The Arizona Coyotes have hired Dawn Braid as the organization’s skating coach which marks the first time in league history a woman has held a full-time coaching position in the NHL.
OFFICIAL: Mike Van Ryn, Steve Potvin and Dawn Braid have been added to the coaching staff. https://t.co/r1YBjZ1IrI pic.twitter.com/bVCWTlAxHI
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) August 24, 2016
Braid has a wealth of experience working in pro hockey, previously serving as a skating consultant for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames. She worked with the Flames and Coyotes in 2015-16 on a part-time basis. Braid developed her craft as a director of amateur skating development at Athletes Training Centre in Mississauga, where she worked with players such as John Tavares and Joel Pavelski. Tavares was complimentary of Braid’s work with him.
“Dawn has wanted to put me in to make myself a more powerful and efficient skater,” Tavares told NHL.com in 2012. “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.'”
Braid has served her time as a consultant and becoming a full-time skating coach with an NHL team is an appropriate next step in her career. She’s familiar with the organization and has developed great skating habits in elite NHL players. Braid is a great hire.
Braid becoming a full-time coach hopefully starts a trend of teams being more open to hiring female coaches. The NHL isn’t a boys club and coaching positions shouldn’t be treated as such. Hire the right person for the job, no matter their gender, race or sexual orientation. Congratulations to Braid for breaking the mold.
[ESPN] [NHL.com] [Image via Al Charest / Postmedia]
