Clark Joins Hamilton Expansion
Ottawa Charge star Emily Clark secures a two-year contract with PWHL Hamilton through the league's expansion
PWHL Hamilton has signed forward Emily Clark to a two-year contract, the team announced June 7, completing the franchise's five-player Phase 2 roster allotment Canadian Press. The 30-year-old from Saskatoon was the highest-paid player in the PWHL last season, earning $126,090 USD, and spent every game of Ottawa's first three seasons with the Charge Daily Faceoff.
Ottawa GM Mike Hirshfeld called Clark personally on June 4 to tell her she would not be protected in the expansion process Ottawa Citizen. Within 72 hours, she had a new team.
Clark Leaves Ottawa as the Team's Iron Woman
Clark played all 100 games in Ottawa Charge history — 84 regular season, 16 postseason — without missing one Winnipeg Free Press. She is second in Charge history in goals, assists, and total points, recording 43 points overall (16 goals, 27 assists). Hirshfeld called the decision to leave her unprotected "difficult," saying, "Those players have been with us since Day 1 and we'll keep our fingers crossed... but that's just part of the process" Ottawa Citizen.
Clark is also a three-time Olympic medalist and was an alternate captain in Ottawa. Her departure, coming just 48 hours after Hamilton also signed Charge captain Brianne Jenner, leaves a massive leadership gap in Ottawa's locker room TSN.
Hamilton Fills Its Five Foundational Roster Spots
The PWHL's expansion process gives new teams six phases to build their rosters. In Phase 2, each expansion team could sign exactly five "foundational" players from existing clubs PWHL Official. Hamilton signed goaltender Kayle Osborne and Brianne Jenner on June 5, then added international star Alina Müller and defender Nicole Gosling on June 6. Clark's signing on June 7 closed out that allotment.
Hamilton GM Meghan Duggan set the tone early, saying "Culture, character and competitiveness are the foundation... there's no shortage of talent ready to play and compete in this league" The Hockey News. Clark reunites with former teammate Jenner, a connection local media has framed as a "homecoming" for the Hamilton area's hockey community CBC News.
Clark's Offensive Dip Raises Questions About Her Role
Clark's 2025-26 season was a step back offensively. She recorded just 9 points in 30 games, down from 19 points the season before Daily Faceoff. Analysts say Hamilton is not counting on her to score. Instead, they see her as a "shutdown" defensive forward and veteran leader to anchor an expansion locker room full of new faces.
Her $126,090 salary — the highest in the league — could also create budget pressure for Hamilton Sportsnet. The team still has three-quarters of its roster to fill. Scouts and analysts expect Hamilton to target cheaper, high-value rookie contracts at the June 17 Draft to balance out the cost of their star-heavy Phase 2 class.
Hamilton Is Built to Be a Day-One Hockey Market
Hamilton's expansion was confirmed on May 13, 2026, alongside Las Vegas, Detroit, and San Jose, growing the PWHL from 8 to 12 teams AP News. The city earned its spot partly because of a January 2026 neutral-site game at TD Coliseum, where 16,012 fans showed up to watch a regular-season PWHL match PWHL Official. Hamilton is the only PWHL market without a direct NHL team competing for local attention.
Taylor McKee of Brock University argues Hamilton is an "underserved market" where a pro women's hockey team could have an outsized economic impact TSN. PWHL EVP Jayna Hefford summed up the league's approach to expansion simply: "Our priorities were clear — to give players a meaningful voice while maintaining competitive balance" PWHL Official.
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