LATEST: Coach Bylsma says who could be the assistant in Seattle kraken

Seattle During his inaugural press conference on Tuesday, new Seattle Kraken coach Dan Bylsma mentioned that Jessica Campbell, the assistant for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, is being considered for a comparable NHL position.

For the previous two seasons, Bylsma led the Firebirds. He had previously served as head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. The team’s success in making it to the Western Conference finals this season and to the Calder Cup final last season was greatly attributed to Campbell, the first female full-time coach in AHL history.
The 53-year-old Bylsma claimed to have discussed the prospect of adding a new coach to accompany current coaches Jay Leach and Dave Lowry with Kraken general manager Ron Francis. Campbell has participated in those conversations, as has fellow Coachella Valley assistant Stu Bickel.

In the event that Campbell gets hired by the Kraken, she will be the first female head coach or assistant coach in NHL history.

“Jessica has been part of that conversation; Stu Bickel has been part of that conversation,” Bylsma stated. “What they’ve done with developing players down there over the past two years—Tye Kartye and Ryker Evans—is proof of that.” They are participating in the discussion with the staff about moving forward.”
The Kraken parted ways with head coach Dave Hakstol after three seasons, which means they need to find another assistant. Having led the Kraken to the postseason in 2022–23, Hakstol was fired following the team’s 17–point deficit from the final wild-card place in the current campaign. Along with his dismissal, the Kraken also announced the departure of assistant Paul McFarland, who managed the team’s forwards and power play unit.

In 2022–23, the Kraken tied for the fourth-most goals per game and had the second-best shooting percentage in the NHL. However, in 2023–24, they finished fourth-worst in both categories.
The offensive unit under Campbell’s leadership, which includes the Firebirds’ forwards and power-play units, scored 257 goals in her debut season. In the AHL, that was ranked third, and the power-play unit came in at number 14. With 252 goals this season, the Firebirds lead the league, and their power play unit placed 14th.

“The job she’s done now, there’s a reason why we hired her,” added Francis. “She wasn’t hired by us because she’s a woman. We felt she was a terrific coach, so we hired her. She has a fascinating history in both skating and skill development. A significant portion of their success with Coachella Valley has come from that. She manages the power play, coaches the forwards, and works with all of them to help them become better skaters

In July 2022, Campbell was employed by the Kraken to work as an assistant to the Firebirds. She had previously been employed by the Nurnberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany as an assistant and skills coach. In addition, she assisted Germany in the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championship, making history as the first female coach of a men’s national team.

Bylsma stated to ESPN that he would like to talk to Lowry and Leach shortly. Prior to joining the Kraken, he said he had conversations with Bickel and Campbell regarding their professional goals. He also mentioned that he had discussed the upcoming season with other coaches.
“It’s critical for the players, the individuals and for the team to have communication and establish relationships,” said Bylsma. “A coaching staff needs to have trust and cultivate that trust as well. Jessica and I have relationships. We’ve already established those connections. I am aware of their strengths as coaches and what they accomplish. They know who I am, what I say, and how I behave. Every coach needs those relationships, which we have. They benefit from it, and our players would benefit from seeing a coaching staff with such positive relationships.”