Photo credit: Paige Bednorz

By Regan Bartel

Kris Mallette hoping PWHL flourishes

Rockets head coach watching women’s professional league with interest

Jan 19, 2024 | 8:00 AM

Kris Mallette is a girl dad first, and a hockey dad second.

The father of two daughters, Grace and Kaitlyn, the head coach of the Kelowna Rockets is interested in the first season of the newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which began play January 1st.

With six teams, playing a 24-game schedule, the league has been up and running for just over three weeks, with Mallette watching as much as he can.

“It is great to have a daughter playing now, who could potentially play after her schooling,” he told RocketFAN.

Sixteen-year-old Kaitlyn, Mallette’s youngest, is currently playing at RINK Academy in Kelowna and is committed to Clarkson University in New York once she graduates from high school.

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“She told me if it is not playing hockey, maybe it is coaching,” Mallette confessed, likely looking sideways at his daughter’s wish of possibly following in her dad’s footsteps. “I said, whoa, wait a second.”

Kaitlyn will spend four years at Clarkson, and upon obtaining her degree, the sparkplug defender could join the PWHL, which has three Canadian based teams, including franchises in Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.

“Hopefully the league will grow, and more markets will allow more people to stay in North America and play than going overseas,” he added.

The PWHL marks the third time a women’s hockey league has been launched in North America since 2007. This one is backed by billionaire Mark Walter, the lead owner of the LA Dodgers.

“It is more opportunity for the girls, who work just as hard as the guys,” Mallette said.

The three American teams are Minnesota, New York, and Boston. None of the teams have official names yet, but each has a roster of 23 players.

Salaries reportedly range from $35,000 to $80,000, with six players on each of the six teams signing three-year contracts worth no less than $80,000 per-league year. Other players are on one or two-year contracts. Two of the high-profile Canadian skaters are Marie-Philip Poulin and Sarah Nurse, who both playing for Canada at Prospera Place in November of 2022 during the Rivalry Series against the U.S.

“The games are a lot more physical than I anticipated,” Mallette suggested, while being impressed with the competitive balance across the league. “The contact is probably allowed to keep people engaged. I think some of the hits I’ve seen would be two or five [minute penalties] in our league.”

A good sign of fan interest in the new league came early, when 13,316 people showed up on January 7^th, five days after the first game, in St. Paul Minnesota to watch the host team beat Montreal 3-0 at Xcel Energy Centre, the home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.

“I definitely have a soft spot for the league, Mallette said.

“I know the girls work extremely hard and I am glad they are now getting these opportunities.”