Head coach Dan Bylsma, left, and assistant Jessica Campbell, coach the Coachella Valley Firebirds during their game against the San Diego Gulls at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif, April 21, 2024.

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Jessica Campbell makes history as first female assistant coach in NHL

Swati Bhatia

Last updated: October 24, 2024 - 2 min read

While the Seattle Kraken didn't make an ideal start to their new campaign, it was a special day for their head coach Jessica Campbell.

Jessica Campbell wrote her name in history books on Tuesday night as she became the first female full-time assistant coach in NHL history. The 32-year-old marked the milestone during Seattle Kraken’s season opener against the St Louis Blues.

Although the Kraken lost 3-2, Campbell acknowledged the “magnitude and the importance” of the special moment.

“I definitely understand that the magnitude and the importance of this moment is really important for our game,” she said.

“It fuels me every day just knowing that I’m a part of something way bigger than myself.”

When asked how she felt leading up to the historic game, Campbell said, “For me, it’s just a normal day.”

“I think the moment leading up to the game and stepping on the bench…I’m really going to try to honour what it is, because I know, and I definitely understand that the magnitude and the importance of this moment is really important for our game”, she added.

Before joining the Kraken, Campbell was part of the coaching setup for Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League (AHL). During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in leading the team to back-to-back Calder Cup Finals appearances

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The Seattle Kraken head coach, Dan Bylsma, also credited Campbell for making a big impact in the NHL.

“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.

The former Canadian Women’s Hockey League player expressed hopes that her breaking the glass ceiling in a men-dominated field will open the door for other women as well.

“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. And it’s part of a movement. It’s part of, I think, really important change.”

Credit: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jessica Campbell

Swati Bhatia

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!