This just in, newly hired Seattle Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma told media this morning that intends on promoting AHL Coachella Firebirds assistant coach Jessica Campbell up to the NHL, which would make her the first female coach in NHL history.
Campbell has been part of Bylsma's coaching staff for the past two seasons and, by all accounts, she's a hot prospect in the NHL coaching sphere. If the Kraken don't promote her, another NHL team is likely to scoop her up.
Bylsma and Campbell are both still coaching in the AHL's Western Conference Finals, hoping to get back to the Calder Cup Final for a second season in a row.
Read below for our earlier report on Bylsma's hiring, published yesterday afternoon.
This just in, according to a report from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Seattle Kraken are hiring Dan Bylsma as their new head coach, replacing Dave Hakstol.
From Friedman:
Bylsma has been with the Kraken franchise since 2021 first as an assistant coach of their then-AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers. He's been the Kraken's AHL head coach with the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the past two seasons. Bylsma led the Firebirds to the Calder Cup Final last season and is currently tied 1-1 i in the Western Conference Final of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
He was an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings under Jeff Blashill from 2018 until 2021. Prior to that though Bylsma was a head coach in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He famously won a Stanley Cup championship with the Penguins in his first season with the team, taking over for former coach Michel Therrien.
Stay tuned for official confirmation on Bylsma's hiring.
