PWHL's Ottawa Charge to Play at NHL Senators' Arena After Relocation Agreement

The Professional Women's Hockey League's Ottawa Charge will remain in Canada's capital after reaching an agreement to play at the NHL's Ottawa Senators' home arena, the Canadian Tire Centre, beginning next season. According to two people with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, the deal is expected to be finalized within the next few weeks. The arrangement represents a significant outcome for both the PWHL franchise and the city after months of productive discussions between league and Senators officials that began in March.

The relocation became necessary after Ottawa moved forward with renovations to the Charge's original home, TD Place, which will reduce seating capacity by approximately 2,000 seats. The aging facility, which had an original hockey capacity of about 8,500, will be left with roughly 5,700 seats plus 900 standing-only spots following the work. The PWHL determined that the reduced capacity would not meet fan demand and made it financially unfeasible to continue operating from the venue. Without the Senators' agreement, the franchise faced potential departure from Ottawa entirely.

The Charge's relocation to the Canadian Tire Centre follows a successful playoff run at the facility. The team played all four of its postseason games at the 18,655-capacity Senators arena, averaging 13,416 fans per playoff outing. A regular-season contest drew 17,114 spectators, demonstrating strong audience interest in the larger venue. Last season at TD Place, the team averaged 7,382 fans across 12 games, with the average jumping to 8,131 when including games at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Ottawa is one of the PWHL's original six franchises and has competed in the league since its inaugural season three years ago. The team shared TD Place with the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67s. Despite reaching the Walter Cup Finals in each of the past two seasons, the Charge lost both championship series, including a series-clinching Game 4 loss to Montreal last month. The move to the Senators' facility in the city's suburbs ensures the team's continued presence while addressing capacity and financial concerns.