The Seattle Kraken promoted Jessica Campbell in a historic move on Wednesday.
The Kraken hired Campbell as a full-time assistant coach, making her the first woman to hold that position in NHL history. The move was widely expected after her stint as an assistant coach with their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, where she was also the first woman to serve on the bench in that league’s history.
Campbell was one of two coaches that new head coach Dan Bylsma hired on Wednesday. The Kraken also brought in assistant Bob Woods, who has been in the league for more than a decade.
“Jessica and I spent the last two years training in the Coachella Valley,” Bylsma said. said in a statement“I have confidence in what she can do for our staff and bring to the players. I’ve seen her build strong relationships with prospects like Tye Kartye, Shane Wright and Ryker Evans. She has the ability to relate to players about their games and what they bring to a team. She’s shown that over the last two seasons, not only with Tye Kartye and the others, but also with (veteran leaders) John Hayden and Max McCormick, among others. That’s why she’s such an attractive candidate and why she’s joining our staff.”
Campbell played four seasons at Cornell University and then as a professional in Canada and Sweden. She began coaching in 2017 and worked as an assistant and skills coach in Germany and Sweden, and also worked as an assistant with the German national team at the IIHF Men’s World Championship.
The Firebirds signed Campbell for their inaugural season beginning in 2022 and he helped them earn back-to-back trips to the AHL’s Calder Cup Final.
“He has an interesting background not only in skating, but also in skill development,” general manager Ron Francis said earlier this year. via ESPN“That’s been a big part of what they’ve been able to do with Coachella Valley. She runs the power play, she works with the forwards and she works with everyone to help them improve their skating, their skill development and like Dan said, both her and Stu Bickel have been a big part of their success there.”
The Kraken went 34-35 last season, their third in history, and missed the playoffs despite reaching the Western Conference finals the year before. The team fired coach Dave Hakstrol, leading to Bylsma being hired in Seattle. This marks Bylsma’s first head coaching job in the league since his two-year run with the Buffalo Sabres, which ended in 2017. He started with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008, where he spent six seasons and led them to a Stanley Cup win.