By Canadian Press

Ottawa Charge, Toronto Sceptres filling in rosters with PWHL player signings

Jun 18, 2025 | 6:29 PM

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Charge have re-signed forward Rebecca Leslie to a two-year contract extension and forward Taylor House for another year.

They were the first players to sign with the Professional Women’s Hockey League team this off-season.

Elsewhere in the PWHL, the Toronto Sceptres extended forward Maggie Connors of St. John’s, N.L., for another season.

Leslie, who is from Ottawa, had a goal and two assists in 27 regular-season games, and also contributed two goals and an assist in eight playoff games for the Charge.

The 29-year-old scored two goals and had nine points for the Sceptres in the PWHL’s inaugural season.

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“Since joining our team last season, Rebecca has been an instrumental part of our team on and off the ice,” Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld said Wednesday in a statement.

“She’s been heavily involved in the community, and she was one of our best forwards during our run to the PWHL Finals. She’s an experienced leader in the locker room. She’s got good hockey sense and she’s been great on the penalty kill. We’re thrilled to keep her home for the next two seasons.”

The Charge reached the five-game Walter Cup final before falling to the Minnesota Frost in four games.

House, from Joliet, Ill., made the Charge as a training-camp invite and began last season on the team’s reserve list. Once activated, the 26-year-old had a goal and an assists in 15 regular season games, and appeared in five playoff games.

Leslie and House return to a Charge lineup that has seven other players under contract for the PWHL’s third season, including captain Brianne Jenner, Emily Clark, Gabbie Hughes and Katerina Mrazova, defenders Jocelyne Larocque and Ronja Savolainen and goaltender Gwyneth Philips.

But a couple former Charge players signed elsewhere Wednesday. After two seasons in Ottawa, forward Natalie Snodgrass of Eagan, Minn., headed to expansion PWHL Seattle on a one-year contract. She compiled two goals and six assists in 44 games with the Charge.

Jincy Roese of O’Fallon, Mo., agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Sirens after two years as alternate captain for the Charge. Roese also represented the U.S. in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Toronto’s Connors had two goals in 30 regular season games and added a goal and an assist in four playoff games. Connors accrued three goals and three assists in 24 games in her rookie season after Toronto chose her 62nd overall in the first PWHL draft.

“With her skill set, her potential and the fact she has been in our environment for the past two seasons, we believe Maggie will have a great season ahead,” Sceptres GM Gina Kingsbury said in a statement.

Also, the Boston Fleet signed American forward Liz Schepers to a two-year contract after she won a Walter Cup with the Frost. The Fleet signed French forward Chloe Aurard to a one-year deal.

The PWHL draft is June 24 in Ottawa.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.

The Canadian Press