​On Wednesday, the Ottawa Charge announced that forward Fanuza Kadirova has agreed to a two-year contract that will keep her with the team through the 2027-28 season. Kadirova had been protected by Ottawa during Phase 3 of the league’s Expansion Player Distribution Process. The 2025 PWHL Draft netted her in the sixth round, and she quickly established herself as a rising offensive contributor in the nation’s capital. In her rookie season, Kadirova tallied 10 goals and 12 points, joining a select group of teammates to reach double-digit scoring. Her performance also placed her among 12 players across the league to reach that milestone, illustrating her impact in the early stages of her professional career.
With Kadirova’s signing, the Charge now have 17 players under contract for the upcoming season, including 15 players who are returning to the lineup. The current roster composition highlights a strong core of forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders who will look to build on last season’s progress and compete for a championship.
Forwards on the roster include Kadirova, along with Rebecca Leslie, Gabbie Hughes, Kateřina Mrázová, Michela Cava, Brooke McQuigge, Dara Greig, and Jenna Buglioni. This group provides a mix of veteran leadership and young talent, with the goal of creating scoring depth and offensive versatility across different line combinations.
In defense, the lineup features Ronja Savolainen, Jocelyne Larocque, Kathryn Reilly, Emma Greco, Brooke Hobson, and Vita Poniatovskaia. These players bring a combination of experience, reliability, and physicality to the back end, contributing to a steadier defensive structure and supporting the transition game.
The goaltending corps consists of Gwyneth Philips, Sanni Ahola, and Kendra Woodland. With three skilled netminders, the Charge are positioned to manage workload effectively, rotate based on performance and opposition, and maintain a high level of goaltending excellence throughout the season.
Kadirova’s extension signals Ottawa’s commitment to building a competitive roster around a core of young, productive players while also leveraging the experience of established veterans. The team’s approach appears to focus on balancing offense with a solid defensive framework and reliable goaltending, aiming to strengthen their position in the league as they pursue playoff positioning and potential title contention.
Fans and analysts will be watching how the forward group, led by Kadirova and supported by Leslie, Hughes, Mrázová, and the others, develops chemistry and contributes to a multi-line attack. The defensive pairings, anchored by Larocque and Savolainen with depth provided by Reilly, Greco, Hobson, and Poniatovskaia, are expected to uphold a sturdy defense while enabling transition opportunities for the forwards. With Philips, Ahola, and Woodland providing high-caliber goaltending options, Ottawa aims to maintain a competitive edge through a cohesive, well-rounded roster that emphasizes scoring potential, defensive soundness, and strong goaltending.