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For the first time in NHL history, a woman will be behind the bench full-time when Jessica Campbell makes her debut as an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken next season.

The team announced on Wednesday that Campbell will join the team as an assistant coach alongside longtime NHL assistant Bob Woods.

Obviously, Campbell’s hiring will get a lot of attention because she’s a woman, and while that’s a big deal and will grab headlines, let’s not overlook the fact that she has proven herself to be a really good hockey coach.

This addition was somewhat expected, given that Campbell coached alongside new Kraken head coach Dan Bylsma for Seattle’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

To say that the team did well with Bylsma and Campbell in the fold would be an understatement. The Firebirds have only been around for two seasons, and in both, they represented the AHL’s Western Conference in the Calder Cup Final. 

Unfortunately for them, both of those appearances ended in losses to the Hershey Bears.

According to the Kraken’s press release, Campbell was an assistant coach for Team Germany at the 2022 IIHF World Championships, and it was there that she caught the attention of NHL clubs.

Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant coach Jessica Campbell talks to Firebirds forward Cameron Hughes. Campbell will be the first full-time female NHL assistant coach after being hired by the Seattle Kraken. (© Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Before that, though, she was already known to be one of the best skills coaches out there and worked with numerous NHLers working with her over the offseason to improve their skating and other skills.

At just 32 years old, Campbell is one of the fastest-rising coaches in the game, and her track record speaks for itself, and this is a smart addition to the Kraken staff.

Bylsma said that he hopes Campbell will continue to connect with some of the team’s younger prospects the way she did in Coachella Valley.

“Jessica and I spent the last two years coaching in Coachella Valley,” Bylsma said in a statement. “I’m confident of what she can do for our staff and bring to the players. I watched her build strong relationships with prospects such as Tye Kartye, Shane Wright and Ryker Evans. She has the ability to relate to players about their games and what they bring to a team.”

Now Bylsma, Campbell, and Woods will be tasked with putting the Kraken back on track after a disappointing 2023-24 season that saw them miss out on the postseason after making it for the first time in franchise history the year before.