The Washington Capitals have made history with the promotion of Emily Engel-Natzke to video coordinator, making her the first woman to hold a full-time coaching role in the NHL. Engel-Natzke served as the video coach of the Hershey Bears for the past two seasons. General manager Brian MacLellan released a statement:
We are extremely pleased to name Emily as our new video coordinator. Emily’s work ethic, skill set, and passion were displayed in her tenure with the Hershey Bears, and we feel she is ready and deserving of this opportunity. She will be a tremendous asset to our coaching staff.
Prior to working with the Bears, Engel-Natzke served as video coordinator for the University of Wisconsin (men’s and women’s teams), and USA Hockey. More from around the coaching world:
- Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports is reporting that Alain Nasredding will be joining the Dallas Stars as an assistant coach. He leaves the New Jersey Devils after seven seasons, including the 2019-20 campaign when he stepped in as interim head coach for a time. The Stars will have a brand new look behind the bench after hiring former New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer earlier this month. Interestingly enough, Nasreddine only joined the Devils the season after DeBoer was fired as head coach, meaning this will be the first time they work together on an NHL bench.
- The Winnipeg Jets are down to five candidates for their own head coaching position, according to Kevin Weekes of ESPN. Scott Arniel, Rick Tocchet, Jim Montgomery, Jeff Blashill, and Pascal Vincent are the finalists according to Weekes, though Andrew Brunette has also been linked previously. Montgomery, a top candidate for several jobs, also has been listed as a finalist for the Boston Bruins job, though there have been no official announcements yet from either team.
Oh thank god! How would the NHL survive without women? Just another patronizing move by a politically correct league.
Or maybe, just maybe, she was the most qualified candidate?
While I don’t question her qualifications for that position, I also have no doubt that Bettman & Co. are leaning on teams heavily to add women (but what is a woman, hehe) to their organizations. The sponsors want it, so it shall be!
You’ve been saying this every time a woman has been promoted to a job. Got to think this is less by way of “patronizing” and “politically correct” — especially with the HUNDREDS of coaches and execs who aren’t women than that there are way too many cementheads who think that testicles are necessary for hockey. (Someone go tell Phil Kessel that he can’t really be a REAL hockey player without them.)
What the hell is wrong with you?