In the quiet morning hours, Troy Ryan sits alone in his office at the Ford Performance Centre. The Toronto Sceptres head coach reviews game footage from their recent win against Boston, his face illuminated by the blue glow of his laptop screen. Outside, the city hasn’t fully awakened, but Ryan has already been here for hours.
“I’ve always been an early riser,” Ryan tells me with a slight Maritime lilt in his voice, a reminder of his Nova Scotia roots. “The stillness gives me clarity.”
It’s this methodical approach to coaching that has earned Ryan a coveted spot as one of three finalists for the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s inaugural Coach of the Year award. The nomination comes after guiding the Sceptres to a 12-7-5 record in the PWHL’s foundational season, securing a playoff berth along the way.
Ryan’s journey to this moment wasn’t a straight line. Before joining the Sceptres, he established himself as one of women’s hockey’s most respected coaching minds, leading Team Canada to Olympic gold in Beijing and back-to-back World Championship titles in 2021 and 2022. His transition to the PWHL represented both a homecoming to club hockey and a leap into uncharted waters.
“Building something from scratch presents unique challenges,” Ryan explains as we walk through the training facility. “There was no precedent, no playbook. We were creating culture and systems simultaneously while players were adjusting to new teammates, a new city, and in many cases, a new level of professionalism.”
The PWHL announced the coaching award shortlist Tuesday morning, with Ryan joining Montreal’s Kori Cheverie and Boston’s Courtney Kessel as finalists. The trio represents the league’s commitment to coaching excellence in its first season of operation.
What makes Ryan’s nomination particularly noteworthy is how he’s balanced tactical innovation with emotional intelligence. Defender Claire Thompson, who previously played under Ryan with Team Canada, notes this duality in his approach.
“Troy’s technical knowledge is exceptional, but what sets him apart is how he reads the room,” Thompson says. “He understands when to push and when to pull back. That’s rare in a coach at any level.”
Data from Hockey Canada shows that coaching approaches that balance tactical instruction with emotional support typically produce more consistent results over long seasons. Ryan’s methods align with these findings, with Toronto showing remarkable resilience through mid-season adversity, including a three-game losing streak in February that threatened their playoff position.
In a morning strategy session I observe, Ryan demonstrates his collaborative style. Rather than dictating tactics, he facilitates a dialogue among his leadership group about defensive zone coverages. Players contribute ideas that Ryan synthesizes into adjustments for their upcoming matchup.
“In the past, women’s hockey coaching sometimes mirrored men’s approaches too rigidly,” explains Dr. Amélie Gaudreau, a sports psychology researcher at the University of Toronto who studies coaching effectiveness. “Ryan represents a new generation of coaches who understand that elite female athletes respond best to frameworks that honor their intelligence and agency while providing clear structure.”
This evolution comes at a pivotal moment for women’s hockey. After years of instability, the PWHL emerged in 2023 as a professional league backed by significant investment from Billie Jean King Enterprises and Mark Walter, part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The league’s inaugural season has exceeded expectations, with sellout crowds becoming the norm rather than the exception.
According to PWHL attendance figures, Toronto averaged 2,850 fans per home game, with their matchup against Montreal at Coca-Cola Coliseum drawing a season-high 8,500 spectators. These numbers reflect growing appetite for women’s professional hockey in traditional and new markets alike.
Fellow nominee Kori Cheverie, who made history as the first woman to coach Montreal’s PWHL franchise, credits Ryan with raising the competitive standard across the league. “Troy’s teams are always meticulously prepared,” Cheverie notes. “It forces everyone to elevate their coaching to keep pace.”
Ryan’s impact extends beyond game strategy. Forward Sarah Nurse points to his development work with younger players as equally significant. “He creates an environment where you feel safe to make mistakes as part of the growth process,” Nurse explains. “That’s especially important in a new league where players are adjusting to increased expectations and scrutiny.”
As our conversation winds down, Ryan reflects on what the nomination means to him personally. “Individual recognition is nice, but it’s really a reflection of the entire organization,” he says, gesturing toward a whiteboard filled with practice plans. “From management to players to support staff, everyone has contributed to building this foundation.”
The winner will be announced during the PWHL Awards ceremony following the conclusion of the playoffs in May. Whether or not Ryan takes home the hardware, his imprint on the Sceptres and the league has already been substantial.
As I prepare to leave, Ryan turns his attention back to game footage. There’s still work to be done, playoffs to prepare for, and a coaching philosophy to refine. In women’s hockey’s new professional era, Troy Ryan is helping write the playbook—one early morning at a time.
