OTTAWA, ON (July 28, 2025) – The Ottawa Charge are proud to announce that goaltender Gwyneth Philips has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep the Playoff MVP in Canada’s national capital through the 2027-28 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season. This marks the first time in team history where a player currently signed for the upcoming season has been signed to an extension.
The 24 year old from Athens, Ohio, helped the Charge’s playoff push by compiling an 8-5-1 record, including two shutouts, in her rookie season with a 2.11 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .919 save percentage (SV%). Her efforts made her a finalist for PWHL Rookie of the Year, Goaltender of the Year, and earned her a spot on the PWHL’s All-Rookie Team. The third-round pick from Northeastern University was even more brilliant in the playoffs, starting all eight games without suffering a regulation loss as the Charge eliminated Montréal then battled Minnesota for the Walter Cup in the final. Overall, Philips posted a 4-0-4 record with a stunning 1.23 GAA and a .952 SV% to become the first goaltender to receive the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award.
“This is a very exciting day for our organization,” said Charge General Manager Mike Hirshfeld. “Anyone who watched the PWHL Playoffs last year saw what an incredible player Gwyneth is and how she can impact a game. When we drafted her, we believed that she had the ability to be one of the top goaltenders in the world, and after her performances last year, we are even more convinced. At her age, as she gains more experience in the PWHL and at the international level, we believe she can elevate her game even further. Gwyneth told me that she loved playing in Ottawa and this was a perfect fit for her. We are delighted to bring her back for three more seasons.”
The right-catching netminder stepped up to make the most of all opportunities last season, both with the Charge and with Team USA. When veteran Emerance Maschmeyer suffered a season-ending injury on Mar. 11, Philips took over the crease and her play brought Ottawa from outside a playoff position into their first postseason and their first appearance in the PWHL Finals with a cumulative record of 10-3-4 down the stretch. At the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, Philips entered the gold medal game against Canada to replace an injured Aerin Frankel during the third period and backstopped her team to an overtime victory.
“I’m super excited to be staying in Ottawa. From the very start, I saw how special this city is and how supportive the fans are,” said Philips. “I’m so honoured to play in front of the best fans in the league and represent Canada's capital city. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue with this great program and embrace this wonderful city as my own. November can’t come soon enough!”
Prior to the PWHL, Philips enjoyed a five-year collegiate career at Northeastern, where she graduated as the NCAA record holder with a .958 SV%. During the 2023-24 season, she established Huskies records for wins (34), games played (38), and minutes played (2,272). Among her accolades, Philips was named the National Goaltender of the Year in 2023, was a two-time Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist and a two-time First-Team All-American.
Philips is one of 23 Charge players who are signed for the 2025-26 season, with the roster comprised of 12 forwards, eight defenders and three goaltenders. She is the second player signed through the 2027-28 season along with defender Rory Guilday – the team’s first-round pick in 2025 – whose agreement was announced on Friday.
Season Ticket Memberships for the 2025-26 season are available via the Ottawa Charge website .
Click here for a full list of PWHL offseason transactions.
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.