PWHL Ottawa has players from six different nations on their roster, but as coach Carla MacLeod says, it's lucky her team speaks the "language of hockey."
PWHL Ottawa has players from six different nations on their roster, but as coach Carla MacLeod says, it's lucky her team speaks the "language of hockey."
PWHL Ottawa is comprised of players from Canada, Japan, Hungary, USA, Germany, and Czechia. Luckily for them, they speak the "language of hockey."
Those were the words of PWHL Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod while addressing media.
"Thank goodness there is a language of hockey," said MacLeod. "The game continues to grow around the world and there's incredible players everywhere on this planet."
MacLeod herself is used to facing language barriers having coached in Japan, Czechia, and Canada. This season she'll coach Czechia's national team, and PWHL Ottawa, the league's most nationally diverse team. As players from each of those nations get to play alongside each other, MacLeod sees the respect shifting on the ice.
"Our European players and Akane [Shiga] from Japan have come in and they're a little bit in awe of the North American players to start," said MacLeod. "But maybe the neatest part has been seeing that the tables turn, and the North American girls getting excited about what they're seeing from our players that aren't from here."
Whether it's the "language of hockey" or the energy in the room and on the ice, Ottawa is ready to speak loud when they hit the ice January 2.
"Certainly the language barrier, particularly with Akane [Shiga] is real, but energy speaks loud," said MacLeod. "And there's a great energy now within the group and amongst everyone."