Introduction
We have seen many great assistant coaches over the years in the NHL such as Lorne Henning, Paul Maurice and Jacques Martin but we have never seen a female assistant coach in the NHL. This has now changed as the Seattle Kraken signed Jessica Campbell as one of their assistant coaches, marking an important day in history as she will be known as the first female on bench coach in the NHL.
Playing career
Jessica Campbell’s playing career never really got going as she only played for 12 years with only four of them being professionally; however, she did get to play in the NCAA (W) which is a big step as it is one of the best college/university women's leagues. She also played in leagues such as: SFMAAAHL (W) which is the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA HL, CAHS (W) which is the Canadian High School Hockey, and the CWHL which is the Canadian Women's Hockey League.
Jessica Campbell started playing in the NCAA (W) in the 10/11 season for Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Campbell was a regular player who was selected by Doug Derraugh (head coach of Cornell University for the 10/11 season). She demonstrated a high level of offensive awareness and prowess during her four years with the university team. She would play 131 games putting up a solid 100 points demonstrating her knowledge on the ice and her shooting and passing prowess.
Campbell made her professional debut in the CWHL in the 14/15 season with the Calgary Inferno. She would be one of the top players in the three players she played in the league as she averaged around 16.67 points a season in an average of 21 games. She demonstrated good passing ability and a good shooting prowess with her wrist shot being deadly when hit correctly. In the 15/16 season she became a one time CWHL champion, a cup she would remember her whole career as it was her first professional trophy.
Campbell went on to miss the 17/18 & 18/19 seasons to be an assistant coach in the CWHL. She then made the transition to European ice hockey when she signed for the Malmö Redhawks in Sweden. She continued right from where she left off two years ago, she dominated the top end of the ice but also showed that she had developed a two way game as she would play the 200 foot game all year long. She would score 12 points in only 5 games.
Coaching Career - So far
As previously mentioned Campbell was an assistant coach in the CSSHL U18 in the 17/18 & 18/19 seasons; she coached the Pursuit of Excellence team. She also coached for some of the 19/20 season after leaving Sweden, she was the assistant coach of the Okanagan HA U18 Prep team in the CSSHL U18 league. Sadly we were unable to find the finishing positions of these teams those years.
Going away from coaching on the bench Jessica Campbell became a skating coach for the 20/21 season for the Malmö Redhawks in the SHL, the Malmö Redhawks finished 9th that season. She would then transfer over to DEL; the top league in Germany, as she signed for the Nürnberg Ice Tigers as a skills coach; however she was only a skills coach for half of the season before the team promoted her to assistant coach and she took upon a role on the bench during game nights. The Ice Tigers finished 8th that season. She was also the assistant coach of the Germany National Team in the IIHF World Championship.
The 21/22 and 22/23 seasons saw Campbell coach in the American Hockey League (AHL) , the league underneath the NHL. This was a big step up in her career but she knew and had what it would take to be successful. She worked for the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the two seasons alongside Dan Bylsma (the new head coach of the Seattle Kraken). Campbell did well with coaching in the AHL, showing that she could use her two way game knowledge to coach a balanced team to win at both ends of the ice.
Making history and joining the NHL
July 3rd 2024, a date which will go into the history books as the NHL welcomes their first ever female assistant coach to the league. The Seattle Kraken signed Jessica Campbell as their full time assistant coach for the 24/25 season, she became the first ever female coach in the NHL.
Campbell will bring her extensive hockey knowledge to the NHL with her and provide it to the players of Seattle to help them chase after their first Stanley cup next season. She is a good coach; who can focus on both ends of the ice and ensure her team covers both ends securely to increase their points for and decrease the points against.
Conclusion
Jessica Campbell’s appointment as the first female full-time assistant coach in the NHL is a groundbreaking moment in hockey history. Her journey from a notable player in leagues like the NCAA and CWHL to a respected coach in both North America and Europe highlights her dedication, knowledge, and passion for the game. Campbell’s extensive experience, particularly in developing a well-rounded two-way game, makes her a valuable asset to the Seattle Kraken. As she steps into this historic role, she not only breaks barriers but also sets an inspiring example for future generations of women in hockey. With her on the bench, the Kraken are poised to leverage her expertise as they pursue their first Stanley Cup, underscoring the importance of diversity and inclusion in driving success both on and off the ice.
Author of Article: Calan Yule
Editor: Will Harris & Calan Yule
Proofread By: Will Harris
© EIHL News Central
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