Ottawa Charge coach Carla MacLeod diagnosed with breast cancer
Ottawa Charge head coach Carla MacLeod
announced Sunday that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Hearing those words was incredibly difficult,” MacLeod said in a statement on the Professional Women’s Hockey League club’s website, “but I want everyone to know that I’m going to be okay.
“I’m incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional medical team guiding me, and together we’ve built a treatment plan that gives me tremendous confidence in the road ahead.”
The Spruce Grove, Alta., native, a two-time Olympic champion while playing defence for Canada, was named
in September 2023.
Last season, MacLeod
guided the Charge to the PWHL playoff final
before they lost to the Walter Cup-champion Minnesota Frost.
She’s also the head coach of the Czechia women’s national team, which qualified for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
“One of my biggest concerns, outside of my own health, was the possibility of not being able to fully support the two programs that mean so much to me,” MacLeod said in her statement Sunday. “I finally exhaled when my medical team assured me that my treatment should have minimal impact on being present for the Charge season and that I’ll still be able to coach Czechia at the Olympic Winter Games in February.”
MacLeod said she would begin treatment this week, and as a result would not be behind the bench on Tuesday night when the Charge are at home against Minnesota.
“Being with this team fuels me, and I intend to stay as connected as I can during treatment,” she said.
Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld also released a statement Sunday, saying, “The Charge and League are here to support Carla throughout her treatment. Her strength, resilience, and optimism shine through in the most challenging of circumstances, and we know she’ll approach this next chapter with the same determination she brings to everything she does.”
Assistant coach Haley Irwin will serve as head coach on Tuesday night against the Frost, the team stated.
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