“Last year, Brianne and I clicked together and the chemistry built with every game,” Mrazova said. “We understand each other and read each other well, so you kind of know what to expect. It is really fun to play with her. And Tereza is really fast and brings good vision as well. She’s just a really good fit for us.”
At the 2024 PWHL Draft, the Charge beefed up offensively and physically by taking Canadian forward Danielle Serdachny second overall and Finnish blueliner Ronja Savolainen eighth overall.
Serdachny, 23, potted the 6-5 overtime winner against the U.S. in the 2024 Women’s Worlds gold medal game. And Mrazova, a two-time Women’s Worlds bronze medalist (2022, 2023), knows Savolainen, 26, as a frequent medal-round opponent in international competition.
Mrazova is stoked about both additions: “I’m really impressed with [Serdachny’s] skating ability. She’s a skilled player and it’s fun to watch her on the ice. She’s humble too, and I think that helps with everything as a teammate and a person. As for Ronja, I’m happy to be on the same team as her! She always plays a physical game and has a really good shot.”
Ottawa’s best shot at going deep in Year Two hinges on sticking to coach Carla MacLeod’s game plan. MacLeod, a former all-star Canadian rearguard and two-time Olympic gold medalist (2006, 2010), now does double duty as the bench boss of the Charge and the Czech national team.
According to Mrazova, the connections that the 42-year-old Albertan forges with her players are possibly even more important than her technical knowledge.
“She really cares about you, not just as a player but as a person as well, and she gets to know you. And then she has a feeling for what situations to put you in on the ice. The connections that she builds are just on another level from what I’ve seen before with coaches.”
When asked to name the PWHL’s standout talents in different areas, Mrazova picked Marie-Philip Poulin (Montreal) as the best shooter, Taylor Heise (Minnesota) as the best stickhandler, and Abby Roque (New York) as the most physical player.
The league’s reach…
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