They're among the first women to occupy notable positions at the hockey operations and executive levels in the sport.

As part of our Virtual Hockey Summit held last September, we were joined by five trailblazing women in hockey.

Cammi Granato (Seattle Kraken pro scout), Florence Schelling (SC Bern general manager), Susan Cohig (NHL VP of Business Affairs), and Lindsay Artkin (NHLCA President) are among the first women to occupy notable positions at the hockey operations and executive levels in the sport. They’ve broken barriers, paving a way for future generations.

The discussion was moderated by Leah Hextall, a broadcaster who is the first woman to call play-by-play for an NHL game.

The focus of the panel was to provide tools, strategies, and mentorship for women who have aspirations of a career in hockey. The aim is to empower those hiring for jobs in hockey, regardless of the capacity, to look beyond male candidates and ensure they are selecting the most deserving applicant, and that they appreciate the benefits of having a diverse workplace.

While Granato said her role as a pro scout came naturally to her, she also recognized the importance of it for women and girls looking to follow her lead.

“The essence of the job is just analyzing hockey, and that’s something I’ve done just naturally (for a long time),” said Granato. “I didn’t realize the attention that would be drawn to it, I didn’t think about that part. So I do feel, as a female, you do have to represent and show other girls this is now a job opportunity for them.”