Jessica Campbell made history on Oct. 8 as the first full-time female coach in the NHL, opening the door for greater gender diversity in professional hockey. Her achievement represents a step forward for the sport, offering women an inspiring role model in a field dominated by men.
Campbell’s path to coaching in the NHL succeeded an impressive playing career. Before transitioning to coaching, she was a phenomenal player in women’s hockey both at the collegiate and professional level.
The young player’s hockey career took off with Team Saskatchewan, where she spent three years as a key player and served as a captain twice, representing the province in the National Women’s Under-18 Championship for three consecutive seasons. Her talent shone brightly in the 2009 Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament, where she was named the team’s MVP. The following year, Campbell reached new heights, amassing 57 goals and 47 assists for 104 points in just 41 games.
Campbell continued her rise at Cornell University, playing for the Cornell Big Red, in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2010 to 2014. In her debut season, she made an immediate impact, notching a hat trick against the Robert Morris Colonials and delivering key goals during the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Hockey semifinals. Campbell finished her freshman year with 26 points in 31 games.
Her success extended into her professional career in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL). In the 2014-2015 season, Campbell became the first rookie to captain Team White at the CWHL All-Star Game. Her leadership and skills on the ice culminated in 2016 when she helped the Calgary Inferno capture their first-ever Clarkson Cup championship, scoring two goals in an 8-3 victory over Les Canadienne de Montréal.
After her impressive playing career, Campbell shifted her focus to coaching. Her impact on the ice continued in a different capacity as she took on leadership roles behind the bench.
After retiring from the Canadian national team in 2017, Campbell began her coaching career with high school girls’ hockey before launching her own successful business, JC Powerskating. Campbell’s clientele included NHL players Tyson Jost, Stanley Cup champion Joel Edmundson and Olympic gold medalist Natalie Spooner.
In 2021, her coaching career took a major leap when she became an assistant coach for the Nürnberg Ice Tigers and the German national team, marking the first time a woman coached at the men’s world championship.
In July 2022, Campbell continued to strive for greatness as she was hired as an assistant coach for the Coachella Valley Firebird, the top minor league affiliate of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, making her the first full-time woman behind the bench coach in the American Hockey League (AHL). Campbell’s journey continues in 2024 as she became the assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken, making her the first woman to hold such a role in the NHL.
Jessica Campbell’s journey is a powerful testament to the strides women are making in men-dominated fields. Her astonishing achievements, both as a player and now as a coach, are inspiring women across the world to pursue their passions and redefine what’s possible. Her success not only represents her own talent, but also serves as a reminder that gender should never be a limitation. Let her journey be known as more than accomplishments — it’s about empowering women to step into roles that were once considered out of reach.