Season Preview: PWHL Ottawa

Perhaps no team in the PWHL has more potential, and a higher upside than Ottawa. But can they put it all together in a shortened season? Here's a look at PWHL Ottawa's roster.

No team relied more heavily on the free agent market than PWHL Ottawa, and in the end, it may be a fact that benefits the team. The city is obviously excited for the season with tickets selling like hot cakes, and with Carla MacLeod behind the bench, fans can expect an exciting, and tough, team to play.

Ottawa brings a mobile top four to the table with Savannah Harmon, Jincy Roese, Aneta Tejralova, and Ashton Bell patrolling the point. It should result in offense from the blueline. Forward depth will be another facet of Ottawa's attack that may be initially unheralded, but could become a calling card of the team. The focus may be on Emily Clark and Brianne Jenner, but as you work down the line of Gabbie Hughes, Katerina Mrazova, Hayley Scamurra, Lexie Adzija, Mikyla Grant-Mentis...and more, it's obvious Ottawa will be seeing offensive contributions from across the lineup. A true strength in Ottawa will be their culture. No team Carla MacLeod coaches will feel unempowered, and from GM Mike Hirshfeld down, this team has shown a commitment and care for their players that's translating outside of their rink and into fandom.

The aforementioned players are going to score, but there's also wildcards like Daryl Watts, a prolific NCAA scorer and the feisty Akane Shiga, who will get better by the game. Ottawa has enough backend mobility to join the rush, or at least transport pucks up ice with tempo, and in the offensive zone. In Utica the team looked like a group who would seldom give up on pucks, and who would drive the net at every chance. Emily Clark might be the PWHL's national team breakout star this year, and Ottawa's group as a whole is defensively reliable, meaning we can expect turnovers and takeaways to play into a quick transition game for Ottawa.

Katerina Mrazova, Hayley Scamurra, and Emily Clark are three of the top defensive forwards in the world. When it comes time to shut down games, they'll be crucial. The blueline group of Roese, Harmon, Bell, and Tejralova will need to pick their places to jump, but are all good enough skaters to quickly take away time and space. Zoe Boyd will be an intriguing rookie to watch, as the former Quinnipiac defender isn't known for risk taking, but is known for her reliable play. Tori Howran and Amanda Boulier will fight for the remaing spot in the lineup, and both bring a veteran pro presence. Not to be overlooked is starter Emerance Maschmeyer in net who will give Ottawa a chance to win each night.

Carla MacLeod has worked wonders with Team Czechia. She helped turn a team of promise into a medal winning international contender. MacLeod squeezes potential from her players, emphasizing speed, toughness, and above all, a team game. She does it through positivity, which through the ups and downs of a pro season will help when adversity hits. MacLeod has a similar group in Ottawa, with untapped potential sprinkled throughout the roster, but she also has more top end offensive talent to lean on.

What is Ottawa's talent ceiling? Daryl Watts was one of the best NCAA players in a decade. She hasn't transferred that to a pro or international breakout...yet. Akane Shiga is an unknown at this level, but as the youngest player in the league will grow. Becca Gilmore was a gold medal winner with Team USA who then went undrafted. Free agent invites who signed including Fanni Garat-Gasparics, Mikyla Grant-Mentis, Natalie Snodgrass, Shiga, and Gilmore all enter with something to prove. Roese, Bell and Gabbie Hughes have been bubble national team players and will look to use this opportunity to rejoin those rosters. Mrazova, Clark, and Scamurra will look to prove they can score, not just check. And first year pros Boyd, Adzija, and Kristin Della Rovere, and will all see push of new players coming in and look to secure their roster spots longterm. The potential is there, but how high will Ottawa be able to climb in the fulfilment of that potential will be seen.