Troy Ryan believes that now is the right time to make some changes for the Canadian women’s national hockey program.
Ryan is coming off his second Olympic stint as the senior women’s team head coach, falling to the United States 2-1 in overtime in the gold-medal game, taking home a silver medal.
The 54-year-old coach spoke to the media on Thursday about the right time to make leadership changes in Hockey Canada’s program.
“Win or lose in this situation, there was a typical point of transitioning to some extent,” said Ryan. “I do believe to some extent that there’s a time for change and this is probably the right time.”
“I’ve had those conversations consistently over the last few years with Hockey Canada about when the right time would be to transition to a different role or completely transition out of the program. A lot of those final details within those decisions still need to be worked out.”
Canada went 3-1-0 during the round-robin portion of the tournament with their only loss coming against the Americans.
The Canadians then defeated Germany and Switzerland in the quarter-finals and semifinals, respectively, to set up a rematch with the United States in the gold-medal game.
Canada clung to a 1-0 over USA until American captain Hilary Knight broke the tie with 2:04 remaining in the third period.
American defender Megan Keller then scored the three-on-three overtime winner as the United States claimed the gold medal.
Ryan, who is also the head coach of the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres, had previously coached Canada to gold at The Winter Olympics in 2022 and has nothing but good things to say about the program.
“This program changed the trajectory of my career,” said Ryan. “Ultimately, you want to help a program that’s been so good to you, and I think I’ve been good for the program as well,
The Spryfield, N.S., native is hoping to be involved with any potential succession plan behind the Canadian bench. He specifically named Canadian national team assistant coaches Kori Cheverie and Caroline Ouellette as two candidates that the program can benefit from
Cheverie is also the head coach of the PWHL’s Montreal Victoire, while Ouellette is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 2023.
Ouellette is currently serving as an assistant coach with the Victoire under Cheverie.
“There are different coaches I’ve had the opportunity to coach with in the national program,” said Ryan. “I look at someone like Cheverie [where] it’s important for her in her career to potentially get opportunities.
“Someone like Caroline Ouellette, both of them worked with me as assistant coaches for a number of years. At some point it has to be someone else’s opportunity and someone else’s stage.”