OTTAWA, ON (August 29, 2025) – The Ottawa Charge announced today the addition of Juuso Toivola as an assistant coach, joining the team’s staff ahead of the 2025-26 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season.
Toivola is a 54-year-old from Seinäjoki, Finland, who has over 20 years of experience in women’s international hockey. He most recently served as head coach of Finland’s National Women’s Team, which he led to a bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and two straight bronze medals at the 2024 and 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championships.
In addition to his success as a head coach with Team Finland, Toivola helped the team earn Olympic bronze in 2018, plus a silver medal and three bronze at Women’s Worlds in the role of assistant coach. He also helped Finland win its first-ever medal at the U18 Women’s Worlds with bronze as head coach during the 2011 tournament.
“Juuso has been Finland’s head coach for the last four IIHF Women’s World Championships and has been a fixture in women’s hockey in Europe,” said Charge General Manager Mike Hirshfeld. “He has worked with our defender Ronja Savolainen and goalie Sanni Ahola at the international level. Our team has an international flavour where he will fit right in.”
Toivola will be working with the defenders in Ottawa, a group that consists of eight players already signed for the upcoming season.
“I’m very excited to coach in North America for the very first time,” said Toivola. “After all these years in women’s hockey, I am honoured to work with the Ottawa Charge players and staff. I can’t wait to share my knowledge with this team, but I’m also looking forward to learning more every day in order to keep improving as a coach.”
The addition of Toivola completes Ottawa’s coaching staff, led by Head Coach Carla MacLeod, with Assistant Coach Haley Irwin, Goalie Coach Pierre Groulx, and Video Coach Greg Houde returning for the upcoming season.
Toivola will take over in place of Dean Jackson, who announced earlier this summer that he would return home to North Carolina to manage the Delta Athletic Group, his private hockey consulting company, and be closer to his teenage sons.
ABOUT OTTAWA CHARGE
Ottawa Charge is one of eight teams in the newly launched Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which was founded in 2023. The PWHL began its inaugural season in January 2024 and features the best women’s hockey players in the world. The PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide record for a women’s hockey game. For the latest news and information on Ottawa Charge, visit ottawa.thepwhl.com or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial. PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. © PWHL 2024. All Rights Reserved.