June 17, Fox Theatre in Detroit.

The PWHL Draft.

It had been a long and emotional day, especially for the league's four new expansion teams. Everything had unfolded at a relentless pace since the hiring of the general managers and head coaches.

Quebec native Manon Rhéaume stepped up to the podium six times to announce Detroit's draft selections. Then, around 11 p.m., she took her seat in the media room to reflect on the first day of a historic draft.

Among the reporters, columnists and league staff was one particularly attentive observer: her brother, Pascal.

Just one week earlier, he had been named head coach of the Toronto Sceptres. A month before that, his sister had become the first general manager in the history of Detroit's new franchise.

And yet, his presence in the media room—even though it wasn't his team's general manager at the podium—came as no surprise.

For the very first time in their careers, brother and sister will be working in the same league, on opposite sides. Rivals on the ice, certainly, but bound by a relationship that extends far beyond the boards.

Manon and Pascal Rhéaume, now 54 and 53 years old, are just 16 months apart in age.

"We have a brother who's four years older," Pascal said during an interview two weeks ago. "When you're a kid, four years is a big gap. So Manon and I grew up together. We did everything together, and we've never drifted apart. I talk to my sister every two or three days. But my wife, Annie, talks to her every single day! When I was playing in the NHL, Annie would often go spend time with Manon. They're very close too."

Manon shared the same sentiment.

"We played hockey together growing up. When I played junior with the Trois-Rivières Draveurs, Pascal was on the team too," she recalled during an interview a few days later. "And even after I went to Tampa Bay and he moved to New Jersey, we stayed in touch all the time."

It was on September 23, 1992, that Manon played her historic game, a preseason matchup against the St. Louis Blues. Two days earlier, Pascal had returned to his junior team after attending his first training camp with the New Jersey Devils. While Manon was headed to the Tampa Bay Lightning's farm team in Atlanta of the International Hockey League, Pascal was wrapping up his junior career in Sherbrooke alongside his close friend Jocelyn Thibault, with whom he remains very close today.

"I remember her telling me, 'Just wait, pro hockey is awesome!'" Pascal recalled with a smile.

Two seasons later, he won the Calder Cup with Albany in the American Hockey League. Two years after that, he made his NHL debut with the Devils.

"I used to follow his games through the newspapers back then, checking how many points he had," Manon recalled. "And his final professional season was in Michigan, where I was living at the time, so we've always supported each other."

This time, however, they'll be on opposite sides, at the heart of what could become one of the PWHL's most compelling rivalries. The two cities are separated by just a four-hour drive.

"We've always loved competing against each other," Manon said. "We used to do it in our backyard when we were kids. I know Ellen Hughes, who watched her three sons play in the NHL for different teams. So yes, there will definitely be a little rivalry between us, but we're both really looking forward to it."

Pascal enters the PWHL with an impressive professional résumé. He played 318 NHL regular-season games with six different teams and won the Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2003.

After retiring as a player in 2010, he became an assistant coach in the QMJHL before being named head coach of the Val-d'Or Foreurs in 2018. He later spent two seasons as an assistant with the Trois-Rivières Lions, followed by two more in the same role with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League through the end of the 2024-25 season.

"I wasn't coaching last season, so I was exploring my options. At the same time, with the PWHL adding new teams — especially the one in Detroit — Manon applied," Pascal explained. "She told me where to send my résumé, but that was well before she got the GM job. She interviewed for Detroit long before I did in Toronto. We had talked about the possibility of working together if Detroit got a team, but we decided it wouldn't be a good idea. The league never told us we couldn't. It was our decision."

The call from Toronto general manager Gina Kingsbury caught him somewhat off guard.

"Both assistants in Toronto—Rachel Flanagan and Jim Midgley—had interviewed as well, so I wasn't expecting Gina's call," he admitted.

While Pascal was searching for his next opportunity behind the bench, Manon was serving as Hockey Operations and Player Development Advisor with the Los Angeles Kings.

"It wasn't something I had planned," Manon admitted. "I was very happy with the Kings. I loved my job. But when I got the call saying there was going to be a franchise in Detroit... I've lived in Detroit for more than 20 years, so I know a lot of the players from Michigan. Some of them I coached when they were 11 years old, and now they're entering this year's draft. It felt like a chance to come full circle. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was one I had to make."

When it comes to the idea of one day working with her brother, Manon shares the same perspective.

"Pascal and I talked about it, and we really wanted to avoid any conflict of interest. We didn't want to end up in a situation where we'd have to defend ourselves. We both wanted the opportunity to prove what we're capable of on our own. It would have been fun, though. We coached together in minor hockey, and we complemented each other really well. His strengths were my weaknesses, and vice versa."

While Manon already had experience in women's hockey through her involvement at the minor hockey level, this will be Pascal's first true immersion in the women's game. Aside from coaching his daughters in a handful of tournaments when they were younger, he has never coached women's hockey professionally.

"One of my biggest challenges will be adapting to the women's game," he said. "I know it's a different environment with a fan base that's incredibly supportive of women's hockey. I'll have to use the right words and the right approach in the locker room. That will take some adjustment. But from the conversations I've had so far, the players want to be treated like professionals. In that respect, the game is the same. We'll be doing video sessions, workouts and there will be honest feedback."

Like any coach entering a new league or taking over a new team, Pascal has done his research.

"I watched Montreal Victoire's playoff games and did my homework. My two daughters, who both played university hockey, were really excited. And over the past three months, I've talked to Manon every single day!"

Officially named head coach on June 10, Pascal spent the following week in Toronto getting acquainted with his new surroundings before traveling to Detroit with general manager Gina Kingsbury for the PWHL Draft.

"I met with the leadership group—Blayre Turnbull, Renata Fast and Allie Munroe. I also had meetings with Gina and the assistant coaches. I told them I've never been a yes-man, and I don't want to surround myself with people who always agree with me. I want people who will challenge me."

He continued:

"I told them I have two goals. First, I want them to enjoy coming to the rink every day. I'm not the type of coach who puts unnecessary pressure on players or yells all the time. I'm more laid-back and positive than negative. Second, they're going to work hard on the ice. We can have fun between practices, but once it's time to work, it's time to be serious. I'm open to feedback, I communicate a lot, and I like to keep a pulse on my team. But at the same time, I won't tolerate any disrespect toward my coaching staff, and at the end of the day, the final decisions will come from the coaching staff."

Pascal also said he wants to place a strong emphasis on developing young players—an area that will be especially important for Toronto.

The Sceptres lost significant offensive talent during the expansion process. Daryl Watts, Jesse Compher and Emma Maltais all signed elsewhere. Team captain Blayre Turnbull also announced in recent days that she is expecting her first child—a development the organization had already been aware of—and is expected to miss a large portion of the season.

Toronto's most notable additions so far have been veteran Jamie Lee Rattray and first-round pick and Olympic gold medallist Kirsten Simms.

As a result, Pascal will likely have to fast-track the development of the five other players the Sceptres selected in this year's draft.

Manon, for her part, has no doubts. She knows her brother well and is convinced he will have a positive impact on his team. To explain why, she draws a fitting comparison to Pascal's playing career.

"He knows the game inside and out. He sees the game extremely well and has a great understanding of systems. He really thinks like a coach. He's an excellent communicator and believes in winning as a team. He's always been around women's hockey, so he already has a strong understanding of the game.

"He won both the Calder Cup and the Stanley Cup, but he was never a superstar. He had to work incredibly hard to get where he did. His work ethic was second to none. Because of that, he'll understand what it's like to be a third- or fourth-line player. He has the ability to make everyone on the team feel important. I'm convinced he's going to have a lot of success."