'Grateful': Charge's MacLeod reflects on season of adversity after Walter Cup loss

Ottawa falls 4-0 to Montreal on home ice as Marie-Philip Poulin and the Victoire hoist the Walter Cup.

By all accounts, Carla MacLeod didn’t need to be behind the Ottawa Charge bench this season.

No one would have blamed the head coach for wanting to step away after sharing she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in late November, but MacLeod is not one to step away from a challenge.

Aside from taking two brief hiatuses to undergo treatment, the Charge head coach was on hand for games and practices with her trademark smile and upbeat attitude. But there’s no denying the toll this season had on the 43-year-old.

The Charge’s season came to an end Wednesday night with a 4-0 loss to the Montreal Victoire, who captured the Walter Cup in four games.

“We all have stuff, we all have things on the side, we all have variables that can challenge us,” admitted MacLeod. “And I said it in the room, I’ve had more variables than I’m used to. I had bigger challenges this year than I ever anticipated.”

Following the loss of numerous players due to last year’s expansion draft, many did not expect the Charge to be back in the Walter Cup final. But McLeod believed in what they were capable of and consistently spoke about her team’s resilience.

But Wednesday night, Charge captain Brianne Jenner, who has spent the all three seasons with MacLeod, spoke about her coach’s resilience and the impact she had on the team.

“It’s pretty unbelievable when the leader of your program comes in every day the same way, the same energy, the same positivity, the same passion to be there at the rink, and that just was infectious throughout the whole organization,” said Jenner.

“You’d have no idea the struggle that she was going through this year, and it was pretty inspiring just to witness it, and yeah, I mean it’s unbelievable.’

As Jenner began speaking, MacLeod’s eyes began to water and for the first time this season, the Charge coach struggled to find the words.

MacLeod shared how difficult it was to step away from the team, but spoke about how much she appreciated the players and her staff’s support, their love and knowing that when she did step away, they would take care of things.

“When I talk about being proud, certainly there’s a component on ice,” MacLeod said. “This group got better every day, but who they are as women, who they are as leaders and how they impacted everyone, including me. It won’t be lost on me. How much I needed it.

“And I’m just grateful. I’m grateful for this group. I’m grateful for these ladies, I’m grateful for our team. It’s been a year.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2026.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press