Rookie Mannon McMahon's unlikely rise in Ottawa

There was really only one reason Mannon McMahon went to the 2024 PWHL Draft: it was right next door, so to speak. “I only went to the draft because it was 20 minutes from where I live,” McMahon explained in a recent phone interview, noting that she wasn’t sure she’d get picked at all. “Being there in person, I didn’t know what would happen. I got drafted a lot higher than I anticipated.”

In a seven-round draft that saw 42 players get picked, McMahon was chosen by the Ottawa Charge with the second pick of the fifth round (26 overall). As exciting as that moment was, McMahon’s work was just beginning.

"Just being drafted was a dream come true," said the University of Minnesota-Duluth grad.

Instagram @mannonmcmahon / Via instagram.com

"Even though I was drafted, I was still basically trying out. There were only two open contracts in camp, and I got one. I just remember the whole summer leading up to it was pretty intense. Doing everything to train to get a spot. Stay focused and in the moment. During training camp, it was hard and very intense. Focus on winning every rep, every battle. It was a hard few weeks, mentally and emotionally, because I wanted it so bad. And physically, too, because I’m playing with the best players in the world."

Now, less than a year later, McMahon has become one of the Charge's most reliable and upbeat players, appearing in all 30 games this season after never missing a game in her five-year career at Minnesota-Duluth, where she set a program record with 173 consecutive games played.

"I get asked about the durability thing a lot," the 23-year-old forward said with a chuckle. "I don’t know... maybe good genes? My parents are former athletes but there’s no hockey history in my family at all. Good trainers. I definitely care about what I eat, what I drink, and how I sleep."

Even though her parents are from Iowa where they were more into baseball and basketball, they’d moved to Minnesota which meant Mannon grew up in hockey country. “Everyone plays hockey there and it's what everyone talked about at school, so I decided to play, too,” she remembered.

She went to Maple Grove High School, where she played soccer along with hockey, then moved up to Duluth, an approximately 2-hour and 15-minute drive away. McMahon played five seasons there, appearing in two straight Frozen Fours, earning the captain’s “C” and being honored as UM-D's Most Outstanding Senior Female Athlete in 2023-24.

Even with all she’d accomplished as an amateur, however, the jump to the PWHL was no joke.

"The speed of play is so much quicker," she said. "When you hear those words as a rookie, you’re like, ‘Yeah, OK,’ but then the first practice I was just blown away by the speed. You have to keep up to even play physical. You have to make plays at a much faster rate.”

Despite effectively spending her whole life in Minnesota before this season, McMahon has embraced Ottawa.

"I had only been to Canada once before," she admitted. "But it honestly reminds me of Minnesota a lot. I love it here."

McMahon was referring in this instance to the city of Ottawa itself; but she loves her new team just as much, if not more.

“In pro that can go differently, but here in Ottawa they made me comfortable and made it easy,” said McMahon, who finished the regular season with 4 goals and 4 assists. “I’m very grateful to be a part of this group because they’ve helped me so much.”

McMahon cited veteran forward Emily Clarke as being particularly influential. "Clarkie’s my linemate. I admire her calmness,” McMahon said. “She’s the same Emily, every single day. I try to be the same Mannon every single day. I want to be the same positive light in the locker room every single day. Some days you gotta fake it ‘til you make it. But that presence has rubbed off on me. Being the same consistent person on and off the ice translates well.”

The effort McMahon puts in as a teammate hasn’t gone unnoticed. Teammates and staff describe McMahon as a magnet—someone whose energy and attitude lift the room.

Now, Ottawa is preparing to play the top-seeded Montréal Victoire in the PWHL Playoff semifinals. The Charge stumbled at the finish line last year, missing the postseason after a crucial loss to Toronto. McMahon thinks this year’s group can go far.

"There’s so much talent in this locker room," McMahon said. "If each of us plays to our potential, we’ll be fine. And I think we will."

"We had a bit of a groove going before the [Worlds] break," McMahon added. "Seven days off was nice—chilled in Ottawa, didn’t travel—but now it’s time to lock in."

Though she’s now firmly entrenched in the PWHL, McMahon is also thinking about international play.

"Playing [in the Worlds or Olympics] is a dream of mine,” she said. “I got a taste with the Rivalry Series and it left me hungry. It was special being around that group. I definitely want to keep getting those opportunities."

When we spoke, her mother was about to arrive in town to see the Charge play and stay for a week. "I’m super excited she’s coming,” McMahon said. “She hasn’t seen Ottawa yet, so I want to show her around."

The enthusiasm over her mom’s visit is a reminder that Mannon McMahon is still just a 23-year-old learning on the fly. “I don’t take any day for granted. I’m like the kid who is happy to have made it,” she said.

And the Ottawa Charge are happy to have her.