PWHL Seattle taps Steve O'Rourke as the expansion team's 1st coach

The Associated Press

· Posted: Jun 20, 2025 1:39 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Steve O'Rourke was named manager of the PWHL Seattle enlargement squad connected Friday.

The determination brings successful a newcomer to women's hockey, but idiosyncratic who is precise acquainted to the Pacific Northwest having played astatine Washington State.

"This is thing I've thought astir since the league was archetypal announced," O'Rourke said successful a statement. "To present beryllium fixed the accidental to enactment with the champion players successful the satellite and beryllium portion of a nonrecreational league that is thriving some connected and disconnected the crystal is genuinely amazing. Being from the West and having played hockey successful Washington State, I've seen first-hand however overmuch the crippled has grown successful this region. The passionateness and enactment for hockey present is real, and I'm arrogant to present beryllium portion of it successful a caller way."

While the roster is inactive being constructed, O'Rourke volition person the payment of coaching a squad featuring four-time Olympian Hilary Knight, who became the archetypal subordinate Seattle signed during the PWHL's enlargement process 2 weeks ago.

"We're arrogant to invited Steve arsenic the archetypal caput manager successful PWHL Seattle's history," PWHL Seattle wide manager Meghan Turner said successful a statement. "He brings a large hockey mind, a wide imaginativeness for the game, and a beardown committedness to processing some our squad and our players arsenic individuals. We're assured successful his enactment and excited to commencement this adjacent section with him down the bench."

The 50-year-old O'Rourke comes successful with 15 years of coaching experience, astir precocious having worked successful the inferior ranks with the Ontario Hockey League's Oshawa Generals. He was an adjunct with the Generals for 2 years earlier being elevated to caput manager for the 2024-25 season.

Seattle is already heavy astatine forward, with Turner already envisioning her apical 2 lines. Knight, who finished tied for the PWHL pb with 29 points past season, is besides joined by two-time U.S. Olympian Alex Carpenter and Canada's Danielle Serdachny, who was selected by Ottawa arsenic the No. 2 prime successful past year's draft.

Seattle volition enactment successful its archetypal PWHL Draft connected June 24, erstwhile it volition marque six picks, including the eighth wide selection.

Victoire motion 2 players, suffer Grant-Mentis to Seattle

The Montreal Victoire signed guardant Jade Downie-Landry and defender Maggie Flaherty connected Friday.

Downie-Landry joins Montreal connected a one-year declaration aft spending 2 seasons with the New York Sirens.

The 29-year-old from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., has produced 12 goals and 7 assists successful 54 PWHL games.

Flaherty, coming disconnected back-to-back Walter Cup titles with the Minnesota Frost, besides signed a one-year contract.

The 25-year-old American joins Erin Ambrose, Kati Tabin, Amanda Boulier and caller signee Jessica DiGirolamo connected the bluish enactment aft Montreal notably mislaid defenders Cayla Barnes and Anna Wilgren successful the enlargement process.

Meanwhile, erstwhile Victoire guardant Mikyla Grant-Mentis is leaving Montreal and joining PWHL Seattle connected a two-year deal. The 26-year-old from Brampton, Ont., had 3 goals and 5 assists successful 30 games past season.

The PWHL draught takes spot successful Ottawa connected Tuesday.

Elsewhere successful the league, the Toronto Sceptres signed defender Jess Kondas to a one-year contract.

Kondas, a 25-year-old from Calgary, spent the past 2 seasons connected Toronto's reserve subordinate list. She made her PWHL debut — and lone quality — connected Dec. 27, scoring a extremity connected her archetypal shot.

The Boston Fleet signed goaltender Abbey Levy arsenic good arsenic defenders Zoe Boyd and Rylind MacKinnon to one-year contracts.

New York re-signed defender Lauren Bernard and guardant Kayla Vespa, besides connected one-year deals.