July 3: Seattle has officially promoted Campbell, per Clark. She’ll indeed be the first woman behind an NHL bench when next season begins. They’ve also hired former Wild assistant Bob Woods in the same role, per a team release. Woods, who had been behind the Minnesota bench since 2017, was fired along with head coach Dean Evason last November.
May 28: The Kraken still have one spot to fill after promoting Dan Bylsma from AHL Coachella Valley to be their next head coach. When they let go of Dave Hakstol last month, the team also announced that assistant coach Paul McFarland would not be returning. During his introductory press conference today, Bylsma said the organization is considering promoting Jessica Campbell, who serves on his AHL staff, for the role (via ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark).
If hired for the role, Campbell would be the first woman to serve as a full-time assistant coach in the NHL. As a player, she won the silver medal with Canada at the 2015 World Championship, along with a four-year career at Cornell University and a three-year stint professional with the Calgary Inferno of the defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League. After retiring in 2020, the 31-year-old spent a handful of seasons coaching in Europe before being named to Bylsma’s staff in Coachella Valley ahead of the 2022-23 season.
It wouldn’t be her first time serving on the staff of a top-level men’s professional league team, though. She served as the skating coach for the Swedish Hockey League’s Malmö Redhawks in 2020-21 and an assistant for the Nürnberg Ice Tigers in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in 2021-22. When tabbed to the inaugural Coachella Valley coaching staff two years ago, she also became the first woman to be a full-time assistant at the AHL level.
If replacing McFarland’s role directly, Campbell would assume control of the Kraken’s power play, which clicked at just 18.4% – 28th in the league – during his three-year tenure. The power play has also been her purview in the AHL, finishing roughly league average (~20%) in both seasons.
Both Bylsma and Campbell’s seasons are still ongoing in Coachella Valley. The Firebirds are back in the Western Conference Finals of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second year in a row.
LOL
Nothing more pathetic than being afraid of the success of women.
I’m sure the PWHL has some job openings.
Is it success or wokeness? I find it hard to believe that NHL players would listen to and respect a coach that played at level no higher than boys U16 AAA…
gowings, then you don’t know squat about coaching. Some of the greatest coaches never played at the highest level.
When did Scotty Bowman retire from playing?
She was already the AHL assistant coach and they deliberated for over a month, so I think you can throw out the wokeness thing. Hiring of women into roles in sports is currently a market inefficiency in many sports that smart orgs take advantage of. If she fails to perform, she gets to suffer the fate as all other coaches.
I grant you that the Kraken probably gave her a longer look due to the market, but that’s no different than Montreal favoring Francophones.
They just favour those who can speak French… Because of their fan base. You hire the person you think can do the best job with the assets you have. Woman, man, even AI. This isn’t wokeness or a diversity hiring.
Scotty Bowman, Harry Sinden …
Then you have all the current coaches who never played pro hockey. Fellow who was holding the Cup in his hands last week, guy named Maurice? Derek Lalonde. Greg Cronin. Jon Cooper never played above high school level. I can’t find anything that suggests that André Tourigny played organized hockey at all.
So tell me something: when did you question THOSE coaches’ credentials?
I dont know her, are they doing that because she is women or because she is a coach master? If she could lead me to the Stanley cup, I’m hiring her right now. Its the only question that matter.
Well then read up on her and figure it out for yourself
@Josh — It might help other readers out to add Jessica’s EP link to help answer their questions (link to eliteprospects.com).
My issue isn’t gender, it’s age and lack of NHL experience. That would be a hurdle for me as a player— wouldn’t want my coach to be someone younger than me, even if I can manage their lack of NHL experience.
Assistant coaches are often younger; they don’t just sit ’em out until they’re 40. Some of the best coaches in any sport never played at the top tier.
Players mainly care about what a coach knows and if they can make them better.
You’re looking for excuses not to like this, that betray the beginning of your comment.
So Paul Maurice would do nothing for you, huh.
There’s nothing to pick at in my comment.
Again, I don’t care if the coach is a purple dinosaur who makes ice cream appear out of thin air. I wrote, if I played there, I’d be leery of a first time NHL assistant, especially one who has never played men’s hockey before, the same way I would for any number of coaches who have never played organized hockey, let alone at a high level. Especially if they’re younger than I am.
And that’s a legitimate concern, which has been echoed here. And that’s fine.
And it has been proven wrong in many individual cases. And that’s fine.
Stop projecting.
@deepseamonster32 -Do you not even consider the personal interactions that go on between a player and a coach? Do you think a man will confide in the same way with a woman as he would with another man? Are they going to interact the same way on the bench?
Every decision in life isn’t based on some naive notion of equality. There are realities that supercede qualifications.
You would totally care if it was a purple dinosaur who makes ice cream appear out of thin air. I would too.
I have so many questions. What flavour of ice cream, soft serve or classic, will I turn purple if I eat it, etc :P
Projecting. That’s all people are doing.
Like doubting someone, even though they have years of experience, but not at a “level” deemed adequate.
Projecting. Like suggesting that someone isn’t good for the job because they don’t meet your silly criteria like age.
Projecting. To assume, or assess without confirmed knowledge because of the orientation, gender, race or culture of the person. Doubting a track record for silly, stupid or disgusting reasons.
Projecting. Scared she could totally beat you up.
Your opinions are dated. Your bias is showing <3
If a man cannot confide in a woman simply because of her gender. Then that is not a man.
That’s like suggesting that a female homosexual is more approachable because you both lay women. Absurd at best.
The reality is they trust her more to develop into an asset than bringing someone else into the organization.
The same trust you question in a coach/player interaction simply because of a difference of gender.
If you’re incapable (or unwilling) to acknowledge that there are issues that men will discuss with other men that they would be much more reluctant to discuss with a woman, then you either lack real world experience or just refuse to accept reality.
Gbear, she’s their coach, not their gynecologist. I think you need a male doctor.
You ever watch college sports, where many teams have female student athletic trainers?
I think a professional athlete can handle a woman assistant coach, and if he can’t he can request a trade to Nashville.
Maybe you should do some research on what happened with the U.S. womens gymnastics program to get an idea of why it may not be such a good idea to have males and females in close proximity to each other. And that’s just one of many examples.
Men and women interact with each differently than they do with each other. If that’s not apparent to you, then I can’t help you.
These ideas are antiquated at best and using one example in a plethora of examples is shortsighted. I too, can line up a bullseye after I’ve fired several shots. You are likely in the same group that suggests boys and girls be separated throughout their education because their marks are better, even though these kids are inadequately developed socially. Again I’ve agreed with the societal part. At my age I’ve realized people suck and people can feel inadequate for the stupidest of reasons. However, this conversation was rooted in a professional job opening, to which I believe these “issues” and professionalism cannot coexist.
You know you can look things like this up on the internet right? The overwhelming majority of coaching staffs in the NHL are aged in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. There are very few exceptions to that rule and they’re in their late 30s. Campbell is an insane reach at 31 years old to be an NHL coach of any kind. You should be honing your craft at the lower levels like every other coach has done, I actually hope she does well but it’s pretty clear that this is a publicity hire.
She has an extensive track record of working as an assistant coach. What is the big deal?
See previous statement….What don’t you understand? It’s not a controversial or wild opinion to think she isn’t qualified for this job, it’s completely objective. She’s not even really qualified to be a head coach of a women’s college program just yet. Do you really think some original six team would pull a stunt like this? A guy with her exact resume doesn’t get a full time, on the bench job with an NHL team. Just calling out the double standards of 2024.
Bringing a strawman argument like “you want boys and girls seperated in schools” doesn’t help you here. We’re talking about an athletic environement that’s unique from most other occupations.
The odd thing here is that there would be more job openings for women to coach if the view I’ve expressed were in force.
Where, objectively, based on your years of coaching experience, think that she is not qualified for the job? Are you just looking at wikipedia?
Also do you even know why she was considered for the job? Maybe a guy doesn’t want the assistant coach job and she did. Maybe she wanted it more. Maybe she worked harder than everyone else to get that job. Maybe she has great new ideas that work on the ice when implemented. Do you know every single candidate that was considered? Do you think they made this decision over night?
This is pertinent information if you’re calling it a double standard. Also calling it a “stunt” is just an unreasonable slight on her.
On that same notion, how did you feel about the Martin St.Louis hire? Or any father that has hired their son into an organization. What were their qualifications?
It’s clear you’ll never back down from this even though the evidence is hitting you right in the face. If you don’t get it, then I just guess you’ll never get it. I GUARANTEE you the majority of NHL players and coaches are rolling their eyes at this.
I just think you’re projecting your values onto an entire league.
You cannot guarantee anything. Just as I cannot guarantee she was the best person for the job.
I think we’ve beaten the dead horse back to life at this point :P
Let’s put er to rest.
Yes, agree to disagree. But I think people forget who we’re talking about. Most of pro hockey is incredibly traditional/old school, whatever you want to call it, I don’t want to put a political label on it, it’s just the journalists and people covering it who aren’t. That’s almost all of pro sports.
You’re only claiming she’s unqualified because she’s a woman. She’s young for a coach, sure. But she’s a rookie assistant coach, and there will always be some 30 year olds amongst them — often the highest upside coaches. The kid running San Jose got an AHL head coaching job at 32.
The Kraken saw the results in Coachella, and we can see it too — two Calder Cup Final appearances. The Kraken promoted their AHL coaches, after they had success. Any smart team would have considered it.
If it’s a double standard, Great. There was a double standard in baseball at one point. Many teams had an archaic view like ChipCran and Gbear have today, believing Blacks and Whites couldn’t play on the same ballclub. The Brooklyn Dodgers thought Blacks were just as good as Whites. Those Dodgers won a lot of pennants while the other clubs kept their heads buried in the past. Let’s Go Kraken!
NHL players would probably eye-roll you more, believing they aren’t professional enough to listen to a good coach. You’re extremely disrespectful to the professionalism of the NHL player.
If the person is qualified, fine. Otherwise it’s pandering.
Be careful don’t make too much rational sense or you’ll be accused of “being afraid of the success of women”.
My view on this is very simple and traditional: men should coach men and women should coach women.
So you think all the male coaches in the PWHL ought to be fired then?
In school, should men only teach men, women only teach women? In an office, should men only manage men, women only manage women?
I’ll tell you what your “simple and traditional” view is: ignorant, outdated and sexist.
Geno Auriemma needs to go! What’s he ever done
Do you think there are no qualified women to coach professional womens hockey?
If you’re unable to differentiate between an office enviroment and an athletic one, I would suggest you’re an ignoramus.
Then why only for sports should men coach men and women coach women?
Do you know of another entity where coaching is involved?
Gbear. If you owned a hockey team. And you needed a coach. And you have a female assistant who’s been with the team for half their life (let’s say 40 years old) and 65 year old Zamboni driver who’s an old man. Who are you giving the job between the two options?
There are literally thousands of people coaching in various leagues that are capable of being an NHL assistant coach. Your example is silly.
If a female candidate is glaringly better or better suited for the job than a male candidate. You’re suggesting you would go with the male candidate regardless?
Who is she glaringly better than? This isn’t some small town that lacks applicants to coach powder puff softball.
But qualifications isn’t my argument here. It’s the environment one is working in that’s at issue and how it may effect everyone involved, not just one person.
Based on your previous comments I just wanted you to elaborate. Do I think there are men that are unable to feel comfortable discussing things with women or vice-versa? Of course I do! I live and breathe on the same planet. Do I think there’s a place for that in a professional environment. Of course not. People should get over their hiccups and leave that draconian society/sentiment behind. So that is why I have provided you with two examples to challenge your feelings and opinions about the topic. I highly doubt you’re so concrete or binary about the topic. There has to be a line drawn and I’ve given you the opportunity to put it where you’d like. Right now it seems like you’re totally hiring the Zamboni driver.
Based on this post it would appear you haven’t read most of what I’ve previously stated. Hire the zamboni driver?
Case in point as to the problems that may arise: Players between periods often change out of their equipment between periods. How does a female coach, who may want to converse with a player or group of players during the intermission do so? Do the players have to change their routine to accomodate this new situation? Does the coach have to approach a situation indirectly, unlike her male collegues?
Situation #2: Can players joke around with a female coach like they would a male coach, or do they have to watch every word that comes out of their mouth in fear that some reporter attending a practice overhears something and decides to print it and cause a headache for the team?
This isn’t a question of whether Ms. Campbell is qualified or if she’s a good person or not (there’s no reason to think she’s not smart and a good person), but there’s a group of highly paid players who are being asked to accomodate a situation that may not be optimal for them.
Bro has lost the plot completely.
She was an assistant coach in the AHL. NHL players are professionals with cameras constantly on them.
You are inventing a fantasy scenario to justify your asinine conservative beliefs.
Really, camaras are in dressing rooms? Do you know how players in Coachella felt about the situation? Do you think they would dare speak out if they did find the situation to be uneasy knowing the backlash they would face?
I’m sorry that reality doesn’t bend to your leftism, but it doesn’t.
“Asinine conservative beliefs” lol have you ever met a pro hockey player/coach or been around them? I think you’d be in for a wake up call. This isn’t the Theater or Art world we’re talking about.
Sweetheart, I’m a tradesman.
I don’t know exactly how the Coachella players felt about her, but considering they made the Calder Cup Final both seasons, I think those boys managed to properly respect a lady coach.
(this is also where I point out how your overt sexism serious indirect consequences. You mentioned how there’s similar jobs in the PWHL. You and I both know the salaries are trivial at the PWHL compared to the NHL. Denying a qualified coach like Campbell a class of job opportunities solely based upon sex has real financial consequences that, while easy for you to ignore, certainly would be noticed by the victim of your sexist attitudes.
And I use ‘sexist’ LITERALLY. You are literally sexist when you define someone’s opportunities solely upon sex, which is what you do)
so ✨progressive✨
This seems more like a technology problem than a thinking problem. People aren’t just *allowed* to hold “contradictory” opinions; every opinion is a blend of dynamics that are inherently different. There’s no such thing as virtue, only opinions. Personally, I don’t get to choose what the kraken do, and they do stuff I like and stuff I don’t. I like some women, I like some men. I like some coaches, I like others less. I do get a self-congratulatory vibe from the way the kraken write about this in their own PR, which I dislike, but also maybe it’s a necessity of something seemingly new happening. I wouldn’t try to apply logic to desire, but I would use it to examine emotion. Not everyone is in the same space in life and they shouldn’t be. My personal opinion about Campbell behind the bench includes things such as my wondering how I would perform if my coach was a woman I’m attracted to as well as my belief that genius comes in all shapes and sizes and diversity is healthy, so there’s conflict. One of my favorite quotes is “when Jesus said ‘I come to save the sinners,’ he didn’t mean from themselves, but from the ‘righteous’.”
Everyone is a spineless contrarian. It’s what happens when there’s no imminent threat of physical damage to beseech those with nothing good to say.
Ah yes another token female to check a box. Maybe Seattle did their due diligence and chose the most available candidate for the job…
I’ll admit to doing an eyeball roll. Time will tell if it’s a good move or not. I wish her the best of luck.
Mark all em White Knights!
I’ve never seen so many comments around the internet about an assistant coach hire. It’s obvious that some folks hate the hire because she’s a woman, but it’s just as obvious other folks love the hire solely because she’s a woman. Neither of those positions seems all that helpful for winning hockey games, and my guess is that anyone in her position would resent being a pawn for a cause almost as much as she would hate being automatically looked down on for her gender. But that’s just my guess.
100% agree with @Drew28
We should celebrate this hire. Her history indicates she has qualifications in line with other first time assistants, and the fact the Kraken hired her means it will be easier for other teams to hire qualified women. Enough that someday, hopefully soon, it will go by without debate.
But let’s celebrate the 1st!
Promote her to HC position. I’m serious. It’s gonna become evident soon whether she’s fit or it’s just “the message” hire
A bunch of angry men in their feelings in the comments because a woman got hired to coach in the NHL?
I’m shocked, I tell ya. Shocked.
Anger has nothing to do with it. It’s a matter or whether something is appropriate or not. If this were a video coach or even skill instructor position, no one would care.
What’s not appropriate is saying jobs should be off-limit to women because some men are pigs. She’s one of their bosses. They are adults.
Maybe you should talk to members of the U.S. womens gymnastics program about this subject.
Yes, there are positions that it would be better that men don’t fill and that women don’t fill. The interests of the applicant are not the only interest involved.
Was Sheldon Kennedy’s coach a woman?
What your concerns require are safe reporting mechanisms, not denial of opportunity for half the population
Also, what about Sue Bird? You seem to be focused on heterosexual tension, but everybody who knows women’s sports knows there’s a lot of Sue Bird-types.
So are we having Sue Bird coach WNBA because she’s a woman, or does Sue Bird have to coach NBA because she’s attracted to women?