The Ottawa Charge Have Officially Locked in First Round Pick, Vivian Jungels
The Ottawa Charge have officially locked in their first round pick Vivian Jungels from the Wisconsin Badgers to a one-year deal.
Draftee signings have continued to amp up however first-round pick signings have been few and far between with Jungels becoming just the third first round pick to sign alongside Laila Edwards (San Jose) and Tessa Janecke (Las Vegas).
Through expansion the Charge lost rookie defender Rory Guilday to San Jose so when the draft rolled around it was no surprise they went defence, as Rebecca Leslie and Fanuza Kadirova came alive last season on offence.
Well many fans are questioning why it is a short-term deal the Charge are likely looking to keep cap space open heading into camp and as their first-round pick she becomes a restricted free-agent at the end of the season allowing them ample time to agree on an extension.
In expansion the Charge were hit hard losing Captain Brianne Jenner and Assistant Captain Emily Clark to Hamilton, along with many other depth players. Working with short-term deals allows them more room to bring veterans and youth through training camp as they look to rebuild and make their way back to the Finals for the third straight year.
As for Jungels she brings lots of playoff experience winning 3 NCAA National Titles in her time with the Badgers. She has found ways to contribute on both sides of the ice, recording 62 blocks last season along with 75 career points through 165 games, which for a defender is really good. Through her time in the WCHA she faced and played with a lot of the current PWHL players becoming familiar with their style of play, giving Jungels the ability to jump right into Ottawa’s lineup and have a major impact.
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