The Ottawa Charge and Vancouver Goldeneyes of the PWHL made a significant trade involving six players on Sunday evening, setting a new league record for the most players in a single trade at this point in the season. The trade was finalized just before the PWHL’s upcoming Olympic break.
Leading the list of new players for the Ottawa Charge is Michela Cava, who was previously tied for third in points for Vancouver with one goal and four assists in 13 games. Additionally, Ottawa welcomed forward Brooke McQuigge and defender Emma Greco to their roster.
Vancouver acquired three forwards in the trade, including rookie second-round pick Anna Shokhina, a three-time Olympian for Russia. Shokhina, aged 28, has had a slow start in the PWHL, recording one goal and three assists in 12 games. The Goldeneyes also added two-way forward Mannon McMahon and Anna Meixner, who is part of Austria’s national team.
All of Ottawa’s new players have experience winning the Walter Cup with the Minnesota Frost. Cava is a two-time champion, McQuigge was a rookie on last year’s championship team, and Greco won the cup in 2024 before playing for Boston last season.
Charge general manager Mike Hirshfeld praised Cava, calling her a proven winner and highlighting her performance in the previous PWHL Walter Cup Finals. Ottawa is currently tied for fifth place with Toronto in the standings, having won six consecutive games before a recent loss to Montreal.
On the other hand, Vancouver, positioned at seventh in the standings, is struggling with offensive production, averaging a league-low of 1.7 goals per game and ranking seventh in goals allowed at 2.6 per game. The team is on a three-game losing streak and has a record of 1-4-2 in their last seven games.
Vancouver GM Cara Gardner Morey expressed optimism about the impact the new players will have, emphasizing their abilities to contribute on both offense and defense. The team aims to compete with determination and speed, qualities embodied by the incoming players.