Danielle Goyette Becomes First Woman in ECHL History to Serve as Assistant Coach
Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Danielle Goyette has made history.
Stepping behind the bench for the Newfoundland Growlers on Thursday night, Goyette became the first woman to ever serve as an assistant coach in ECHL history, filling in for Growlers head coach Eric Wellwood who is unavailable after testing positive for COVID-19.
The decision to have Goyette fill in was a no-brainer, and serves as yet another accomplishment in her lengthy and illustrious career.
Goyette, who currently serves as director of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs, is a Canadian hockey icon, having won two Olympic gold medals and eight World Championship gold medals over the years while racking up an astounding 218 points in 171 career games representing Canada on the international stage.
Not to mention, Goyette also served as Canada's flag bearer to open the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
She was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2013.
Goyette works in tandem within the Maple Leafs organization alongside another hockey legend, with the 56-year-old reporting to senior director of player development Hayley Wickenheiser, who played a hand in Goyette's hiring this past summer.
With her role on the Growlers' bench tonight, Goyette joins a steadily growing list of women who have assumed coaching positions in professional hockey over the past year.
