The Toronto Sceptres faced a significant upheaval on Friday as head coach Troy Ryan departed to take on the dual role of general manager and head coach for the Professional Women's Hockey League expansion team in San Jose.
Ryan had been closely tied to Sceptres general manager Gina Kingsbury for the past seven years, starting with their work at Hockey Canada and continuing through the establishment of the Sceptres in the league's inaugural 2024 season. In his three seasons with Toronto, Ryan led the team to a regular-season title in the first year and a second-place finish in the second. However, the Sceptres were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual champion Minnesota Frost in both of those seasons and failed to qualify for the postseason this past year.
Ryan was named the PWHL Coach of the Year in the league's debut season. His departure adds to what was already expected to be a busy off-season for Kingsbury, as the league expands from eight to twelve teams, with four new clubs stocking their rosters through an expansion draft designed to maintain competitive balance.
Ryan expressed enthusiasm about his new role in a league-issued statement. "I'm honoured and incredibly excited to help build this organization in San Jose," said the Halifax, Nova Scotia native. "Expansion creates a rare opportunity to shape everything with intention from the standards and culture to the people and connection to the community. We want to build a team that plays with purpose, represents The Bay Area with pride and helps to continue to grow women's hockey on the West Coast. We know there is a lot of hard work ahead, and that is exactly what makes this opportunity so special."
Kingsbury now faces the task of finding a new head coach for the Sceptres while also preparing for the expansion draft that will see existing teams lose players to the new franchises.
