PWHL Seattle names Steve O'Rourke as first coach

SEATTLE -- PWHL Seattle named Steve O'Rourke as the expansion franchise's first head coach on Friday.

O'Rourke spent the 2024-25 season as the head coach of the OHL's Oshawa Generals after serving as an assistant coach with the team for two seasons. In all, he brings more than 15 years of coaching experience to Seattle.

"We're proud to welcome Steve as the first head coach in PWHL Seattle's history," general manager Meghan Turner said. "He brings a great hockey mind, a clear vision for the game, and a strong commitment to developing both our team and our players as individuals. We're confident in his leadership and excited to start this next chapter with him behind the bench."

A native of Summerland, B.C., O'Rourke played in the WHL before being selected by the New York Islanders in the 1992 NHL Draft. His coaching career also includes stints with the Prince George Cougars and Red Deer Rebels in the WHL and the AHL's Abbotsford Heat.

O'Rourke, 50, also served as an assistant coach for Canada's Team Red at the 2019-20 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and spent one season as the general manager and head coach of the BCHL's Langley Rivermen.

"I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Professional Women's Hockey League," O'Rourke said. "This is something I've thought about since the league was first announced. To now be given the opportunity to work with the best players in the world and be part of a professional league that is thriving both on and off the ice is truly amazing.

"Being from the West and having played hockey in Washington State, I've seen first-hand how much the game has grown in this region. The passion and support for hockey here is real, and I'm proud to now be part of it in a new way. To have the opportunity to help shape the Seattle team alongside Meghan Turner and the players is something I don't take for granted. It's an exciting challenge, and I'm looking forward to building something special with this group."

--Field Level Media