Manon Rheaume has been named the first general manager of the expansion PWHL Detroit.
Rheaume had recently spent four years in the Los Angeles Kings front office.
In the best hands 🎉
— PWHL Detroit (@pwhl__detroit) May 15, 2026
We are proud to welcome Manon Rhéaume - two-time Women’s Worlds gold medalist, Olympic silver medalist, first woman to play in an NHL game AND first woman to sign a professional hockey contract - as our team’s first General Manager!
📰… pic.twitter.com/VF7pstlSEX
“Manon is a pioneer whose impact on the game extends far beyond the ice,” PWHL vice president Jayna Hefford said in a statement. “She brings an unmatched hockey resume, a championship mindset, and a lifelong commitment to growing the women’s game. Her experience at every level of hockey, combined with her leadership and vision, makes her the perfect person to lead PWHL Detroit into its inaugural season.”
A native of Beauport, Que., Rheaume rose to fame in 1992 when she became the first woman to appear in an NHL game, suiting up as goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning in an exhibition game. She stopped seven of the nine shots she faced. She would go on to play in 24 games in the International Hockey League.
Internationally, she represented Canada on a number of occasions, winning gold medals at a pair of IIHF Women’s World Championships and a silver medal at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.
