Ottawa to host CWHL Clarkson Cup in 2016, 2017

The Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 14, 2015. (Patrick Doyle/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

OTTAWA -- The Clarkson Cup will be held in Ottawa the next two years because of an agreement between the NHL's Ottawa Senators and the Canadian Women's Hockey League.

The 2016 Clarkson Cup will be held March 11-13 at the Canadian Tire Centre and again in 2017.

"This exciting new partnership is a continuation of the Ottawa Senators commitment to investing in the growth of the women's game in Ottawa and across the National Capital Region," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said Monday in a statement.

The Senators are the fourth NHL team in Canada to partner with the CWHL following the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens.

The CWHL includes the Calgary Inferno, Montreal Canadiennes, Brampton Thunder, Toronto Furies and Boston Blades.

The Blades are the defending Clarkson Cup champions after beating Montreal 3-2 in overtime in Markham, Ont.