Frost hire HHOF inductee Decker as assistant coach
Published
The two-time reigning PWHL champion Minnesota Frost announced on Monday that the team has hired Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Brianna Decker as an assistant coach.
Decker joins head coach Ken Klee and assistant coach Chris Johnson behind the bench.
“Brianna’s passion and commitment to the growth of women's hockey belongs in the PWHL,” said Frost general manager Melissa Caruso in a statement. “We’re thrilled to welcome Brianna to our coaching staff and trust her knowledge of the game, elite playing background, and proven ability to lead will be an incredible asset. She has a deep understanding of what it takes to win, is a fierce competitor, and we’re excited for the impact she’ll have on our team both on and off the ice.”
As a player, Decker helped the United States win gold at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea and earned Olympic silver in 2014 and 2022. She also owns six Women's World Championship gold medals and was announced as part of the Hockey Hall of Fame's class of 2025 in June and will be formally inducted on Nov. 10.
After retiring, the 34-year-old has had multiple stints as an assistant coach for the US Women's Under-18 national team since 2019 and has been the associate head coach for the girls prep team at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Minnesota since 2022.
In college, Decker played four seasons at the University of Wisconsin (2009-13), winning a national championship in 2011 and took home the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in NCAA women's college hockey in 2012.
In the Canadian Women's Hockey League, she debuted with the Boston Blades in 2014-15 and won rookie of the year as the team also captured the Clarkson Cup. She won a second league title in 2018-19 with the Calgary Inferno.
Decker also played in the now-shuttered PHF, where she led the Boston Pride to a Isobel Cup title in 2015-16, winning playoff MVP. In 2016-17, she won MVP after leading the league in scoring.