Ottawa Charge head coach Carla McLeod announced a cancer diagnosis

McLeod, 43, will miss the Charge’s next game against Minnesota First on Dec. 2, but said she wants to be behind the bench as much as possible.

“(The fear of missing out) will be real,” McLeod said in the statement. “I am incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by world-class players, coaches and staff who will continue to drive our group forward.”

MacLeod has been Ottawa’s head coach since the team’s inception in 2023. Internationally, she coaches the Czech women’s hockey team.

“I want everyone to know that I’m going to be fine,” he added. “I am incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional medical team guiding me.”

In charge general manager Mike Hirschfeld announced that assistant coach Haley Irwin will step in as head coach against Frost.

“The charge and (PWHL) are here to support Carla during her treatment,” Hirschfeld said through a statement. “We know she will approach this next chapter with the same determination she brings to everything she does.”