The Arizona Coyotes have hired Dawn Braid as skating coach, making her what is believed to be the first full-time female coach in NHL history.
Braid worked part-time for the Coyotes last season. She has also been a skating consultant with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres.
Braid also spent seven years with the Athletes Training Center as director of skating development.
Dawn Braid, hired by @ArizonaCoyotes as skating coach, becomes first full-time female coach in the NHL. https://t.co/lfi5Zia40u
— NHL (@NHL) August 24, 2016
OFFICIAL: Mike Van Ryn, Steve Potvin and Dawn Braid have been added to the coaching staff. https://t.co/r1YBjZ1IrI pic.twitter.com/bVCWTlAxHI
— Yotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) August 24, 2016
"I'm very excited about this opportunity with the Coyotes," Braid said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to working with (Coyotes head coach) Dave Tippett and his coaching staff and all the great players in the organization.
"It's something that I've wanted to see happen. The fact that they respect what I do enough to name me as a full-time coach, or to name me as the first female coach in the NHL, I take a ton of pride in that. I've worked very hard for this opportunity. It's been going on for years and I just look forward to going even further with it."
The Coyotes have followed in the footsteps of the Arizona Cardinals, who made Dr. Jen Welter the first female coach in NFL history last season by hiring her as a defensive assistant during the preseason.
