Ottawa Senators Announce Ottawa Charge Move to Canadian Tire Centre

The Ottawa Senators officially announced the Ottawa Charge will relocate to Canadian Tire Centre full-time beginning next season, marking a major shift in the city’s professional hockey landscape.

What happened with the Ottawa Charge and Senators?

After three seasons at TD Place, the Ottawa Charge signed a multi-year agreement to move into Canadian Tire Centre, the home of the Ottawa Senators. The announcement included Senators President and CEO Cyril Leeder, Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld, and hometown forward Rebecca Leslie, who led the team in goals during both the regular season and playoffs.

Why does this matter for Ottawa Senators?

The move comes as the PWHL determined the new 6,500-seat Lansdowne arena would be too small to handle the Charge’s average attendance of 8,131. At Canadian Tire Centre, the Charge drew 13,641 fans per game during six playoff appearances — a number that now must be sustained across a full 15-game regular season.

Will empty seats hurt the Charge’s brand?

Playing in an 18,000-seat arena risks diluting the electric atmosphere that helped the Charge build momentum. Empty seats are visible on TV, potentially deterring sponsors and new fans. The Senators themselves have reduced capacity over time for similar reasons — a full house creates a better product than scattered crowds in a cavernous space.

Is Kanata the right location for the Charge?

The Charge are leaving the central, transit-friendly Lansdowne area for Kanata, where Canadian Tire Centre sits. Fans, players, and local businesses benefit from the urban core’s amenities. Moving farther out could impact accessibility and post-game engagement, even as the Senators eye a future downtown relocation.

What comes next for the Ottawa Charge?

The team now faces the challenge of translating playoff energy into consistent regular-season support. With the Ottawa Senators sitting at 44-27 and 6th in the Eastern Conference on a W1 streak as of July 13, 2026, the city’s hockey momentum is high — but whether the Charge can ride it remains to be seen.