Controversial Reports Arise Surrounding NHL's First Female Coach

In her first game behind the bench with Seattle, Jessica Campbell sparked some interesting discussions on who the first female NHL coach was.

Jessica Campbell Sparks Debate over Who Was the First Female Coach in the NHL

As it should be, the announcement that the Seattle Kraken invited Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant coach Jessica Campbell behind the bench for their pre-season game against the Calgary Flames was widely celebrated on social media.

Almost immediately, people claimed that she was the first female coach in the NHL. However, conflicting reports over that were quickly brought up.

Women Making Strides in NHL Coaching Circles

Campbell is an amazingly talented Coach and is deserving of every opportunity that has been earned by her. She was the first-ever female assistant coach in the AHL and helped the Coachella Valley Firebirds to the Calder Cup Finals in the team's first season. She also has an international resume, being the assistant coach for Team Germany at the 2022 Men's World Championships, becoming the first woman in the history of the tournament to do so.

However, who the first-ever female NHL coach is up for debate. Some say it should go to Kori Cheverie, who was on the bench just a few days before Campbell with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Others say that female trainers like Aisha Visram of the Los Angeles Kings and Jodi van Rees of the Montreal Canadiens should count.

Really, the debate is almost trivial. The important thing to take away from this is that this is just the beginning for women in the NHL, and the league is better off for it.

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