Charge sign first-round pick Rory Guilday to three-year contract
One of the top selections from the 2025 PWHL Draft has inked her first contract.
On Friday, the Ottawa Charge announced that the team has signed defender Rory Guilday to a three-year contract that will carry through the 2027-28 season.
Guilday was taken by the Charge in the first round, sixth overall, in this year’s draft in Ottawa. She was the third blueliner taken in the opening round, following Haley Winn (Boston Fleet) and Nicole Gosling (Montreal Victorie).
The 22-year-old stated that she’s excited to get her rookie campaign going.
“I had a blast spending a couple of days in Ottawa after the draft and getting a taste of what life in the capital will be like, so it’s exciting to have made it official,” Guilday said in a release. “I can’t wait to get back to Ottawa in the fall and join my teammates on the ice and play in front of the best fans in the league. November can’t come soon enough.”
Guilday enters the professional ranks after a successful career at Cornell University. While she wasn’t the most offensively productive blueliner, the Chanhassen, Minnesota native’s strength comes from her play in her own zone. Defensively reliable, she was a key part of the Big Red teams that made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. This past year, Guilday and Cornell won both the ECAC Regular Season and Tournament championships, with Guilday earning All-ECAC Third Team honors.
In 105 games with the Big Red, the Minnetonka High School graduate scored 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points in 105 appearances, posting a career plus/minus of +44.
Along with her collegiate career, Guilday has experienced accoldaes on the international stage. She has been on the United States’ roster at three IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning the gold medal in 2023, while taking home the silver in 2022 and 2024. Guilday also won gold with Team USA at the 2020 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship.
With the signing of Guilday, the Charge becomes the first team this offseason to fill its 23-player main roster. Guilday joins a D-corps consisting of second-year rearguard Ronja Savolainen, along with newcomer Emma Bergesen and veteran Jocelyne Larocque.