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NHL Franchise Hires First Woman Coach

By Andrew Thompson

Apr 30, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) looks on against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of game two of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) looks on against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of game two of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The National Hockey League had another barrier broken today as Dawn Braid became the first female to coach full-time in the NHL.  Baird was hired as the skating coach for the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday.

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“It’s something that I’ve wanted to see happen,” Braid said, according to the NHL’s website. “The fact that they respect what I do enough to name me as a full-time coach, or to name me as the first female coach in the NHL, I take a ton of pride in that. I’ve worked very hard for this opportunity. It’s been going on for years and I just look forward to going even further with it.”

Braid had worked her way up the Coyotes organization. She was hired by Arizona last season as a  part-time skating coach last season, Before that, Ms. Braid had been employed as a consultant to several NHL franchises (Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames).

Ms. Braid previously served as Director of skating development at Athletes Training Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.  She had several NHL stars as clients, and she was responsible for making them better players on the ice.

“Dawn has wanted to put me in to make myself a more powerful and efficient skater,” said New York Islander captain John Tavares of Baird back in 201. “Dawn always says, ‘If you didn’t train properly and do the certain things you need to do, you’re not going to be strong enough to do the things I want you to do.'”

Congratulations to Coach Braid for achieving this milestone, and a *stick tap* to the Arizona Coyotes for seeing her potential.

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