[hockey.modern]

Flames open to idea of first female NHL coach — if her resume stacks up
http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...sume-stacks-up

The Flames currently employ two females on the developmental side of their staff — Dawn Braid, a renowned skating coach who has worked with John Tavares and is the former skating coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, while Dana St.Clair is the team’s psychologist.

“You always use that as your compass — OK. What would you do if it was your daughter?” said the Calgary Flames general manager about the idea of women entering the coaching realms of professional sports.

“I’d say, ‘Hell ya.’ If that’s what you want to do . . . you dig in and don’t let anyone or anything (stop you) . . . now, you’re not going to be given anything. But you go and put your mind to it and I would support you 1,000 per cent and you should be given the opportunity IF — not because you’re a woman — your
judgment makes you the best person for the job.

“I think the rest of it (gender) is irrelevant.”

“You always need that first one to be a pioneer in a lot of ways,” Treliving said. “But there is a lot of really smart, articulate, good hockey people that are women. Honestly, I think it’s just a matter of time. If there is a women coaching in football, obviously that’s awesome . . . and I think the same will happen, at some point, in hockey.

“I think it will generate some discussion in our sport, for sure. To me, it’s a natural.”

“Every person gains respect in their own way,” Matt Stajan said. “There are a lot of coaches in the league and they have to figure out ways to gain respect from players. As a player, you have to find way to get respect from coaches. It wouldn’t be any different if there was female involved.

“As players, we’re more scared of our Moms than our Dads anyways.”

Mark Giordano thinks it will happen in the NHL soon.

“Absolutely,” said the Flames captain. “With the way women have progressed in sports over the years, I think it’s just a matter of time. Teams already have women employed by their organizations in different jobs.

“It’ll be in the near future when they’re behind the bench or in the press box coaching.”

“The world has changed a lot,” Giordano said. “I believe guys are mature enough and have enough respect. Whoever is your coach, you respect them. There’s a give-and-take; obviously there is respect on both sides. But I think players will be open to the idea.

“I’d be open to it, I know that for sure.”

“In our situation in Calgary, the first criteria would be: ‘Can you help us be better?’ Outside of that, everything else is somewhat secondary.”