As milestones go, Ottawa鈥檚 Carla MacLeod called it important, yet complicated, in taking part in the involving two teams coached by women.
The significance, she said, was obvious in a league where she and Montreal’s Kori Cheverie are currently the only two female head coaches. What struck MacLeod as curious was how the issue of equity between genders was still considered newsworthy in 2026.
Perhaps, the moment represented the next aspirational step toward a new normal, she wrote in a text to The Associated Press before the Charge series began against the eventual champion Victoire. Montreal won the series with a .
鈥淔or a long time, most professional leagues kept women out of leadership positions. The PWHL has helped create a space where women can be seen,鈥� she wrote.
鈥淎nd that visibility matters, not just for today鈥檚 players but for the next generation coming up,鈥� MacLeod added. 鈥淗opefully, one day, this won鈥檛 be something we point out.鈥�
PWHL opens doors for women
The PWHL has made numerous strides in the three seasons since being launched.
With the addition of four expansion teams next season, the league’s doubled in size by expanding to 12 franchises.
Teams have outgrown their initial facilities, with the PWHL now favoring arenas with a minimum capacity of 8,000.
And though privately financed by baseball鈥檚 Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, the PWHL is well represented by women, including his wife, Kimbra, as well as tennis icon Billie Jean King and her partner Ilana Kloss, who are among the league’s governing board members.
And while many executive roles are filled by females, , where the league still lags is at the coaching ranks. The league previously featured three female coaches before to coach at Princeton.
One reason for the discrepancy is development time and access to jobs, with women previously having few opportunities to coach outside of the college ranks.
NHL Coaches’ Association gets an assist
Inroads are being made with a big assist from , which in 2020 launched a female coaches program to develop their skills. The program began with 50 members, including Cheverie, and has now had 137 participants from six countries.
The program features participants working directly with NHL coaches, and influenced both the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 games.
The most notable program participant is who, in Seattle, became the NHL鈥檚 first female assistant coach. To date, eight program graduates have held full-time jobs in various NHL roles, plus two in the American Hockey League, and seven in the PWHL.
Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations, is proud of the opportunities the league has provided women. However, she stressed, the hiring process focuses on landing the best candidate, man or woman.
Much like the NHL no longer being exclusive to men, the PWHL prefers attracting the top talent to broaden the game.
鈥淚 like to think of diversity of thought. And if you don鈥檛 have people that come from different backgrounds and different perspectives, you鈥檙e going to have a bunch of people that see something the same way,鈥� Hefford said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 not challenging enough.鈥�
That doesn鈥檛 take away from the significance of two women-coached teams competing for the Walter Cup.
鈥淚 think we鈥檝e maybe crossed the threshold of where there are women that have been in the game or have played the game that have a lot to offer,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I think that鈥檚 really exciting.鈥�
Cheverie hoists the Cup
The moment wasn鈥檛 lost on Cheverie in becoming the first female PWHL coach to hoist the Walter Cup, after Minnesota’s Ken Klee won the first two titles.
鈥淐arla and I both know we鈥檙e part of something important. And I hope it opens even more doors going forward,鈥� Cheverie wrote to the AP on Thursday. 鈥淥f course, being the first head coach to win the Walter Cup is very special. But it鈥檚 also a reflection of all the people who helped pave the way before me.鈥�
Among the pioneers are Victoire GM Daniele Sauvageau, a Hockey Hall of Famer, and first female hockey coach to win an Olympic gold medal, after overseeing the Canadian women in 2002.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been years in the making,鈥� Sauvageau said, noting it will become no different than other jobs women have filled, such as lawyers, police officers or doctors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 equity in the making, and equity has to be everywhere not just women鈥檚 sports or men鈥檚 sports,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 just more doors open for women in the sporting industry, including hockey.鈥�
MacLeod is encouraged by the developments.
鈥淔or a long time in professional sports, men (because of their) experience and leadership have been able to cross between the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 games, but women haven鈥檛 always been given that same opportunity,鈥� MacLeod said. 鈥淗opefully, that continues to change. Good hockey is good hockey. Good coaching is good coaching.鈥�
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