“A young player dreaming of playing in the NHL,” Jessica Campbell becomes 1st female assistant coach in NHL, joins Seattle Kraken

Seattle Kraken strengthens its forces by adding 1st NHL female assistant coach, Jessica Campbell, into their organization prior to the regular season games.

“A young player dreaming of playing in the NHL,” Jessica Campbell becomes 1st female assistant coach in NHL, joins Seattle Kraken

Jessica Campbell [Image Credit: MOPO]

Jessica Campbell joins Seattle Kraken as she marks her first journey in the NHL world as an assistant coach. She becomes the first in the NHL to do so. When asked why the team chose her over other candidates, head coach Dylan Bylsma said she had a strong portfolio which made it hard to not choose her.

Furthermore, Campbell has not only proven her talents in grooming and coaching ice hockey players, but she was also part of the hockey world before she ended her career after the 2019-20 season. Apart from that she is a talented skier and a skill development coach.

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The news was announced on Wednesday afternoon, as Jessica Campbell got hired as Dylan Bylsma’s assistant coach. She already has experience working with Bylsma with the Coachella Valley Firebirds for two seasons. She was also the first-ever female coach in the AHL with the Firebirds.

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I grew up as a young player dreaming of playing in the NHL because that’s all I knew. I never imagined being able to coach at this level.
Jessica Campbell as per NHL.com.

During her stint with them, Campbell boosted the team to back-to-back Calder Cup Finals in their first two seasons. She also has a record of working as an assistant coach at the Men’s World Cup Championships in 2022, becoming the first woman to do so in that event.

Seattle Kraken head coach Dylan Bylsma highly praises Jessica Campbell

Seattle Kraken head coach Dylan Bylsma has high confidence in assistant coach Jessica Campbell. He said that she has demonstrated her talents in the last two seasons with the Firebirds, which made her “such an appealing candidate.”

Jessica Campbell [Image Credit: Cornell University Athletics]
Jessica Campbell [Image Credit: Cornell University Athletics]

Byslma liked how she approached the players and got to know them. Not only that, she had the talent to commit to player development and bring the best out of them.

She has the ability to relate to players about their games and what they bring to a team.
Dylan Bylsma as per Chris Cerullo of RMNB.

Campbell commented it was nice to see “my words were welcomed, and I was respected. I realized I can do this.” Even Firebirds forward Luke Henman complimented her teaching saying, “She’s a huge part of our team…She’s a great teacher…I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.”

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