The NBA has two female assistant coaches and the NFL recently hired one. Is the NHL next?
Longtime hockey executive Brian Burke says "it's a question of when, not if."
"What I think has to happen is the leagues lower than the NHL -- college hockey, junior hockey, American League -- would have to train and bring qualified, capable women along. It can't be a rookie assignment," the Calgary Flames hockey operations president said.
Women aren't coaching men in those leagues yet, so by Burke's rationale, a woman in the NHL's coaching ranks isn't imminent.
As any job-seeker has learned, it's who you know.