Christine Bumstead was announced as the newest Head Coach for the Seattle Torrent, replacing Steven O'Rourke who was fired shortly after the season ended.
In an email to season ticket holders on June 11, the team announced Christine Bumstead as the new head coach, replacing the inaugural season’s Steve O’Rourke. Bumstead served as the assistant coach last season and was behind the team’s power play units and systems.
Prior to joining the Torrent’s coaching staff, Bumstead made history as the first woman to serve as Performance Coach for the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Saskatoon Blades. She also served four seasons as an Assistant Coach for the University of Saskatchewan Women’s Hockey team.
She is also a member of the NHL Coaches Association Female Coaches Program and has served as guest coach during pre-season for the Florida Panthers. As the head coach of Canada’s Women’s Deaf Hockey Team, Bumstead lead the team to a silver medal in the 2024 Deaf World Hockey Championship.
“Christine brings a valuable combination of hockey expertise, leadership presence, and an unwavering commitment to high standards. Her unique background in education and diverse coaching resume, combined with a strong natural ability to build trust and meaningful connections, make her well-suited to lead our team,” said Seattle Torrent General Manager Meghan Turner in the email. “I’m confident that Christine’s vision and style will set us on the right path as we build into our second season and strive toward our goal of bringing the Walter Cup home to Seattle.”
This is part of the identity-building aspect of the team that has been a big focus in this off-season.
“Season one in Seattle was special, and I am humbled and honored to continue building on it,” said Bumstead. “I believe Seattle is the best city in the world for women's sports. Our fans showed up night in and night out, and it has been a privilege to be on the bench representing them. I am beyond grateful for the trust placed in me to help lead this organization. Thank you to Meghan and the players for believing in me and for pushing me to be a better coach every single day. Long before I was a part of the league, I was inspired by what the PWHL is building, and so I do not take this opportunity lightly; I feel incredibly fortunate to play a role in sparking dreams for the next generation of players. The best is still ahead for Seattle Torrent hockey, and we can't wait to continue growing.”