‘I’m just grateful’: Charge’s Carla MacLeod feels love, support after emotional season
It wasn’t the end the Ottawa Charge wanted, but for one Carla MacLeod, the 2025-26 season will be unforgettable.
On Wednesday night, the Charge fell to the Montreal Victoire in Game 4 of the Walter Cup Final, missing out on a chance to win a championship for the second year in a row. At the end of the team’s postgame press conference, the focus shifted to MacLeod, a person who persevered during a trying season. Not only was she trying to guide her team through another PWHL season, but she was also dealing with her own battle with breast cancer.
MacLeod was asked about the love and support she received not only from the fans, but also from members of the organization. She said that going through cancer treatment was far from anything she’s ever experienced, but that she knew she had a strong group of people behind her.
“We have such an incredible job,” an emotional MacLeod said. “Our gigs are really great, but we all have stuff. We all have things on the side. We all have variables that can challenge us. … I had more variables than I’m used to. I had bigger challenges this year than I ever anticipated. … 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. I’m just grateful. I’m grateful for this group. I’m grateful for these ladies. I’m grateful for our team.”
MacLeod’s cancer diagnosis was announced right as the new campaign got underway. She had to miss a few games to receive treatment, including missing the final five games of the regular season. She noted how hard it was to leave her team in the middle of the season, but recognizing the encouragement she received from people across the organization.
“As a leader of a group, you never want to step away. You don’t want to miss anything. You don’t want to not be helping your crew. When I had to step away, it was unbelievable to me how this team, players and staff, just engulfed me with support, love, and said, ‘Go take care of you. You got us.” They delivered on it.”
The 43-year-old returned in time for the playoffs, coaching the Charge to a second straight final, upsetting the Boston Fleet in the semifinals.
Ottawa captain Brianne Jenner admitted that MacLeod’s spirit, evident in her fight, inspired the team throughout the campaign.
“It’s pretty unbelievable when the leader of your program comes in every day the same way,” Jenner told the media. “The same energy, the same positivity, the same passion to be there at the rink. That just was infectious throughout the whole organization. You’d have no idea the struggle that she was going through this year. It was pretty inspiring just to witness it.”
It’s not yet known what the future holds for MacLeod and the Charge. She’s the only coach the team has ever known, bringing an optimistic and outgoing personality to her role and leading a team that narrowly missed the postseason in year one before coming within two wins of a Walter Cup in each of the past two springs. There are reports that the Alberta native recently stepped away from serving as head coach of the Czech Women’s National Team, a position she has held since 2022, to focus on her cancer treatment.
In her three seasons in the PWHL, MacLeod has coached the Charge to an overall record of 29-11-11-33, with a postseason mark of 8-8.