The three-time Olympic champion brings elite experience to Austria’s debut top-tier world appearance, juggling her new international duties alongside her ongoing leadership of the Toronto Sceptres.
Toronto Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury is returning to the international stage, this time with a new country.
The Austrian Ice Hockey Federation announced Tuesday that Kingsbury has been named general manager of its women's national team as Austria prepares to compete in the top division of the IIHF Women's World Championship for the first time.
Kingsbury will remain general manager of the Sceptres while taking on the additional international role.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to work with the Austrian Ice Hockey Federation, which is making history with its first appearance in the top division of the Women's World Championship," Kingsbury said. "I feel honored to be able to contribute a small part to this journey and look forward to helping this team seize the moment, perform with confidence, and represent Austria with pride."
Kingsbury's initial agreement with Austria runs through the 2026 Women's World Championship, scheduled for Nov. 6-16 in Denmark. She will also be available to the program in an 'advisory capacity' for other competitions.
Her first opportunity to evaluate the Austrian player pool in person will come immediately. Austria will hold a four-day training camp in Klagenfurt from Oct. 1-4, with decisions on both the team's staff and World Championship roster expected to follow the camp.
Kingsbury brings considerable international experience to a program entering unfamiliar territory.
As a player, she represented Canada in 116 international games, winning Olympic gold in 2006 and 2010 along with three Women's World Championship gold medals. She later moved into management with Hockey Canada and eventually took over the women's national program.
Kingsbury helped oversee a successful stretch for Canada that included Olympic gold in 2022 and Women's World Championship titles in 2021, 2022 and 2024. She continued as Canada's general manager through the 2026 Olympics before she and head coach Troy Ryan departed the national program following the Games.
She simultaneously served as general manager of Toronto since the PWHL's inaugural season, becoming the first GM in franchise history in 2023.
Kingsbury won't be the only prominent Canadian women's hockey figure assisting Austria.
Longtime Hockey Canada coach and executive Melody Davidson will serve in an advisory role with the Austrian team during the World Championship. Davidson's extensive international résumé includes four Olympic gold medals with Canada in various coaching and management roles.
"With Gina Kingsbury and Melody Davidson, we are bringing on board two of the most experienced figures in international women's ice hockey – a tremendous asset to our program," Austrian federation vice-president Yasmin Stepina said. "Their expertise clearly demonstrates how seriously we take the development of women's hockey at the ÖEHV."
For Kingsbury, the move also marks the beginning of a new international chapter only months after the end of her long association with Canada's national women's program.
