Ian Kennedy takes a look at 25 women with strong qualifications to earn NHL coaching gigs in the near future.

The Vancouver Canucks added a pair of women, Émilie Castonguay and Cammi Granato, as assistant general managers this season. They were the first, and others followed. Similarly, women have been hired in player development roles, and as members of analytics departments. No woman has ever stood behind an NHL bench in a coaching role, however.

That point was made clear this season when Aisha Visram became the first woman ever to step behind an NHL bench in any capacity when the athletic trainer did so for the Los Angeles Kings.

With the NHL’s firing and hiring season complete, another year has passed without a woman on the bench. The Washington Capitals hired Emily Engel-Natzke as a full-time video coach, which is progress, but there's still room for progress.

There is no shortage of qualified and knowledgeable women in hockey who could be called upon to fill the NHL’s neverending coaching carousel. Perhaps those struggling teams could benefit from a fresh perspective and a new approach to their hiring.

Here is a list of 25 women who could break the NHL’s on-bench gender barrier:

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Other Names To Watch:

Hilary Witt, Rhea Coad, Rebecca Johnston, Kali Flanagan, Brianna Decker, Shelly Picard, Melodie Daoust, Hanna Bunton, Nina Rodgers, Haley Irwin, Kimberley Weiss, Kerstin Matthews, Chelsea Grills, Sarah Hilworth, Dawn Braid, Shannon Miller, Miriam Thimm, Heather Linstad, Laura Schuler, Lindsay Berman, Meredith Roth.