This season, Carla MacLeod will have some new support on her staff.
On Wednesday, the PWHL Ottawa team announced the hiring of Dean Jackson as the new assistant coach. Additionally, Greg Houde has been brought on as the video coach, while Kristine Walker will serve as the strength coach. This trio will join MacLeod’s existing staff, which includes assistant coach Haley Irwin and goaltending coach Pierre Groulx.
Jackson arrives in Ottawa following 15 years of coaching at the NCAA level. The 44-year-old previously spent five seasons as an assistant coach for the women’s team at Cornell University, where he coached 2024 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Izzy Daniel. He was also involved with Penn State University during the 2016-17 season, initially as an assistant before taking on interim head coaching responsibilities amid the Josh Brandwene situation.
“Dean is an experienced coach who has worked with some of the top players in the NCAA,” said general manager Mike Hirshfeld in a statement. “He will be a significant asset to our organization. He knows how to manage a bench effectively and will excel in working with our defenders.”
The Don Valley, Ontario native also coached at his alma mater, Elmira College, a D-III school. He served as an assistant with the men’s team from 2007-12, before taking over as head coach of the women’s program, a job he held until 2016.
Houde comes to Canada’s capital after working on the video coaching staff with the Vancouver Canucks as an assistant video coach. Walker, a graduate of Western University, has a PhD in sports performance, and has worked with several of the Mustangs’ athletic programs for over a decade.
The new coaching staff is hoping they can guide Ottawa to the playoffs in season two. The team went 8-1-6-9 during the first-ever PWHL season, finishing fifth place with 32 points, just three points back of a playoff spot.
