The PWHL has elevated women in hockey at every level, except coaching. The league still is dominated by men behind the bench with six of eight head coaching roles controlled by men. The only teams in the PWHL with women in the head coaching role are the Montreal Victoire with Kori Cheverie, and Ottawa Charge with Carla MacLeod.
While the league has chosen to predominantly select men to lead their teams, there remains an abundance of qualified and capable women who could step in and lead PWHL teams.
One barrier that will keep some women from the league, and see others like former Boston Fleet head coach Courtney Kessel leave the league, is pay. Many of the NCAA's top coaches, like Ohio State's Nadine Muzzerall, make more by a significant margin coaching in the NCAA. There are other long term coaches who could all take PWHL jobs like Laura Schuler and Katie Crowley who could take jobs, but getting them to leave their programs is the other issue.
Jessica Campbell is the first and only woman on an NHL bench, and she's not likely to move to the PWHL, although she'd instantly be tabbed for a head coaching role if she wanted to make the shift.
As conditions for players and coaches continue to improve in the PWHL however, expect that to change, and for the league to attract not only the best players, but the best staff as well.
This season PWHL teams hired three new head coaches in Boston's Kris Sparre, Seattle's Steven O'Rourke, and Vancouver's Brian Idalski. All three were hired by women in their team's general manager positions. With as many as four new teams set to join the PWHL in 2026-27, there will be coaching opportunities available across the league.
Here's a look at some of the women who could be coaching candidates for the league in the next round of expansion.
Haley Irwin - Long time Canadian national team star, Irwin had four seasons of U SPORTS experience as an assistant with Toronto Metropolitan University before joining the Ottawa Charge as an assistant. Now three seasons into her tenure, Irwin got on the job training taking over from Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod down the stretch as MacLeod continued cancer treatments.
Caroline Ouellette - Hockey Hall of Fame member has two seasons of experience as an assistant with the Montreal Victoire, was an assistant for Canada at the Olympics and World Championships, and a decade of coaching experience with Concordia prior to moving to the PWHL. She's ready.
Valerie Bois - Guided Bishop's University to a U SPORTS national championship as head coach of the program, and this season joined the New York Sirens as an assistant coach.
Brianna Decker - Hockey Hall of Fame inductee spent the last two seasons coaching at Shattuck St. Mary's before joining the Minnesota Frost as an assistant this season. Her jump to the PWHL shows Decker wants to be part of the league, and she'll be a name to watch from here on out.
Stefanie McKeough - McKeogh has several seasons of coaching experience as an assistant, including three with the Boston Fleet, and three with the University of Ottawa before that. McKeough is also an assistant with Canada's U-18 national team.
Rachel Flanagan - Five-time OUA coach of the year in her 16 seasons as head coach of the University of Guelph. Flanagan also coached Canada at two Universaide competitions. She's spent the past three seasons as an assistant in Toronto, but with her head coaching experience, she's a contender.
Vicky Sunohara - She could be in the inside category working with the Toronto Sceptres as a Coaching Consultant, but her main roles are as head coach of the University of Toronto for the last 14 years, and head coach of Canada's U-18 national team the last two seasons. She will be a frontrunner for a PWHL job, or perhaps to take over with Canada's senior national team.
Kim Weiss - There just aren't many candidates out there with professional coaching experience, which teams are realizing is more important than once thought in the league. Weiss was promoted to assistant coach this season with the AHL's Colorado Eagles. She has head coaching experience at the minor levels, and also served as an assistant in the NAHL. She's a name to watch.
Jennifer Wakefield - She only hung up her skates in 2023, but Wakefield has severals seasons of experience working with the Netherlands' national team, spent a year working with the University of Ottawa, and the last two seasons has been coaching the defence, and special teams at Penn State.
Tara Watchorn - Former Canadian Olympian recently finished her third season as head coach for Boston University, after two seasons as head coach at Stonehill. The challenge in luring NCAA coaches is most are making substantially more, with more security, coaching collegiately than they can in the PWHL.
Shari Dickerman - Two seasons of experience as head coach at Minnesota State with more than a decade as an assistant. It's not likely she gives up the post she waited so long to get, but Dickerman is a name on the rise as she's also now in her fourth season as an assistant with Team USA, including winning gold at the 2026 Olympics.
Megan Bozek, Maura Crowell, Melanie Ruzzi, Mira Jalosuo, Stacey Colarossi, Britni Smith, Kelly Paton, Kelly Nash, Venla Hovi, Taylor Wasylk, Molly Engstrom, Lee-J Mirasolo.