Breaking the Ice: The NHL’s First Female Coach
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2023 and 2024 have been historic years for women in sports. From Taylor Swift showing the world that women have a place as football fans to a historic first season of the PWHL and a groundbreaking start to the WNBA season, it’s clear that women are making a significant impact on the sports scene.
Seattle's NHL franchise, the Seattle Kraken, is making waves by appointing Jessica Campbell as the first female coach in NHL history. This groundbreaking move comes amidst significant coaching changes for the team and marks another historic milestone in Campbell's career in the hockey world.
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Two seasons ago, Campbell embarked on becoming an assistant coach by joining the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Seattle’s affiliate team in the American Hockey League. Notably, she made history as the first woman to coach in the AHL during her time with the team.
“To the young girls who need to hear it…”you can and you will.” 🩵” During her time coaching for the Firebirds, Jessica was asked to coach during one of the Kraken’s preseason games, making her the second female ever to do so. ”
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Jessica's unwavering passion for hockey has been a defining aspect of her life since childhood. From cherishing dreams of gracing the NHL ice to realizing her aspirations on the collegiate stage at Cornell University, her commitment to the sport has been unrelenting. Notably, Jessica showcased her talent in the CWHL (Canadian Women’s Hockey League) as a member of the Calgary Inferno. She ventured into international competition with the Malmö Redhawks in Sweden, where she achieved a silver medal at the 2015 IIHF Women’s World Championship. These experiences honed her skills as both a skater and a formidable hockey player, ultimately paving the way for a career transition into coaching. With this shift, her ambitions evolved from yearning to compete in the NHL to aspiring to guide future talents within the league.
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In a press conference following the announcement of her hiring, Jessica told reporters, “Though I am honored to be the first, I don’t want to be the only, and I honestly don’t feel like I’m the only in this organization.... But there’s a long list of incredible women that are doing phenomenal jobs, here in management, scouting, player development. I’m just excited to do my part now behind the bench.”
Campbell will be an incredible asset to the Kraken and will surely pave the way for more female coaches in the NHL space while inspiring young girls and women to make space in the male-dominated sports world.