Jessica Campbell hired by Coachella Valley Firebirds, becomes first female AHL assistant coach
The Coachella Valley Firebirds have hired former Team Canada player Jessica Campbell to serve as an assistant coach on Dan Bylsma’s staff for the upcoming season.
Campbell, 30, spent the 2021–22 season working in Germany as a skills coach and, eventually, an assistant coach for the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL. Prior to that, Campbell worked as a skating coach for the Malmö Redhawks of the top-level Swedish Hockey League.
She has also served as an assistant coach for Team Germany at the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championship, becoming the first woman to coach at that tournament.
Now, Campbell has become both the first assistant coach in Thunderbirds history and the first woman to work behind an American Hockey League bench.
The Coachella Valley @Firebirds have named Jessica Campbell (@boof_campbell) as the first-ever assistant coach in franchise history!
Learn more about the first female @TheAHL assistant coach → https://t.co/PdKKemdO4u pic.twitter.com/9wueDGEh3F
The Firebirds are the AHL’s newest franchise and will begin play in the 2022–23 season as the minor-league affiliate for the Seattle Kraken. Bylsma, who won the Stanley Cup in 2009 as interim head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, was named head coach of the Firebirds in June.
“I’m very excited, it feels like it’s going to be a really good fit,” Campbell told NHL.com’s Bob Condor on Tuesday. “I am thrilled to join the Kraken organization. Everybody’s been so fantastic through the process.”
During her playing career, Campbell won the 2016 Clarkson Cup as a forward with the CWHL’s Calgary Inferno. She spent four seasons at Cornell University and captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF U-18 Women’s World Championship, scoring seven goals and 15 points in five games.
Campbell hails from Moosomin, Saskatchewan. The Firebirds announced her hiring on a landmark day for diversity and inclusion in hockey, during which the Toronto Maple Leafs named Hayley Wickenheiser an assistant GM, the Arizona Coyotes announced two new additions to their diverse coaching internship program, and the San Jose Sharks officially made Mike Grier the first Black GM in NHL history.
“I’m very excited about the AHL team and the development process,” Campbell said. “I plan to get on the ice early and stay late after practices to help build skating and skills and, most importantly, help our players feel more confident.”