Kraken make Jessica Campbell 1st woman behind NHL bench

The Seattle Kraken made history Wednesday by tabbing Jessica Campbell to join head coach Dan Bylsma's staff.

Campbell will be the first-ever full-time female assistant coach on an NHL bench and only the second full-time female assistant coach in league history.

The Washington Capitals hired Emily Engel-Natzke as the first female video coordinator in June 2022.

Campbell spent the last two seasons as an assistant on Bylsma's staff with the Kraken's AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. She became the first-ever woman behind a bench in that league when the Firebirds hired her in 2022.

The 32-year-old helped guide Coachella Valley to Calder Cup Final appearances in both of her campaigns with the farm club. She oversaw the team's forwards and power play. The Firebirds led the AHL with 252 goals this past season.

"I had to trust myself," Campbell said Wednesday, per team writer and broadcaster Alison Lukan. I'm a big believer in being prepared to do the job every day and own my own voice ... and not hold back in ways I can help and make a difference."

Campbell added that she's looking forward to watching how the Kraken evolve under Bylsma.

"Mostly I'm excited to see how the team is going to become a better version of the Seattle Kraken under his leadership style," she said.

Bylsma sung Campbell's praises in a press release Wednesday.

"During our tenure in Coachella Valley, I saw firsthand Jessica's commitment to player development," Bylsma said. "Her ability to establish relationships with her players, specifically Tye Kartye, Shane Wright, and Ryker Evans, was an important factor in this hire. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with her at the NHL level."

In late May, Bylsma said upon being hired that Campbell would be considered for an NHL assistant job.

Campbell served as an assistant and skills coach with the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL, the top men's league in Germany, in 2021-22.

The Canadian played professionally with the CWHL's Calgary Inferno and the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden's Damettan, now known as the NDHL. She also spent four years at Cornell beginning in 2010-11.

Campbell represented Canada at the 4 Nations Cup, the Under-18 Worlds, and the World Championship. She won gold and silver at the first two tournaments and silver at the 2015 World Championship.