SEATTLE (June 20, 2025) –– PWHL Seattle has named Steve O’Rourke as its first-ever head coach, marking a major milestone as the team prepares to take the ice for its inaugural season.
“We’re proud to welcome Steve as the first head coach in PWHL Seattle’s history,” said PWHL Seattle General Manager Meghan Turner. “He brings a great hockey mind, a clear vision for the game, and a strong commitment to developing both our team and our players as individuals. We’re confident in his leadership and excited to start this next chapter with him behind the bench.”
O’Rourke brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to PWHL Seattle, most recently serving two-and-a-half seasons with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. He spent two years as an assistant coach with the Generals before being promoted to head coach for the 2024-25 season.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Professional Women's Hockey League,” said O’Rourke. “This is something I’ve thought about since the league was first announced. To now be given the opportunity to work with the best players in the world and be part of a professional league that is thriving both on and off the ice is truly amazing. Being from the West and having played hockey in Washington State, I’ve seen first-hand how much the game has grown in this region. The passion and support for hockey here is real, and I’m proud to now be part of it in a new way. To have the opportunity to help shape the Seattle team alongside Meghan Turner and the players is something I don’t take for granted. It’s an exciting challenge, and I’m looking forward to building something special with this group.”
A native of Summerland, BC, O’Rourke spent six seasons with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars as an associate coach and director of player development. His coaching résumé also includes three seasons as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, one season as general manager and head coach of the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen, and two seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. On the international stage, O’Rourke served as an assistant coach for Canada’s Team Red at the 2019–20 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
As a player, O’Rourke was a defenseman, selected by the New York Islanders in the 1992 NHL Draft while competing as a member of the WHL’s Tri-City Americans.
Next up for PWHL Seattle is the 2025 PWHL Draft presented by Upper Deck, taking place on Tuesday, June 24 at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET, where the team will make six picks including the eighth overall selection. The first three rounds of the Draft will broadcast live on TSN and in its entirety on TSN+ and on the league’s YouTube channel.
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About the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that features the best women’s players in the world. It is comprised of eight teams: Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver. Launched on Jan. 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. In 2024, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year and received the top position in the first-ever Canadian edition of the Harris Poll, which ranks companies’ reputations. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial.
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