Kraken Assistant Coach Jessica Campbell Shares Excitement for Torrent as Inaugural Season Is Underway
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - The hockey scene in Seattle has deep roots, despite what some may have said when it was announced that the NHL was expanding to the Emerald City back in December of 2018. There was doubt that the sport could take hold of a city in the state of Washington, despite it’s success in other leagues around the state as well as the history of the Seattle Metropolitans, but that doubt has been stomped out every year thanks to the support the Kraken have got. The same doubt held against the Kraken was held against a PWHL team coming to Seattle, with many around the country doubting that one of the nations best women’s sports cities could welcome women’s hockey to the area. That doubt is once again being stamped out with the initial success of the Torrent with the fanbase, and the success on the ice next to come. Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell, a trailblazer as the first woman to coach behind an NHL bench, never had any doubt that Seattle could not only welcome a PWHL team but help it thrive. Campbell chatted with Circling Seattle Sports about the Torrent and how the best is yet to come for women’s hockey in the city.
Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell during the Climate Pledge Arena stop of the 2024-25 PWHL Takeover Tour. (Photos by Rio Giancarlo for Circling Seattle Sports)
For Campbell, the PWHL’s expansion to Seattle wasn’t a surprise at all. Despite many fans and even local sports leaders thinking that the league wouldn’t come to the West Coast so early and that it made more sense to stick around the Midwest, Jess always believed that Seattle was the “perfect candidate" and perfect city to have women’s hockey in.” Campbell has obviously seen the remarkable outpouring of support for the Kraken and herself since being hired to the coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 season, becoming a true trailblazer for so many. Taking into account the belief behind women’s hockey and sports in general in the Emerald City, combined with the quality facilities in place already in the area that came with the Kraken being added to the NHL, everything was in place to bring the PWHL to the Pacific Northwest.
“I think that Seattle is a perfect and was the perfect candidate, and is a perfect city to have women’s hockey. I just think the amount of support overall for sports in general, it’s unbelievable. I think that our city is just a true believer in what women’s hockey is built on, the passion behind it, the commitment and showing up, and the deserving platform of playing at Climate Pledge. I’m not surprised that our fans and our community showed up for them.”
Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell behind the bench during the teams December 10th, 2025 game against the Los Angeles Kings at Climate Pledge Arena. (Photos by Liz Wolter for Circling Seattle Sports)
With the mention of those elite facilities that the Kraken and Torrent now share comes some crossover between the two teams at times. There have already been a few practices where the Kraken have had, where the Torrent players could be seen watching from afar as they prepared for their time on the ice. Campbell helped deliver the news of Hilary Knight being named the team’s captain, heading just a few hundred feet away from the Kraken locker room to the Torrent locker room on the other end of the Kraken Community Iceplex. There will undoubtedly be more instances where you can see one team watching the other practice or where just a brisk walk will get you from one practice to another when they’re both on the ice at the same time.
“It’s awesome, I think it should just be normal, right? I think what’s really cool about getting to experience it in such a normal setting for myself, being on the ice with the guys, having our pro women’s team right next door with the same amenities and support, it’s a testament to how far the game has grown, the women’s game and the level the league has brought to these girls. I’m very proud to be able to hold the space that I have, and I feel, in many ways, doing my part for a step forward for the game. That’s exactly what the girls are doing right beside me. We’re all really working together in the same direction, but it’s really cool to be able to celebrate that now and feel the energy both sides. I’m super excited for them.”
While she’s busy in her own role with the Kraken, Campbell is making sure that the Torrent players aren’t left wondering what to do as they settle into their new region, as multiple players have openly asked fans and media for their recommendations for different restaurants, coffee shops, and hiking trails, amongst other things. Jess mentioned her willingness to help the Torrent with whatever they may need in the Emerald City, having gone through a similar situation just over a year ago now.
“I’ve definitely tried to support the girls. Anytime you move to a new city, you make your touch points of who you know. Knew a few of the girls, so I extended that support, whether it’s food, cosmetics, things that they would need to look after, I learned that moving to a new city. It’s an amazing place, I hope they also give me some ideas back on our days off to take in the city. We’re all in it together.”
Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell through the 2024-25 NHL season at Climate Pledge Arena, her first year as an assistant coach in the NHL. (Photos by Rio Giancarlo for Circling Seattle Sports)
Another instance of those shared facilities would be Kraken players attending Torrent games, as about six members of the team attended the historic home opener, including Philipp Grubauer, Joey Daccord, Tye Kartye, Freddy Gaudreau, Cale Fleury, and Jordan Eberle, in addition to Campbell. Some players have shown their excitement for the Torrent outwardly, including Daccord, who ensured he was wearing Torrent goaltender Corinne Schroeder’s jersey during walk-ins ahead of the aforementioned home opener and was one of just a few at that game and the Takeover Tour game back in January. Joey stressed the importance of supporting Seattle’s newest team and women’s sports when asked why he decided to attend the game when others didn’t
“I thought it was just a really historic moment. I wanted to be there because I thought, first off, it’d be really cool to be there and witness that. I was fortunate enough to be here and on the bench for the first ever Kraken home game, right? I was called up, and to see that was like, the coolest thing. To have those experiences, they don’t happen very often, right? I just wanted to be there to support the women and support the team, support Seattle, support the city and women’s sports. I just thought it was like, a really important moment in history. I just wanted to be there to support the players, staff, coaches and just women’s sports in general. I thought it was just really important to be there. ”
“I asked for the goalie right away, I asked for the Schroeder jersey. It’s important we support them. They’re trying to do basically the same thing we’re doing, right? We’re making a living playing hockey, and they’re trying to do the same thing. I have a lot of respect for for all those women and it was cool to see them play. Obviously it didn’t go their way, but it’s just one game, and it’s a long season. I’m excited to see them succeed this year. ”
Being a good host/neighbor isn’t going to be difficult for Campbell as the Torrent fully settle into their new digs, with a team office being built currently on the Kraken Community Iceplex campus, as she’s played against and even coached some of the players on this inaugural season roster. Jess helping to present Hilary Knight as the team's inaugural captain has some fun history, considering that Campbell played against her more than a few times, as well as alternate captain Alex Carpenter, but it’s also somewhat of a full circle moment considering she coached one of the Torrent’s top forwards: Danielle Serdachny. Early into her coaching career, Campbell was an assistant coach with a CSSHL U18 team called “Pursuit of Excellence” for two seasons. Those two seasons, 2017-18 and 2018-19, were the ones Serdachny spent with the team before she first joined the Canadian national team, playing five games for the Canada U18 squad after her second season.
“I played against a handful of those girls, Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, just vetted pros that have been around, driving the game forward, that are outstanding players. Danielle Serdachny is a young player that I had an opportunity to coach my first year in coaching, about six years ago. We go way back to beginning of her team Canada journey, so to see her here as a franchise player, as well a top player in the league, there’s just huge pieces with the youth of that team, and then also the veteran group. It’s an exciting roster, and I think there’s certain players internationally, the Tejralová’s... There’s a lot of outstanding European players across the league that I think they’ll get to make their mark as well.”
The creation of the Torrent has been another significant step in showcasing not just the rise of women’s hockey but also the movement in women’s sports over the last decade or so. Campbell’s hiring was a massive milestone, the Takeover Tour game in Seattle emphasized the region's dedication to women’s sports, and the record-breaking home opener drove out any doubt that a PWHL team more than belongs here; it fits in like it’s always been here. Fans shared online that watching the Torrent play inspired them to try hockey, ranging from young kids to grown adults. Campbell’s hiring and trailblazing career has spawned the slogan “You can & you will” to encourage young boys and girls to chase their dreams, as Jess serves as proof that they, in fact, can and will achieve them. The inspirational moments continue to mount as the Torrent home opener seemed to represent a launching point for a new wave of hockey players in the Seattle arena, and Campbell is embracing all of it.
“Climate Pledge is a very special place. I I could say it, full honesty having traveled across the league, there’s not a lot of fan bases and NHL experiences arenas like what Climate Pledge is, it’s electric. To see the opening night for the girls sold out, it’s not surprising whatsoever. It’s amazing, but I would love to see that just be a normal reality and we’re not even talking about it anymore, because the product has always been there, the game has always been there. Now they’re playing in the arenas they deserve. Families get to bring out their kids, inspiring adults to maybe pick up the game and fall in love with the game. There’s so many amazing things about our sport and avenues for people to explore, work in it, careers in it, jobs in it. I only was able to take in the second third period, but I got just a glimmer of how exciting this season is going to be, and I’m just proud to be able to cheer them on, support them, and advocate for them. The best is yet to come for the city, that’s for sure.”
The slogan “You can & you will” is stitched onto the gloves of Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell. (Photo by Charles Hamaker)
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Check out our previous Seattle Kraken articles here.
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