Charge’s Carla MacLeod navigates desire to coach and need for cancer treatment

By Canadian Press on December 1, 2025.

OTTAWA — Carla MacLeod says it won’t be easy reconciling her desire to coach hockey with her need for breast cancer treatment.

The coach of the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge and a two-time Olympic gold medallist for Canada feels she has the support of the hockey community in both.

MacLeod is optimistic she’ll continue coaching the Charge, and also the Czech women to the Olympic Games, but says there may be modifications to her time with both teams.

The 43-year-old from Calgary won’t be behind the Charge’s bench when Ottawa hosts the Minnesota Frost on Tuesday. She hopes to return to the Charge for Thursday’s game in Toronto against the Sceptres.

MacLeod has coached Ottawa since the team’s first year and reached the Walter Cup final last season.

She also coached Czechia to the country’s first women’s world championship medal in 2002, and repeated the bronze medal the following year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2025.

The Canadian Press