Andrea DiCristoforo 3 hours ago
In celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day this week, Front Row spoke with Katy Gibralter, Heather Bacon and Mikayla Rubin, all NHL on ESPN Content Associates, ahead of Thursday’s “Women in Hockey” night.
The initiative stems from a challenge set in November by Linda Schulz, Vice President, ESPN Production, who tasked her NHL production team with finding ways to grow the audience. Rising to the occasion, Gibralter, Bacon and Rubin, and segment producer Megan Kelly — who work together on ESPN’s NHL studio shows and wraps — developed the idea to spotlight the many women both in front of and behind the camera who help bring hockey to fans. By leveraging their individual strengths and working collaboratively, they refined their vision and pitched it to Schulz, who immediately embraced the idea.
“When we first approached [Schulz] with the idea back in November, she said, ‘I’m all in for this. Let’s meet, let’s discuss this, and flush it out,’” said Bacon.
Today, their vision becomes reality.
ESPN will dedicate segments of The Point and its exclusive NHL game coverage to celebrating the impact of women in hockey.
Throughout the night, ESPN will highlight several women who have broken barriers in the sport, including:
- AJ Mleczko – First woman to work as an in-booth analyst for an NHL postseason game; Olympic gold and silver medalist.
- Blake Bolden – First Black player drafted in the first round of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League; first to compete in the National Women’s Hockey League.
- Emily Kaplan – National Hockey Reporter and NHL writer since 2017
- Cassie Campbell-Pascall – First woman to serve as a color commentator on Hockey Night in Canada; three-time Olympic medalist; first female hockey player inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
- Jessica Campbell – First full-time female assistant coach in the NHL.
- Manon Rhéaume – First woman to play in an NHL game.
- Hilary Knight – Four-time Olympic medalist and nine-time IIHF World Champion.
During The Point on ESPN2, Kaplan, Campbell-Pascall, Mleczko and Bolden will participate in a roundtable discussion about the evolving role of women in hockey.
Reflecting on the project’s journey, Schulz shared her thoughts:
“One unexpected recognition was discovering the number of women working every day in and around ESPN’s NHL and college hockey coverage – how many of us there are, passionately bringing this sport to fans.”
For Gibralter, having her ideas recognized at the highest level has been especially meaningful. “You can tell how much [Schulz] genuinely cares about this project, the people on it, and growing the game – not just for the audience, but for us. She pushes us to be better.”
Rubin echoed that sentiment, emphasizing Schulz’s commitment to providing opportunities. “She’s always willing to give chances – as long as you’ve earned them.”
With “Women in Hockey” night, ESPN not only amplifies the contributions of women in the sport but also underscores its commitment to fostering growth and representation in hockey.
