A Hometown Hero in the Wrong Jersey
Ottawa has a funny way of welcoming its own back — and Jamie Lee Rattray is about to experience that firsthand. The Kanata native grew up just a short drive from Canadian Tire Centre, the same rink she's now set to skate into as alternate captain of the Boston Fleet for the PWHL semifinal.
Rattray knows exactly what she's walking into. The crowd filling the seats won't be chanting her name — unless it's in frustration. For a player who likely dreamed of playoff hockey as a kid in the west end, this is the kind of storyline that makes the PWHL so compelling to watch.
Kanata to Boston: A Career That Came Full Circle
Rattray's path through professional women's hockey has been a long one, built on years of competing at the highest levels of the game. Now wearing an alternate captain's 'A' for Boston, she's one of the veteran leaders the Fleet lean on when the stakes are highest.
Returning to the city where she grew up — skating past neighbourhoods she knew, hearing an arena that was once a place of local pride for her — as the opponent adds a layer of emotion to what's already a high-pressure series. It's the kind of subplot that playoff hockey lives for.
The CTC Crowd Will Be Loud — Just Not for Her
Canadian Tire Centre playoff atmosphere is something Ottawa fans take seriously. The building gets loud, the energy is real, and the home crowd has every intention of willing their team past Boston. Rattray, who understands that crowd better than most visitors ever could, will have to tune out the noise she once grew up loving.
That's the unique position she finds herself in: deep local roots in a building full of people rooting hard against her. It takes a certain mental toughness to walk into that environment and perform — which is exactly why she wears the alternate captain's letter.
Ottawa Watching One of Its Own Shine
Regardless of which side of the ice you're cheering from, there's something worth appreciating here. Ottawa produced a player good enough to captain a professional women's hockey team in a playoff series. That's not nothing — and it's a reminder that the capital region has quietly been exporting elite hockey talent for decades.
For the PWHL Ottawa faithful, the job is clear: cheer loud, cheer hard, and make the building as hostile as possible. For Rattray, the job is equally clear — channel whatever mix of nostalgia and competitive fire this moment brings, and help Boston advance.
Only one side gets what they want when the final buzzer sounds. Playoff hockey is rarely sentimental.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
