PWHL Seattle has their first head coach in franchise history. The team announced the hiring of Steve O'Rourke as the new head coach for the team on Friday.
“We’re proud to welcome Steve as the first head coach in PWHL Seattle’s history,” said PWHL Seattle General Manager Meghan Turner. “He brings a great hockey mind, a clear vision for the game, and a strong commitment to developing both our team and our players as individuals. We’re confident in his leadership and excited to start this next chapter with him behind the bench.”
O'Rourke was fired midway through last season while serving as head coach for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.
He spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Generals, six seasons with the PWHL's Prince George Cougars before that, four with the Red Deer Rebels, and was an assistant for two seasons with the AHL's Abbotsford Heat from 2009 to 2011.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Professional Women's Hockey League,” said O’Rourke. “This is something I’ve thought about since the league was first announced. To now be given the opportunity to work with the best players in the world and be part of a professional league that is thriving both on and off the ice is truly amazing. Being from the West and having played hockey in Washington State, I’ve seen first-hand how much the game has grown in this region. The passion and support for hockey here is real, and I’m proud to now be part of it in a new way. To have the opportunity to help shape the Seattle team alongside Meghan Turner and the players is something I don’t take for granted. It’s an exciting challenge, and I’m looking forward to building something special with this group.”
The Summerland, British Columbia product was a draft pick of the NHL's New York Islanders in 1992.