LINDSAY ARTKIN | NHL COACHES’ ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

The demands on NHL coaches have never been greater and Lindsay Artkin is helping ensure they’re well-equipped to take it all on. The NHLCA is the go-to source for coaches on all things that aren’t hockey related, from help with pensions and health insurance to tips on mental health resources and sponsorship information. Artkin is also working to develop the next generation of coaches, including spearheading innovative programs coming down the pipeline specifically designed to diversify the coaching prospect pool.

KATIE GUAY, KELLY COOKE, KENDALL HANLEY, KIRSTEN WELSH | ON-ICE OFFICIALS

Bending the rules a little bit here (which is ironic) by grouping four names into one entry, but it’s only fitting considering these four all made history at the same time.

In September, referees Katie Guay and Kelly Cooke, and linesmen Kendall Hanley and Kirsten Welsh served as on-ice officials during NHL prospect tournaments — the first time women have ever called an NHL-affiliated event. If you tuned in to the Women’s Elite 3-on-3 Game during All-Star Weekend, you witnessed another piece of history when the foursome worked the game. (Though perhaps it didn’t register, since a good sign of strong officiating is going unnoticed.) It feels like it’s only a matter of time until the NHL catches up with the NBA and NFL and calls up its first female official to the big leagues. Remember these names.

KORI CHEVERIE | RYERSON RAMS MEN’S HOCKEY LEAD ASSITANT COACH

After a successful six-year run playing in the CWHL, it didn’t take long for Kori Cheverie to find her calling as a coach. She made history in August 2016 when she became the first woman to be a full-time assistant with a men’s U Sports team, and has since begun appearing behind Canada’s bench at various under-18 women’s tournaments. She made another leap in January when she served as an assistant with the senior women’s national team for the final three games of the Canada-USA Rivalry Series.

“BERRY” AND “TURBO” | TEAM CHINA DEFENDER AND FORWARD

China has its eye on the podium at Beijing 2022, and has been investing heavily in its effort to become a women’s hockey powerhouse. As the nation works towards that ambitious goal, it’ll lean heavily on two players in particular to lead the way on the ice: long-time Chinese national team captain Yu Baiwei, who goes by “Berry,” and top forward Fang Xin, a.k.a. “Turbo” because of her speed. (You’re rooting for them already, aren’t you?) China hasn’t qualified for the Olympics since 2010 but with an automatic host-entry in 2022, their journey to the biggest international stage is an intriguing one to keep an eye on.