Trailblazing leadership
Manon Rheaume has made history again, this time as the inaugural general manager of Detroit’s new Professional Women’s Hockey League expansion franchise.
Rheaume’s journey to the front office reads like a trailblazer’s playbook. In 1992 she became the first woman to sign an NHL contract, stepping onto the ice with the Tampa Bay Lightning in a preseason game against the St. Louis Blues, and a year later she appeared in a match versus the Boston Bruins. Her résumé also includes a gold medal with Canada at the World Championships and a silver medal from the 1998 Olympics in Nagano.
After those milestones she spent 24 games in minor‑league circuits, posting a 5‑0‑1 record in the ECHL during the 1993‑94 season, before turning to coaching and administration. Her most recent role was in the hockey operations office of the Los Angeles Kings, where she helped shape player development strategies.
Rheaume also brings a deep roots in Detroit’s hockey culture, having spent 11 seasons with the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Team, the city’s premier youth program. Her appointment was welcomed by Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, who highlighted Rheaume’s “extensive hockey resume and commitment to growing women’s hockey” as key factors in the league’s expansion.
The new Detroit franchise will join PWHL teams in Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario for the 2026‑27 season, a move that marks the league’s first foray into the United States Midwest and Ontario. The official draft will take place at Detroit’s Fox Theater on June 17, where Rheaume plans to hire a head coach and supporting staff before the team takes the ice.
Speaking about the opportunity, Rheaume expressed excitement about building a team that reflects Detroit’s rich sporting heritage. “I’m thrilled to join the PWHL and help lay the foundation for a franchise that can inspire the next generation of female players,” she said.