PWHL Ottawa signs Rebecca Leslie to one-year contract
A talented player is going to be playing for her hometown team.
On Monday, PWHL Ottawa announced they have signed free agent Rebecca Leslie to a one-year contract for the 2024-25 season.
Kicking off Free Agency with a bang đź’Ą
Welcome to the Capital, Rebecca Leslie!
đź”— https://t.co/uknI7y0ARV pic.twitter.com/4guX4P6UxB
“It’s a great honor,” Leslie said in a release. “I’ll be very proud to play in front of my friends, my family and all the people who have supported me throughout my journey. I loved growing up in Ottawa. I have fond memories of spending time on the outdoor rink with my brother. That’s where my dream of playing professionally was born.”Â
The Ottawa native spent the inaugural season with Toronto, the team that selected her in the 12th round, 71st overall, in the first-ever PWHL Draft.
Leslie was a solid secondary scorer for a team that finished with the best record during the regular season. She scored two goals and seven assists in 24 games, finishing tied with captain Blayre Turnbull for eighth in team scoring. The 28-year-old also scored a goal in Game 5 of Toronto’s semifinal series against Minnesota, though the team was ultimately eliminated by the eventual Walter Cup champions.
“Rebecca is a great skater,” General Manager Mike Hirshfeld said. “She is a 200-foot player. She has this veteran presence and will be a great addition to our locker room. It’s an added bonus that she is from Ottawa. We are excited to bring her home.”Â
Even before coming to the PWHL, Leslie was a veteran in the pro ranks. She spent four years as part of the PWHPA Dream Gap Tour, and was on the Calgary Inferno in the 2018-19 season, the team that won the last Clarkson Cup as Canadian Women’s Hockey League champions.
Leslie made her name in the collegiate ranks at Boston University, where she was the captain of the Terriers during her senior season. She also had the opportunity to represent her country at the 2014 IIHF Women’s Under-18 World Championship, where she scored five points in five games to help Canada win gold.
The former Ottawa Lady Senator gives PWHL Ottawa 13 players signed to standard player agreements for the 2024-25 campaign, joining the likes of Emily Clark, Emerance Maschmeyer and captain Brianne Jenner.