Bones Star David Boreanaz Slams Seattle Kraken for Letting Jessica Campbell go

Jessica Campbell, former Canadian ice hockey player, became the first female assistant coach in NHL when she was hired by Seattle Kraken.

Bones Star David Boreanaz Slams Seattle Kraken for Letting Jessica Campbell go

Jessica Campbell, David Boreanaz (Images via KOMO News/Entertainment Weekly)

In Short
  • The Seattle Kraken have parted ways with Jessica Campbell, the first female assistant coach in NHL history.
  • David Boreanaz criticized the Kraken for not renewing Campbell's contract, calling her a "head coach" and a "winner."
  • Speculation suggests Campbell may pursue a head coaching position in the expanding Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

The Seattle Kraken are really shaking things up after a third straight playoff miss. The Kraken and Jessica Campbell, who made waves a couple of years ago as the league’s first female assistant coach, have parted ways, as her current contract expires at the end of the season.

The former ice hockey player and silver medalist at the World Championships in 2015 moved into coaching after retiring in 2017. She made waves in 2021 when she was appointed as an assistant coach for the German men’s team at the World Championships, the first female to ever do so. She later joined the Seattle Kraken’s AHL affiliate, Coachella Valley Firebirds, as an assistant coach and played a significant role in their consecutive Calder Cup finals appearance.

In 2024, she was called up to Seattle, where she became the first female coach to be on the bench besides the players during game time. In her two years, first with Dan Bylsma and second with Lane Lambert, the Kraken finished sixth in the Pacific division and missed out on the playoffs. Despite Kraken’s poor records during her servitude, Campbell has generated a huge support, also helping the league to bolster its viewership among females.

Seattle choosing not to renew her contract has invited questions from the Kraken fanbase and beyond, including the famous American actor David Boreanaz. Boreanaz, who’s an avid fan of the Philadelphia Flyers, claimed that the team lost a winner, calling her a ‘head coach.’ He commented on the Instagram post announcing her departure:

She’s a head coach. U lost a winner.

Though it’s not currently known what’s next for the history-making coach, the speculations are trending towards a head coach position in the PWHL. The PWHL, which has become one of the fastest-growing leagues in the country following a rapid pace of fanbase growth following the Olympics, is expected to announce four expansion teams. The league currently has eight teams after Seattle and Vancouver joined the Inaugural Six in 2024.

David Boreanaz rose to fame as Angel in the popular teen drama ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘ and its spinoff series, ‘Angel.‘ He later took on the protagonist role of Seeley Booth in the forensic archaeological show, ‘Bones.’ The 56-year-old is set to appear in the reboot of ‘The Rockford Files.’

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Jessica Campbell may find her new place in the expanding PWHL

The Professional Women’s Hockey League initially started with six franchises, representing three cities in the United States of America and Canada. The Minnesota Frost won both seasons to date, while Montreal Victoire and Toronto Sceptres placed first in the regular season standings.

Former AHL assistant coach Kris Sparre took over in Boston, a shift from PWHL's usual coaching trends (Image via The Boston Globe)
Former AHL assistant coach Kris Sparre took over in Boston, a shift from PWHL’s usual coaching trends (Image via The Boston Globe)

The Ottawa Charge, New York Sirens, and Boston Fleet were the other original members. In its third and current season, Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent joined the rest, growing the league to eight members. After a successful Takeover Tour that saw the league visit cities without a franchise, the league is reportedly planning for a four-team expansion process spread across multiple seasons.

The PWHL has considered several markets for a team. Detroit and Denver are considered strong contenders, while Vegas is an emerging market, especially after the backing from the NHL team from the area, the Golden Knights.

Chicago and Washington are also names that have floated around. Though multiple Western Canadian cities were considered by the league, certain issues in terms of arena and partnership have halted the talks.

Interestingly, Hamilton could emerge as one of the four teams speculated to join the league. The league, initially expected to announce the expansion in April, has postponed the announcement to May, probably aligned with the Walter Cup playoffs for maximum visibility.

The playoffs kicked off on April 30, with the second-placed Boston Fleet taking on the Ottawa Charge at the Tsongas Center. The Fleet, led by the newly instated head coach Kris Sparre, defeated the Charge 2-1 in the first game. Alina Muller and Jamie-Lee Rattray found the net for the Fleet. Sparre’s elevation to head coaching the Fleet was a fresh change from the league’s coaching hiring trends.

Previously, he served as an assistant coach with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL for three seasons. Though the league seems to give opportunities to lesser-known names, Sparre’s success with the Fleet may force the owners of the newer franchises to turn towards Jessica Campbell.

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