. “Ottawa was attractive to me because I’ve been following the league. I saw how well this team did last season. I witnessed the enthusiasm of the fan base. The atmosphere at the rink and around this team is unreal. There’s a comfort level in joining a team and coaching staff that has confidence in European players. I can’t wait to bring my offensive game to Ottawa and fight for every battle.”

Bergesen is also a member of Norway's senior national team who played in the top division of the IIHF World Championships this year.