She Made Ice Hockey History, Becoming The First Woman Working Full-Time As An NHL Assistant Coach
As the puck dropped in the Climate Pledge Arena on October 8, Jessica Campbell made ice hockey history, becoming the first woman working full-time behind the bench as an NHL assistant coach.
She was hired as The Seattle Kraken’s assistant coach in July and made her debut during the team’s season-opener game against the St. Louis Blues this past Tuesday.
“For me, it’s just a normal day in terms of my work, in terms of my routine, in terms of all those pieces,” she explained.
“I never want to diminish the things that I’m doing because I’m so focused on the task at hand, but I also know that being focused on the task at hand has allowed me to get to this moment and is going to continue. So, I have to stay focused on what matters most, which is the guys and the team and the success that we want to have.”
The crowd applauded while Jessica was introduced as assistant coach for the very first time, and she flashed a brief smile. But while she was concentrating on the team during the game, she also admitted that the gravity of achieving such massive milestones tends to “hit her” later on.
“I just know that the young kids who are at their first hockey game tomorrow, all they’re going to know is that there can be a female coach behind the bench. It’s really special for me,” Jessica said.
“It fuels me every day just knowing that I’m a part of something way bigger than myself and my job and coaching. Though that’s what I care about the most, and that’s what I’m most passionate about, it’s knowing that by doing this, by showing up every day, by keeping my head in the right space, I know that only good can come of it.”
Jessica played ice hockey at Cornell University from 2010 to 2014, going on to become team captain during her senior year. Then, she played professionally in both Canada, her native country, and Sweden. She was the MVP of the 2010 under-18 World Championships when Canada won gold.
By 2017, Jessica had begun her coaching career, working in the youth leagues in Canada. She also coached in Sweden and Germany, becoming the first woman to coach at the men’s world championships while working as an assistant coach for the German national team in May 2022.
dusanpetkovic1 – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
Just two months later, she made her way to the U.S. and became the first woman to coach in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, a minor-league affiliate of the Seattle Kraken.
Her latest achievement has torn down barriers to entry in the sport of hockey. Women have come to hold coaching positions in the NFL, MLB, and NBA, but no woman has ever been a full-time coach in the NHL.
“Hopefully, somebody else will have a door held open for them versus them having to push it open and find ways to unlock it. I look at the other women around me and other people in the industry doing their piece and doing a fantastic job of it,” Jessica stated.
“And it’s part of a movement. It’s part of, I think, really important change. Anytime you have different people in the room, you get different and good outcomes; you get unique outcomes. You get problems solved in a different way, and I think that’s how you get ahead in life and in sport.”
The Kraken’s first game ended in a 3-2 loss to the Blues. Yet, according to head coach Dan Bylsma, there was still an obvious upside.
“Jessica being a female coach in the NHL for the first time; it’s great for her, and it’s great for the game,” he said.
Following the game, Jessica caught up with her loved ones, who traveled to Seattle to celebrate. They also grabbed dinner together afterward and “embraced each other in the moment.”
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