With the PWHL's on-ice growth, and rapidly expanding fan base, also comes more opportunities to work in women's hockey, which was proven this week as PWHL Ottawa added five members to their Hockey Operations department.
With the PWHL's on-ice growth, and rapidly expanding fan base, also comes more opportunities to work in women's hockey, which was proven this week as PWHL Ottawa added five members to their Hockey Operations department.
The early success of professional women’s hockey in drawing fans to the rink is now translating off the ice.
Until Friday, the PWHL’s six team front offices had been limited to one general manager each. No assistant GMs, almost no scouts. In fact, the league went through a draft and free agency with GMs each flying solo.
PWHL Ottawa changed that Friday announcing five new hires: Joe Bohringer, Jessica Campbell, Brian Durocher, Chris Peterson and Kathy Pippy. It was the first time any PWHL team had hired additional staff to bolster their front office.
Each of the new staff have distinct backgrounds. It is unclear exactly what all of their official roles will be as advisors; however, it is clear each of them comes from a variety of coaching, player development, and scouting backgrounds.
Bohringer spent 31 years in Major League Baseball, and now takes the task of assisting "the entire PWHL staff as it strives to establish best-in-class programs.” Campbell coaches in the American Hockey League. Durocher has coached university women’s hockey since 2005-06. Peterson was involved with the USA National Development Program. Pippy helped build the Pittsburgh Penguins’ elite hockey program for girls.
The league has grown quickly, outpacing the expectations of even its biggest believers. Each week there is a new record for attendance at a PWHL game. The “Battle of Bay Street” matchup between PWHL Toronto and PWHL Montreal on February 16th sold out the Scotiabank Arena within less than a week of being announced.
With ticket and merchandise sales burgeoning, front offices must grow too. Bigger staffs should, among other things, help teams find more players like Akane Shiga from Japan or Fanni Gasparics from Hungary.
It is likely that Ottawa as the first team to add to their front office will open the floodgates for other PWHL teams to bolster their front office/hockey operations staffs, which is good for the PWHL and women’s hockey, with more investment on improving the team on the ice leading to a better product on the ice.