NEW YORK AND TORONTO – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced the appointment of Troy Ryan to the positions of General Manager and Head Coach for PWHL San Jose. A veteran coach with a long track record rooted in talent evaluation and development, Ryan becomes the first person to hold this dual role in the PWHL. Prior to joining PWHL San Jose, Ryan served as the head coach of the Toronto Sceptres for the team’s first three seasons and was named the PWHL’s inaugural Coach of the Year in 2024.
“Troy is a consummate professional and culture driver who has excelled in leadership roles both in the PWHL and with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team on the international stage,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “Troy has a keen understanding of what it takes to build and lead a high-performing team, and his diverse set of experiences and competitive spirit make him a strong fit to hold the dual role of General Manager and Coach in San Jose.”
Ryan departs Toronto having led the Sceptres to the league’s best regular season record in 2024 and the second-best mark in 2024-25, both culminating in playoff berths. He also served nine years with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team, including the last six as head coach, guiding Canada to an Olympic gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games and three IIHF Women’s World Championship titles (2021, 2022, and 2024), along with two world championship silver medals. The Halifax, Nova Scotia, native stepped down following the conclusion of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, where he led Canada to a silver medal.
Prior to the PWHL and Canada’s National Women’s Team, Ryan also spent more than 20 years coaching at the university and junior hockey levels, most recently as the head coach of Dalhousie University’s women’s hockey team from 2020-23. Prior to his stint at Dalhousie, Ryan served in a variety of coaching and executive roles, including as head coach, general manager, and president of the Maritime Hockey League’s Campbellton Tigers and Metro Marauders. Ryan is a four-time Hockey Nova Scotia and Maritime Junior A Hockey League coach of the year and was named a Hockey Nova Scotia Lifetime Achievement award winner in 2011. As a player, he skated for the Halifax Mooseheads in the Maritime Junior Hockey League and the University of New Brunswick and Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
“I’m honored and incredibly excited to help build this organization in San Jose,” said Ryan. “Expansion creates a rare opportunity to shape everything with intention from the standards and culture to the people and connection to the community. We want to build a team that plays with purpose, represents The Bay Area with pride, and helps to continue to grow women’s hockey on the West Coast. We know there is a lot of work ahead, and that is exactly what makes this opportunity so special.”
Ryan will be tasked with building a hockey operations staff and leading the roster building process for PWHL San Jose’s inaugural 2026-27 season, including the 2026 PWHL Draft on June 17 in Detroit. All phases of the comprehensive roster building process will be finalized and announced by the league in the coming weeks.
ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that features the best women’s players in the world. As of the 2025-26 season, it is comprised of eight teams — Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver — with Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose added as the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th teams ahead of the 2026-27 season. Launched on January 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. The league was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year, and ranked No. 1 in Canada for corporate reputation in both 2024 and 2025, according to the Harris Poll. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter for the latest updates. Follow the league on social media @thepwhlofficial.
PWHL, the PWHL Logo, and PWHL team names and logos are trademarks of the PWHL. © PWHL 2026. All Rights Reserved.
