SEATTLE, Washington – After serving just one season as an assistant coach with the Professional Women's Hockey League's (PWHL) Seattle Torrent, former Huskie Women's Hockey assistant Christine Bumstead has been named Head Coach, the club announced Thursday morning (June 11).
"Season one in Seattle was special, and I am humbled and honored to continue building on it," said Bumstead via the Seattle Torrent's official announcement. "I believe Seattle is the best city in the world for women's sports. Our fans showed up night in and night out, and it has been a privilege to be on the bench representing them. I am beyond grateful for the trust placed in me to help lead this organization. Thank you to Meghan and the players for believing in me and for pushing me to be a better coach every single day. Long before I was a part of the league, I was inspired by what the PWHL is building, and so I do not take this opportunity lightly; I feel incredibly fortunate to play a role in sparking dreams for the next generation of players. The best is still ahead for Seattle Torrent hockey, and we can't wait to continue growing."
Bumstead joined the Torrent nearly a year ago ahead of the club's inaugural season in the PWHL, serving as an assistant under head coach Steve O'Rourke for a campaign which saw the team post a 9-16-5 record.
Prior to becoming the club's first assistant coach, Bumstead had served as an assistant with the Huskie Women's Hockey program for four seasons. During her time on the USask bench, she helped the Huskies to three postseason berths and two appearances in the U SPORTS National Championship while overseeing the Dogs' defensive scheme and penalty kill.
"We are so incredibly proud of Christine," said Huskie Women's Hockey head coach Steve Kook. "She was clearly trusted in Seattle, and the Torrent recognized the same elite coaching talent in her that we did. Christine has embraced learning at every stage of her career, and it's no surprise she was ready when this opportunity came along. We're very proud of her and excited to cheer her and the Torrent on next season"
Two seasons into her time with the Huskies, Bumstead also joined the staff of the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Saskatoon Blades as a player development coach, making history as the first female coach in the club's history. She made history yet again in the WHL when she was appointed as the first female coach to a WHL Cup team, serving as an assistant for the gold-medal winning Team Manitoba.
A product of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bumstead has also served as Head Coach of Team Manitoba at the 2024 National Women's U18 Championship and, that same year, was invited to the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers summer development and pre-season training camps as a guest coach.
Bumstead has also served as Head Coach and General Manager for Canada's women's team at the 2024 World Deaf Ice Hockey Championship.
