A New Era for Women's Hockey in San Jose
Troy Ryan has been named head coach and general manager of San Jose's brand‑new professional women's hockey franchise, a move that marks the city's entry into the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and sets the stage for the team's debut on June 2.
Ryan arrives with a decorated résumé that includes an Olympic gold medal from the 2022 Games and three IIHF World Championship titles earned while coaching the Canadian national team, underscoring his deep expertise on the international stage.
Having previously steered the PWHL's Toronto Sceptres to the playoffs in two of three seasons, Ryan becomes the first individual in league history to simultaneously hold both head‑coach and general‑manager responsibilities, a testament to his strategic vision and leadership.
The PWHL operates as a single‑entity league, with billionaire media mogul Mark Walter, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, providing the ownership umbrella for all twelve franchises, including the upcoming San Jose expansion team alongside Detroit, Hamilton and Las Vegas.
The league's amateur draft is slated for June 17, and while details of the expansion roster‑building process and free agency remain pending, the framework for player acquisition is already generating buzz among fans and analysts eager to see how the new franchises will shape the competition.
Ryan's official tenure will commence on June 2, kicking off a season that promises to elevate the visibility of women's professional hockey on the West Coast and inspire the next generation of players, while the league prepares for its inaugural draft and the full rollout of its expansion model.