PWHL hires AHL executive Melissa Caruso to fill Minnesota GM vacancy

The Professional Women’s Hockey League on Tuesday announced the hiring of AHL executive Melissa Caruso to take over as general manager of its Minnesota franchise and shore up a team that dealt with several crises in the weeks after winning the league’s inaugural championship.

From St. Paul, Minn., Caruso spent 15 years with the American Hockey League, including the past six as vice president of hockey operations and governance. She was responsible for overseeing the league’s schedule, player registry and bylaws, while working with the board of governors.

“Her strong background in operations and governance, combined with her extensive hockey knowledge and leadership experience, make her a great fit for the role,” PWHL vice president of hockey operations Jayna Hefford said in a PWHL release. “Melissa’s passion for the game, along with her ties to the local community positions her perfectly to lead the team both on and off the ice.”

The long-awaited hiring comes as the PWHL prepares to open its second season in December.

Caruso replaces former U.S. Olympian Natalie Darwitz, who was removed by the league in June following a months-long review and mere weeks after Minnesota clinched the Walter Cup in a decisive fifth game. Hefford did not reveal the findings of the league’s review, which included input from players, staff and team partners, in saying the feedback was clear a change was required.

The troubles in Minnesota didn’t end there and with coach Ken Klee overseeing personnel decisions and the draft on an interim basis.

At the draft on June 10, Klee was questioned for using a second-round pick to select Britta Curl, who had drawn criticism from the women’s hockey and LGBTQ+ communities for supporting transphobic messaging on social media. Klee defended the decision to select the two-year Wisconsin captain by saying he spoke to numerous coaches and players who knew Curl.

Curl issued an apology to fans in a video posted on social media five days later in saying she took ownership for her actions, and added: “I’ve learned so much through this, and I’m seeing it as an opportunity to grow in humility and grow in love.”

Klee back coaching despite investigation

In a separate development, the PWHL launched an investigation into Klee after allegations surfaced of bullying team staff. The league has not provided any updates of its investigation, with Klee scheduled to return as coach for a second season.

The former NHL player and former women’s U.S. national team coach was a late hiring as Minnesota’s coach in taking over a week before the start of the season after Charlie Burggraf cited family reasons in his decision to step down in late December.

Caruso issued a statement and is scheduled to address the media on Wednesday.

“It’s an exciting time for women’s sports, and I thank leadership for trusting me with the opportunity to lead PWHL Minnesota during these crucial formative years for the league,” she said. “I can’t wait to get started on the journey to defend the Walter Cup in Season Two.”

Caruso takes over a team led by a core of current and former high-profile U.S. national team players, including Kendall Coyne Schofield, Kelly Pannek, Taylor Heise and Lee Stecklein.

Caruso graduated from Springfield College with a degree in sport management in 2009, immediately joined the AHL as a business services coordinator and steadily moved up the ranks in various roles.

AHL President Scott Howson said Caruso was the mastermind behind scheduling while also handling the board of governors, collective bargaining matters and other aspects of hockey operations such as central registry during her decade and a half with the league.

“She really grew into a real valuable role, and we’re just thrilled that she’s got this opportunity with Minnesota,” Howson told The Associated Press by phone Tuesday. “She’s studious, a quick learner, she’s detailed, so she’s going to do really well. And the exciting part for the PWHL is they’re not only going to get a general manager, but they’re going to get somebody that’s helped run a league for the last 15 years.

“They’re in the infancy of their league, and she’ll bring a lot of institutional knowledge, ideas, processes, procedures to that league. She’ll be a resource for the league, and then obviously she’ll help at the club level, as well.”