As milestones go, Ottawa’s Carla MacLeod called it important, yet complicated, in taking part in the PWHL’s first Walter Cup Final involving two teams coached by women.

The significance, she said, was obvious in a league where she and Montreal’s Kori Cheverie are currently the only two female head coaches. What struck MacLeod as curious was how the issue of equity between genders was still considered newsworthy in 2026.

Perhaps, the moment represented the next aspirational step toward a new normal, she wrote in a text to The Associated Press before the Charge series began against the eventual champion Victoire. Montreal won the series with a Game 4-clinching 4-0 victory on Wednesday.

“For a long time, most professional leagues kept women out of leadership positions. The PWHL has helped create a space where women can be seen,” she wrote.

“And that visibility matters, not just for today’s players but for the next generation coming up,” MacLeod added. “Hopefully, one day, this won’t be something we point out.”

PWHL opens doors for women

The PWHL has made numerous strides in the three seasons since being launched.

With the addition of four expansion teams next season, the league’s doubled in size by expanding to 12 franchises.

Teams have outgrown their initial facilities, with the PWHL now favouring arenas with a minimum capacity of 8,000.

And though privately financed by baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, the PWHL is well represented by women, including his wife, Kimbra, as well as tennis icon Billie Jean King and her partner Ilana Kloss, who are among the league’s governing board members.

And while many executive roles are filled by females, including nine of 12 general manager positions, where the league still lags is at the coaching ranks. The league previously featured three female coaches before Courtney Kessel left Boston a year ago to coach at Princeton.

One reason for the discrepancy is development time and access to jobs, with women previously having few opportunities to coach outside of the college ranks.

NHL Coaches’ Association gets an assist

Inroads are being made with a big assist from the NHL Coaches’ Association, which in 2020 launched a female coaches program to develop their skills. The program began with 50 members, including Cheverie, and has now had 137 participants from six countries.

The program features participants working directly with NHL coaches and influences both the men’s and women’s games.

The most notable program participant is Jessica Campbell, who, in Seattle, became the NHL’s first female assistant coach. To date, eight program graduates have held full-time jobs in various NHL roles, plus two in the American Hockey League, and seven in the PWHL.

Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations, is proud of the opportunities the league has provided women. However, she stressed, the hiring process focuses on landing the best candidate, man or woman.

Much like the NHL no longer being exclusive to men, the PWHL prefers attracting the top talent to broaden the game.

“I like to think of diversity of thought. And if you don’t have people that come from different backgrounds and different perspectives, you’re going to have a bunch of people that see something the same way,” Hefford said. “And that’s not challenging enough.”

That doesn’t take away from the significance of two women-coached teams competing for the Walter Cup.

“I think we’ve maybe crossed the threshold of where there are women that have been in the game or have played the game that have a lot to offer,” she said. “And I think that’s really exciting.”

The moment wasn’t lost on Cheverie in becoming the first female PWHL coach to hoist the Walter Cup, after Minnesota’s Ken Klee won the first two titles.

“Carla and I both know we’re part of something important. And I hope it opens even more doors going forward,” Cheverie wrote to the AP on Thursday. “Of course, being the first head coach to win the Walter Cup is very special. But it’s also a reflection of all the people who helped pave the way before me.”

Among the pioneers are Victoire GM Daniele Sauvageau, a Hockey Hall of Famer, and the first female hockey coach to win an Olympic gold medal, after overseeing the Canadian women’s team in 2002.

“It’s been years in the making,” Sauvageau said, noting it will become no different than other jobs women have filled, such as lawyers, police officers or doctors.

“It’s equity in the making, and equity has to be everywhere, not just women’s sports or men’s sports,” she added. “I think it’s just more doors open for women in the sporting industry, including hockey.”

MacLeod is encouraged by the developments.

“For a long time in professional sports, men (because of their) experience and leadership have been able to cross between the men’s and women’s games, but women haven’t always been given that same opportunity,” MacLeod said. “Hopefully, that continues to change. Good hockey is good hockey. Good coaching is good coaching.”