Charge sign Olivia Wallin to standard contract
Some changes on the roster in the nation’s capital in the early stage of the Olympic break.
On Friday, the Ottawa Charge announced that the team has signed forward Olivia Wallin to a standard contract for the 2025-26 season. In response, the team has released defender Sam Isbell.
The move comes a couple of days after the Charge had a wild comeback win over the Seattle Torrent on Wednesday night, both teams’ final game before the pause.
Wallin was originally taken by the Torrent in the sixth round, 47th overall, of the 2025 PWHL Draft. However, she didn’t make the team out of training camp, but was picked up by the Charge, joining the team’s reserve list for the start of the 2025-26 season.
Wallin saw a little bit of playing time last month, as she was signed to a 10-day contract while Gabbie Hughes was out due to injury. She dressed for Ottawa’s Takeover Tour win over the Minnesota Frost on Dec. 21, but didn’t see any ice time. She played less than five minutes against the Toronto Sceptres on Dec. 23.
Wallin entered the pro ranks after a solid college career. After spending three seasons at Penn State, winning a College Hockey America championship in 2022-23, Wallin became a key part of Minnesota Duluth’s offense over the previous two years. She scored a career-high 40 points in 39 games last year, marking the second time she raked in at least 30 points in a season.
Isbell played in eight games with the Charge this year, posting her first PWHL point on Dec. 4, an assist against the Sceptres. The Thunder Bay, Ont. native has a plus/minus of -3 while averaging over 11:34 of ice time. She was last in the lineup on Jan. 3 against the Frost.
Isbell has appeared in 22 regular-season games in the PWHL and four during last year’s playoffs with Ottawa.
The Charge (4-5-0-7) enters the break fifth in the PWHL, two points back of the New York Sirens for the last playoff spot. Ottawa’s first game out of the pause will see them host the Boston Fleet on Feb. 28.