PWHL in discussions to team up with
NHL Senators to keep Charge in Ottawa, league executive tells AP
[March 12, 2026]
By JOHN WAWROW
A PWHL official said Wednesday that there have been constructive
conversations in potentially teaming with the NHL's Ottawa Senators
to secure its women's hockey franchise a long-term future in the
Canadian capital.
The discussions center on the Ottawa Charge playing home games at
the Senators' arena, the Canadian Tire Centre, PWHL senior VP of
business operations Amy Scheer told The Associated Press. The
Charge’s future is in Ottawa is uncertain beyond this season due to
the city going ahead with renovations that will reduce the team’s
current home’s capacity by about 2,000 seats.
“We’ve got a long ways to go to figure out where we are for the
future of Ottawa, but the relationship with the Senators has
blossomed,” Scheer said during a video conference call.
She referred to Senators president and CEO Cyril Leeder as being “a
gem to work with.” Scheer and league officials also met with
Senators owner Michael Andlauer while attending the women’s
tournament at the Milan Cortina Games last month.
The PWHL has already established a partnership with the Senators,
with the Charge scheduled to play Montreal at the Canadian Tire
Centre on April 3.
“The game is selling really well, so hopefully that’s the first of a
really positive road for us to skate down,” Scheer said.
Leeder looked forward to the Senators hosting the game, and further
discussions with the PWHL.
“We can confirm we’ve had positive dialogue with the PWHL and the
Ottawa Charge, which is consistent with our desire to grow the game
for women, men and youth in our Ottawa-Gatineau community,” Leeder
said in a statement the Senators released to the AP.
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Ottawa Charge's Fanuza Kadirova (centre) spins around as she
celebrates her goal on Seattle Torrent goaltender Hannah Murphy (83)
during the first period of an PWHL hockey game in Ottawa, Wednesday,
March 4, 2026. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)
The Charge were one of the PWHL’s original six
franchises, and have spent the first three seasons playing at the
city’s centrally located TD Place, which is also home to the Ontario
Hockey League's Ottawa 67s. The aging facility has a capacity of
about 8,500 for hockey but the renovation will reduce seating to
about 5,700, with an additional 900 standing-only spots.
The PWHL said the cuts make it financially unfeasible to stay at the
arena. The Charge averaged about 7,000 fans per outing over the
first two seasons, with that number jumping to 7,225 over the team’s
first nine home games this year.
Scheer previously said the league was exploring all options,
including the possibility of relocation. “We will not go backwards,”
Scheer said in November.
The PWHL expanded to eight teams this season, with plans underway to
add 2-4 teams for next season.
The Senators' home arena is located about a 40-minute drive outside
of downtown. The team, however, is in the early planning stages of
building a new home closer to downtown.
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