PWHL HAMILTON REINFORCES BENCH, ADDING CHELSEA WALKLAND AND CONNOR JAMES AS ASSISTANT COACHES

Walkland most recently served as head coach with Bishop Kearney’s U19 women’s hockey team and brings extensive NCAA & international coaching experience

James joins PWHL Hamilton following seven seasons as head coach of the Burlington Eagles AAA Program

HAMILTON, ON (August 18, 2026) — PWHL Hamilton today announced that Chelsea Walkland and Connor James have been named assistant coaches ahead of the team's inaugural 2026-27 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season.

Walkland joins the organization with extensive coaching experience at both the university and international levels, most recently serving two seasons (2024-26) as head coach of Bishop Kearney’s U19 women’s hockey program. Prior to joining the Selects, Walkland spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Colgate University (2019-24), helping the Raiders win four consecutive ECAC titles with teams that featured PWHL Hamilton goaltender Kayle Osborne and defender Allyson Simpson. She also spent five seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Robert Morris University (2014-19), in addition to coaching positions at SUNY Oswego and in her hometown at Rochester Institute of Technology. As a forward at RMU, Walkland played four seasons from 2006-10, appearing in 139 games and recording 41 points.

“Chelsea is an outstanding addition to our coaching staff,” said PWHL Hamilton General Manager Meghan Duggan. “She has a tremendous track record of developing players, helping to build successful programs, and creating environments where athletes can reach their potential. Her experience at the collegiate and international levels, combined with her ability to connect with players and teach the game, will be extremely valuable to us. We are excited to have someone of Chelsea’s experience and character helping establish the standards and identity of our team.”

On the international stage, Walkland served as an assistant coach with Team USA at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, helping capture a silver medal with Colgate forward and PWHL Hamilton third-round pick Elyssa Biederman. In 2023, she was head coach for the Collegiate Select Series, leading the U.S. to a 3-0 record against Canada, with a squad that included Biederman, Simpson, and PWHL Hamilton defender Riley Brengman.

“I think the opportunity to work with great people across the organization really drew me into this opportunity, and I really enjoyed my conversations with GM Meghan Duggan and Head Coach Kris Sparre,” said Walkland. “We are going to create something special in this community and I think the fans are really excited about hockey. I was fortunate to experience that in person when my daughter and I went to the PWHL Takeover Tour in Hamilton where it was just an incredible atmosphere. I think it is going to be super special and incredible to be a part of.”

James brings extensive high-performance coaching and professional playing experience to Hamilton. He most recently served as a skills coach with Shield Athletics, developing elite athletes within pro-level on-ice training environments, and head coach of the Burlington Eagles AAA program across multiple age groups from 2019-26. During his tenure as head coach, he oversaw all aspects of player development, including on-ice instruction, off-ice training, video analysis, and dryland programming. A product of the University of Denver, James was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the ninth round (279th overall) of the 2002 NHL Draft. The Calgary, AB, native appeared in 16 NHL games with the Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins during a 16-year professional playing career. He also spent time in the AHL and ECHL with stops in Manchester, Bakersfield, and Wilkes-Barre, before continuing his career overseas in Germany where he competed opposite Sparre in the DEL between 2009-16.

"Connor brings a wealth of professional hockey experience and a unique perspective to our staff,” said Duggan. “Having played at the NHL, AHL and international levels, he understands the demands of the game and what it takes to compete and succeed as a professional. Just as importantly, Connor has a genuine passion for teaching and developing players as well as tremendous character and ability to make the people around him better. We believe his experience, energy, and ability to connect with our group will make a significant impact on our team.”

James played in more than 1,000 professional games and was a member of the University of Denver's NCAA National Championship team in 2004 when recognized as the WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year. He also represented Canada three times in Deutschland Cup competition.

“I am incredibly excited and honoured to join PWHL Hamilton as an assistant coach,” said James. “The opportunity to work with Kris Sparre and Meghan Duggan, and to be part of the team’s inaugural season is an incredible opportunity. Both bring an incredible level of experience, knowledge, and passion for the game, and I’m looking forward to working alongside them. Hamilton is a tremendous sports city with a passionate fan base. I am looking forward to contributing to the organization, helping our players develop, and being part of building something special in this community.”

Walkland and James are the first additions to Sparre’s coaching staff in Hamilton as the team continues to build toward its PWHL debut.

ABOUT PWHL HAMILTON 
PWHL Hamilton is one of 12 teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which was founded in 2023. The PWHL began its inaugural season in January 2024 and features the best women’s hockey players in the world. PWHL Hamilton was officially announced as one of the league’s four new expansion teams on May 13 and will debut at TD Coliseum in the fall. Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here, opens in a new tab to secure priority access to season tickets for PWHL Hamilton’s historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. To learn more and stay up to date, visit HamiltonPWHL.com, subscribe to PWHL Hamilton’s newsletter here, opens in a new tab, and follow the team on Facebook PWHL Hamilton, opens in a new tab, Instagram @PWHL_Hamilton, opens in a new tab, X @PWHL_Hamilton, opens in a new tab, TikTok @PWHL_Hamilton, opens in a new tab, YouTube PWHL Hamilton, opens in a new tab, Threads @PWHL_Hamilton, opens in a new tab, Bluesky @PWHL-Hamilton, opens in a new tab, and LinkedIn PWHL Hamilton, opens in a new tab.