FILE - Professional Women’s Hockey League New York head coach Howie Draper goes over a play with the team the morning of the inaugural PWHL hockey game in Toronto, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. PWHL New York is changing coaches after reaching a mutual agreement with Howie Draper to step down and return to his former job to coach the University of Alberta women’s hockey program, the league announced on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
As part of the agreement, Draper will remain involved with New York in a special advisory role with the scouting department. He returns to an Alberta program where Draper spent 26 seasons and holds the Canadian university women’s hockey record with 667 career coaching wins.for his decision to step down from his job with Minnesota in late December, less than a week before the start of the season. He was replaced by former NHL defenseman and former U.S. women’s national team coach Ken Klee.