Why does Ottawa Charge captain Brianne Jenner also deserve to hoist the PWHL's Walter Cup?

Charge captain Brianne Jenner looks up ice as she skates with the puck behind Ottawa's net during Game 4 at the Canadian Tire Centre on May 10, 2026, when the Charge eliminated the Boston Fleet to move to the Walter Cup final. "I'm so thrilled to be a part of this group," Jenner said. Photo by Shane Francescut Photography /PWHL

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The greatest moment any true team captain can enjoy is being presented a championship trophy, and for all she’s done in women’s hockey, Montreal Victoire “legend” Marie-Philip Poulin deserves the thrill of having the Walter Cup handed to her next week.

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But so does Brianne Jenner.

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While most of the talk heading into Game 1 of the PWHL’s final centred around “Captain Clutch” — a nickname bestowed upon Poulin because she has scored game-winning gold-medal goals in three Olympics — the spotlight on Jenner felt a little less bright.

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The 35-year-old Poulin did score nine goals and 18 points while being limited to 19 regular-season games by a “lower-body” injury. And she did star in Montreal’s opening-round elimination of the defending champion Minnesota Frost, picking up five points to tie Ottawa’s Fanuza Kadirova for top spot in the playoff scoring race, despite seemingly still hampered by the issue.

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Montreal Victoire forward Marie-Philip Poulin, left, and Laura Stacey celebrate Poulin’s third-period goal against the Minnesota Frost in Game 5 of the PWHL semifinal series on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at Place Bell in Laval. Photo by Arianne Bergeron /PWHL

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But more of a surprise was the continued excellence of Jenner in what was the best season of her three wearing the Ottawa “C”.

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Like Poulin a long-standing key member of Canada’s national program, the recently turned 35-year-old had career highs across the stats board in the 2025-26 season.

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Jenner finished fourth in league scoring with 26 points on 12 goals and 14 assists, and despite picking up just one point in four playoff games against the Boston Fleet, she was a multi-faceted force in the semifinal upset.

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“I think she was just more rewarded for her game,” Charge coach Carla MacLeod said in a Zoom call when asked how her captain has elevated her game. “Look at Jenny’s career. She’s just an impact player in every phase, with every team she’s ever been on. I think she is one of the best players ever to play our game. She’s been the consummate leader for our group, and obviously a key component and key contributor as to why we are here, talking about the Walter Cup again this season.

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Ottawa Charge head coach Carla MacLeod talks to Brianne Jenner during practice at the Bell Sensplex in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

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“These women are so professional, and when they just stick to what they know and what’s got them here, typically these scenarios find their way. She puts in the work every single day, the detail, the video, behind the scenes, all in on practice, all in on games. It’s not a surprise result. It’s a direct reflection of her hard work.”

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How long has this hockey season felt for Jenner?

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Determined to earn a spot on Canada’s Olympic roster for a fourth time despite her advancing years, Jenner spent much of the six months between the Charge’s final playoff game last spring and the first game of this season training harder than ever.

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She returned from the Milan Games to pick up a goal and three assists in Ottawa’s first six games, and, after a four-game pointless drought, finished the season with a flourish, scoring three goals and four assists in the Charge’s four-game push at the wire to make the playoffs.

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Brianne Jenner, seen during practice at the Bell Sensplex in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, admits the 2025-26 campaign has “been a higher load than any season that I’ve played. But it’s actually flown by.” Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

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“It’s definitely been a higher load than any season that I’ve played,” she said. “But it’s actually flown by. We’re having so much fun in our group, all I can say to you is I’m just so glad that it’s not over yet, so glad that we’ve got some games here to try to reach the top of the mountain. It’s been a long one, but at the same time, just a great journey. And I’m so thrilled to be a part of this group and to be on it with them.”