Sask. woman makes NHL history behind the bench
Rocanville's Jessica Campbell has been hired by the Seattle Kraken, making her the first woman to be hired as a full-time coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).
"Jessica and I spent the last two years coaching in Coachella Valley,” said Kraken Head Coach Dan Bylsma in a media release. “I’m confident of what she can do for our staff and bring to the players.”
Campbell already broke barriers when in 2022 she was hired as the assistant coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the minor league affiliate of the Kraken.
This move made her the first female behind the bench as a full-time coach in the American Hockey League (AHL).
“I’m so focused on my goals and coaching,” she told CTV News in September of 2023. “When you’re inside the bottle you don’t necessarily see what’s the perspective from the outside because I’m just so focused on making sure the work, the impact, and what I’m doing every day, my coaching approach is up to the par that I expect of myself.”
“She has the ability to relate to players about their games and what they bring to a team,” Bylsma said. “She’s demonstrated that over the last two seasons.”
“That’s why she is such an appealing candidate and why she’s joining our staff,” he added.
Campbell, 32, grew up playing for the Melville Prairie Fire in the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League before going to Cornell University (NCAA) from 2010 to 2014.
She also played for the Canadian Women’s National Team at the World Championships in 2015.
After her playing days ended, Campbell caught the attention of pro hockey coaching circles as an assistant coach for Germany at the 2022 IIHF Men's World Championship while becoming the first woman on the coaching staff of a men's national team at the esteemed tournament.
She spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant and skills coach for the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany. Her work in Europe and as a skating and skills guru came up frequently when Bylsma was calling contacts to fill out his first Firebirds coaching staff.
The Kraken open their regular season on Oct. 8 against St. Louis when Campbell will break the historic ground.
--With files from Brit Dort…
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Suspect in shooting of Toronto cop was out on bail
A 21-year-old man who was charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a Toronto police officer this week was out on bail at the time of the alleged offence, court documents obtained by CTV News Toronto show.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
DEVELOPING 2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building near Montreal's City Hall, sources told Noovo Info.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
A 6-year-old girl was kidnapped in Arkansas in 1995. Almost 30 years later, a suspect was identified
Nearly 30 years after a six-year-old girl disappeared in Western Arkansas, authorities have identified a suspect in her abduction through DNA evidence.
Dolphins 'smile' at each other when they play and to avoid misunderstanding, study finds
For humans, flashing a smile is an easy way to avoid misunderstanding. And, according to a new study, bottlenose dolphins may use a similar tactic while playing with each other.
Pit bulls in B.C. pet mauling tested positive for meth, cocaine, says city
Three pit bulls involved in a deadly attack on another dog last month in Kamloops, B.C., tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine, and the city is going to court to have them put down.
Tax rebate: Canadians with low to modest incomes to receive payment on Friday
Canadians who are eligible for a GST/HST tax credit can expect their final payment of the year on Friday.