Émilie Castonguay is a pioneer. That’s why seeing so many women get important positions in the National Hockey League is so thrilling to her.
Posted at 4:23 p.m.
In January, Castonguay became one of the first women to become an assistant general manager for a National Hockey League roster. Cammi Granato joined her soon after with the Vancouver Canucks.
In late June, Meghan Hunter landed the same role with the Chicago Blackhawks. Tuesday, Hayley Wickenheiser’s turn with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Then, on Wednesday, Kate Madigan got the job with the New Jersey Devils.
The world of hockey is taking a significant turn.
“The league is going in the right direction. What matters to me in all of this is that the teams hire very competent people. That’s what I’ve been saying from the start. There are really competent women in this industry and they deserve the chance to be in this position,” Castonguay explained at a press conference on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the NHL Draft in Montreal.
She is happy to have perhaps served as an inspiration, but she believes that it may be the start of a movement: “Sometimes you just wait for a domino to fall and I think you have shattered a glass ceiling. There are plenty of qualified women for these positions,” she added.
hockey culture
Castonguay was also questioned about the scandal surrounding Hockey Canada. At the time of the alleged gang rape allegedly committed by eight players from the Canadian junior hockey team, she was an agent.
Obviously, she finds the alleged actions of these players deplorable. However, she feels this is a complex situation for Hockey Canada.
” It’s horrible. We never want to see that, in any industry. It’s hard to talk about it because I don’t know all the facts. The decision makers are doing their best, but we still have to do better. »
She remains optimistic and thinks that despite this scandal, the wind is still changing: “The league is changing. Culture is changing and not just in hockey, everywhere. I can speak from what I know and what I know is that I have worked in this industry for a long time, in almost every department. There are really good people in place, doing the right things. I don’t want everyone in the industry to be put in the same boat. »