Ottawa native signs with hometown PWHL team

Toronto's Rebecca Leslie celebrates after scoring against Montreal during third period PWHL hockey action, in Toronto, on Friday, March 8, 2024. Leslie signed with Ottawa as a free agent June 25, 2024. (Chris Young/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Ottawa native Rebecca Leslie will be playing professional hockey for her hometown team.

PWHL Ottawa announced Tuesday that it signed Leslie, a free agent, to a one-year contract for the 2024-25 season. The 28-year-old forward played for PWHL Toronto in the league's inaugural season.

Leslie scored two goals and had seven assists for Toronto in the regular season and scored one goal in the playoffs. Prior to the PWHL, Leslie won U18 gold with Canada in 2014, was captain of the Boston University Terriers as a senior. She spent her minor years in the capital with the Kanata Rangers, the Gloucester Rangers and the Ottawa Lady Senators.

"I'd say I'm a pretty good skater and I think that my 200-foot game is good, so I think that I'm someone who can play offensively and defensively and contribute up and down the lineup," Leslie said Tuesday. "I think that Ottawa has a really great structured team and I've been coached by Carla (MacLeod) before, so I'm really excited to get under her leadership and play with players like Brianne Jenner and Emily Clark and in front of Emerance Maschmeyer."

The salary terms of Leslie's contract are not being disclosed, per an agreement with the Players Association.

"Rebecca is a great skater. She is a 200-foot player. She has this veteran presence and will be a great addition to our locker room. It's an added bonus that she is from Ottawa. We are excited to bring her home," says PWHL Ottawa General Manager Mike Hirshfeld in a news release.

Leslie joins a group of 12 players who are already under contract with PWHL Ottawa for the 2024-25 season. This group includes forwards Emily Clark, Gabbie Hughes, Brianne Jenner, Hayley Scamurra, Natalie Snodgrass and Tereza Vanišová, defenders Ashton Bell, Zoe Boyd, Savannah Harmon, Jincy Roese and Aneta Tejralová, as well as goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer. At the PWHL Draft on June 10, Ottawa selected forwards Danielle Serdachny, Mannon McMahon and Anna Meixner, defenders Ronja Savolainen, Stephanie Markowski and Madeline Wethington, and goalie Gwyneth Philips.