Rebecca Leslie Bio
Rebecca Leslie (born May 8, 1996) is a Canadian ice hockey forward who currently plays for the Ottawa Charge in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). A right-shooting forward standing 5 feet 6 inches tall, she has built her career across collegiate, club, and international ranks. She is widely recognized for her leadership, including serving as captain of the Boston University Terriers during her senior season.
Leslie began her professional career in 2018 with the Calgary Inferno of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), where she won the Clarkson Cup in her rookie season. After the CWHL ceased operations, she joined the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA) and was later drafted by PWHL Toronto in 2023. In 2024, she signed with PWHL Ottawa and has since continued her career with the rebranded Ottawa Charge.
Early Life and Background
Rebecca Leslie was born on May 8, 1996, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Growing up in the nation’s capital, she was introduced to hockey at a young age, a sport deeply embedded in Canadian culture. Her early environment, surrounded by both community rinks and a family with ties to the game, helped shape her path toward competitive ice hockey.
Leslie is the sister of Zac Leslie, a professional ice hockey player who has primarily competed in the American Hockey League (AHL), the top developmental league for the National Hockey League. The shared passion for hockey within the Leslie household contributed to Rebecca’s development and reinforced her commitment to pursuing the sport at higher levels.
Path to Hockey
Leslie’s progression through youth hockey led her to represent Canada’s U18 national team in 2014. During that tournament, she tallied five points across five games and helped Canada capture gold at the IIHF Women’s World Junior Championship. The experience provided her with early international exposure and confirmed her trajectory toward a professional career.
Following her junior success, Leslie committed to Boston University, where she played four seasons of NCAA Division I women’s hockey. Over the course of her collegiate career, she amassed 171 points in 139 games, establishing herself as one of the program’s most productive players. In her senior year, she was named team captain, underscoring her leadership qualities and on-ice consistency.
Rebecca Leslie Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Rebecca Leslie began her professional career in 2018 by signing with the Calgary Inferno of the CWHL. The transition from collegiate hockey to the professional ranks came with new challenges, but she adapted quickly and made an immediate impact. Her performance in her rookie season earned her recognition as a finalist for the CWHL Rookie of the Year award.
In her first professional campaign, Leslie contributed to one of the league’s signature achievements, helping the Calgary Inferno win the Clarkson Cup. The championship victory was a major milestone in her young career and reinforced her reputation as a reliable two-way forward capable of performing on big stages.
CWHL Closure and PWHPA Years (2019–2023)
Following the dissolution of the CWHL in 2019, Leslie joined the newly established PWHPA, an organization formed to advocate for a sustainable professional league for women. During this period, she participated in exhibition events and training opportunities designed to showcase the talent of women’s hockey players while pushing for league reform.
Her time with the PWHPA allowed Leslie to maintain her competitive form and continue developing her game against top-tier opponents. The experience also kept her visible to league organizers as they worked toward launching a unified professional circuit in North America.
PWHL Toronto (2023–2024)
Leslie was selected in the 12th round of the 2023 PWHL Draft by PWHL Toronto, the league’s Toronto-based franchise. She signed a one-year deal with the team in November 2023 and quickly became part of the inaugural PWHL roster. Her transition into the new league marked a significant step in her professional journey.
During her single season with PWHL Toronto, Leslie tallied two goals and seven assists over 24 regular-season games. Her production demonstrated her playmaking ability and reliability as a depth contributor, helping Toronto establish itself as a competitive franchise in the league’s first year of operation.
Ottawa Charge Era (2024–Present)
On June 24, 2024, Rebecca Leslie signed a one-year contract with PWHL Ottawa, bringing her career full circle to the city where she was born. In the 2024–25 season, she contributed one goal and two assists across 27 regular-season games, taking on a steady role within the team’s forward group.
Leslie elevated her performance in the postseason, adding two goals and one assist in eight playoff games during the 2025 PWHL playoffs. On June 18, 2025, she secured a two-year contract extension with the Charge, now rebranded as the Ottawa Charge. The deal reflected the organization’s confidence in her continued contributions on the ice and in the locker room.
Driving Style and Strengths
Rebecca Leslie is recognized for her hockey intelligence, two-way reliability, and steady playmaking ability. As a right-shooting forward, she excels in transition and has demonstrated an ability to contribute in all three zones. Her captaincy experience at Boston University speaks to the respect she commands from teammates and coaches, while her consistent production across multiple leagues highlights her adaptability and work ethic.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Leslie’s most notable achievements is winning the Clarkson Cup with the Calgary Inferno in her rookie professional season. She also contributed to Canada’s gold medal at the 2014 IIHF Women’s World Junior Championship and made her senior national team debut in 2019 during the Rivalry Series. Being selected in the inaugural PWHL Draft in 2023 stands as another defining moment in her career.
Rebecca Leslie Career Wins
Rebecca Leslie’s professional resume includes championship-level success at multiple levels of the sport. Her career wins reflect a consistent ability to perform in high-pressure environments, from junior international tournaments to professional postseason play.
Clarkson Cup and Club Highlights
Leslie’s most prominent club victory came in 2018, when she helped the Calgary Inferno win the Clarkson Cup. As a rookie, contributing to a championship was an exceptional start to her professional career and remains one of the highlights of her resume. In 2025, she added to her postseason experience with a strong playoff performance for the Ottawa Charge.
International Achievements
In 2014, Rebecca Leslie was part of Canada’s gold-medal-winning squad at the IIHF Women’s World Junior Championship, where she posted five points in five games. She later debuted with Canada’s senior national team in 2019 during the Rivalry Series, marking her arrival on the senior international stage.
Rebecca Leslie Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Rebecca Leslie comes from a family with strong ties to competitive ice hockey. Her brother, Zac Leslie, is a professional ice hockey player who has spent the majority of his career in the American Hockey League, the NHL’s primary developmental circuit. The siblings’ shared commitment to the sport has been a notable feature of the Leslie family’s athletic identity.
Personal Life
Rebecca Leslie was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, the same city where she now plays professionally for the Ottawa Charge. She maintains an active presence on social media, where fans and followers can follow her career. Details regarding her marital status and children are not publicly available.
2025 Season Performance
Rebecca Leslie’s 2024–25 season with PWHL Ottawa, now known as the Ottawa Charge, was marked by consistency and postseason impact. During the regular season, she appeared in 27 games, contributing one goal and two assists while serving as a reliable depth forward within the team’s system.
Leslie elevated her game in the 2025 PWHL playoffs, registering two goals and one assist across eight games. Her offensive contributions in the postseason helped the Charge make a deeper run and demonstrated her ability to perform when the stakes were highest. Following the playoff campaign, the organization rewarded her efforts with a two-year contract extension on June 18, 2025.
Looking ahead, Leslie is expected to remain a steady contributor for the Ottawa Charge as the team builds toward future playoff contention. Her leadership experience, international pedigree, and two-way reliability position her as a valuable piece of the franchise’s long-term plans in the PWHL.
