Seattle Kraken could appoint Jessica Campbell as the first female NHL coach
Photo credit: Coachella Valley Firebirds
The Seattle Kraken are reportedly considering Coachella Valley assistant coach Jessica Campbell for an NHL coaching job, which would break down a huge barrier in the sport.
Per newly named Seattle Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma, Campbell has a legitimate shot to be named to his coaching staff, based purely on how she was able to help with the overall development of multiple prospects with Coachella Valley.
"Jessica's been part of that conversation. Stu Bickell has been part of that conversation and what they've done the last two years in developing players down there — Tye Kartye, Ryker Evans — is evidence of that, so they are part of the conversation about going forward with the staff here," Bylsma said.
Kraken GM Ron Francis was quick to point out that Campbell was anything but a diversity hire. Francis told reporters this week that Campbell is a legitimate candidate based on her body of work and the fact that she's a quality coach.
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"The job she's done is the reason why we hired her. We didn't hire her because she was female. We hired her because she was a good coach. She has an interesting background, not only skating but skill development and that's a big part of what they've been able to do at Coachella Valley."
If named to Bylsma's coaching staff in Seattle, Campbell will have broken down a longstanding barrier, opening the door for more females to pursue prominent NHL jobs in the future.
Jessica Campbell has an extensive background in hockey, which has given her the necessary qualifications to pursue such job opportunities as her current position in the American Hockey League.
Campbell has represented Canada on a number of occasions, taking home some important hardware including, including a gold medal in the women's U18 world championship in 2010 and a silver medal at the 2015 women's world championship. She also won a Clarkson Cup with the CWHL's Calgary Inferno in 2016.
Following her playing career, Campbell became a powerskating coach, working with the likes of Luke Schenn, Shea Weber, Andrew Ladd, Brent Seabrook and as many as 16 other NHLers.
Previously on MapleLeafsDaily
| POLL |
1 JUIN | 306 ANSWERS Seattle Kraken could appoint Jessica Campbell as the first female NHL coach Will the Kraken hire Jessica Campbell as a full-time assistant coach in the NHL? |
| Yes | 222 | 72.5 % |
| No | 84 | 27.5 % |
| LIST OF POLLS |
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