In the first official phase of the PWHL’s process to facilitate expansion to Seattle and Vancouver, the Ottawa Charge made their three-player protection list public at noon on Tuesday. Read MoreIn the first official phase of the PWHL’s process to facilitate expansion to Seattle and Vancouver, the Ottawa Charge made their three-player protection list public at noon on Tuesday. The club has protected goaltender Gwyneth Philips, forward Emily Clark and defender Ronja Savolainen. Like most of the league, the Charge followed the tactic of protecting
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In the first official phase of the PWHL’s process to facilitate expansion to Seattle and Vancouver, the Ottawa Charge made their three-player protection list public at noon on Tuesday.
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The club has protected goaltender Gwyneth Philips, forward Emily Clark and defender Ronja Savolainen.
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Like most of the league, the Charge followed the tactic of protecting one player at each position. The Montreal Victoire were the only team not to protect a defender, instead opting to shield a pair of forwards in Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey.
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Ottawa’s list excludes many fan favourites, including captain Brianne Jenner and Emerance Maschmeyer, two of the team’s foundational signings back in 2023. They, alongside teammates including Gabbie Hughes, Aneta Tejralová and Ashton Bell, could be eligible for selection by Seattle and Vancouver in the expansion draft.
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However, who becomes available will depend on how many players Ottawa loses during the exclusive free-agent signing window beginning Wednesday at 9 a.m., as well as who the team decides to protect with its fourth protection slot, which is at their disposal once they’ve lost two players.
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Here’s a closer look at the three players Ottawa has made exempt from the expansion draft on June 9:
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Gwyneth Philips
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Between rookie and goalie of the year nominations, a playoff MVP performance and setting numerous PWHL benchmarks, Philips went from backup goalie at the beginning of the 2024-25 season to must-keep franchise pillar by the summer.
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Simply put, the Ottawa Charge doesn’t even sniff the PWHL final without Philips. She nearly single-handely thrust the club into a playoff position down the stretch and outdueled the best goalie in the world, Ann-Renée Desbiens, in a four-game series. Overmatched against the Minnesota Frost in the final, Philips ensured her team remained one shot away from victory at all times.
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Her playoff stat line of a 1.23 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in eight games is otherworldly. In the regular season, she compiled eight wins in 15 games with a 2.11 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.
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With Maschmeyer a likely candidate to be selected in the expansion draft, Philips will face a heavier workload next season before becoming a free agent next summer.
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Goaltending has been the great equalizer in the PWHL and Ottawa’s strategy of building from the net out is sound with a netminder like 25-year-old Philips between the pipes.