The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has announced the appointment of Troy Ryan as the General Manager and Head Coach for the San Jose PWHL team. Ryan is a highly experienced coach known for his talent evaluation and development skills. He makes history as the first individual to assume this dual role within the PWHL.
Troy Ryan’s Coaching Background
Before joining PWHL San Jose, Ryan was the head coach of the Toronto Sceptres for their initial three seasons. He was named the inaugural Coach of the Year in 2024. Ryan’s leadership was pivotal in guiding the Sceptres to the best regular-season record in the league for the 2024 season. They also achieved the league’s second-best record in the 2024-25 season, both leading to playoff appearances.
International Success with Canada
Troy Ryan has a rich history with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team, where he spent nine years, six of which were as head coach. Notable achievements during his tenure include:
- Gold medal win at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games
- Three IIHF Women’s World Championship titles in 2021, 2022, and 2024
- Two IIHF World Championship silver medals
His coaching career with the national team concluded after the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, where the team earned a silver medal.
Ryan’s Previous Coaching Roles
Prior to his PWHL career, Ryan accumulated over 20 years of coaching experience in university and junior hockey. He served as the head coach of Dalhousie University’s women’s hockey team from 2020 to 2023. Additionally, he held various roles such as head coach, general manager, and president for the Maritime Hockey League’s teams, including the Campbellton Tigers and Metro Marauders.
Throughout his coaching journey, Ryan has been honored multiple times, receiving accolades like the Hockey Nova Scotia and Maritime Junior A Hockey League Coach of the Year awards. He was also recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Hockey Nova Scotia in 2011.
Vision for PWHL San Jose
Troy Ryan expressed his excitement about building the new organization in San Jose. He sees expansion as a unique opportunity to shape the culture, standards, and community engagement of the team.
“We want to build a team that plays with purpose, represents The Bay Area with pride, and helps to grow women’s hockey on the West Coast,” Ryan stated. He acknowledged the challenges ahead but remains motivated by the opportunity.
Upcoming Challenges and Opportunities
As the General Manager and Head Coach, Ryan will focus on constructing a hockey operations staff. He will also lead the roster-building process for PWHL San Jose’s inaugural season in 2026-27. Key upcoming events include:
- 2026 PWHL Draft on June 17 in Detroit
The league will finalize and announce all phases of the roster-building process in the coming weeks as they prepare for their launch.
About the Professional Women’s Hockey League
The PWHL is a professional ice hockey league in North America that showcases the world’s top female players. As of the 2025-26 season, it consists of eight teams, with San Jose being one of the four new teams set to join in the 2026-27 season. Since its launch on January 1, 2024, the league has achieved numerous attendance records and was recognized as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year by Sports Business Journal.
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