The Connector 

Katelyn Parker won’t be at the Kraken’s celebration of Women in Hockey on Friday night. Instead, she’ll be traveling to Everett to watch and work with three Kraken prospects, Kaden Hammell, Tyson Jugnauth, and Julius Miettinen.

Helping shape the next generation of NHL players is just the next step for a hockey “lifer” – affectionately known as “KP” - who just happens to also be the first woman to join the Kraken’s development staff.

“KP was a person that had been in the building (as a coach at the Kraken Community Iceplex) and was very respected in all departments,” director of player development Jeff Tambellini said. “I looked into her background, of what she had done in as a player, and then as a coach (at Brown and the University of Connecticut), she had a very extensive and impressive coaching background. I looked at what she had done with USA Hockey (as a scout for the women’s U-18 team). Right away she caught our attention.”

And when Tambellini finally saw KP in action with his own eyes, he knew he needed her on his team.

In the summer of 2023, Parker, along with Lennie Childs (now head coach of the Janesville Jets, NAHL Omaha Lancers, USHL) joined the Kraken’s Development Camp staff as part of the NHL Coaches’ Association programs connecting under-represented communities with hockey coaches.

Tambellini watched Parker adapt quickly to the demands of the camp as her attention to detail and work ethic shone through. “She was fantastic.”

And it wasn’t just her hockey-specific skill set that made her stand out. What left an impression on the other coaches was her ability to communicate and connect with Kraken prospects which Tambellini says is one of the most important things for his staff.

“Can you connect with multiple different personalities, and can you find common ground in a quick amount of time?” Tambellini said. “Just how she was able to connect with some of our players on just a totally different level… we were very impressed.”

The timing couldn’t have been better. Tambellini’s interest was piqued to add to his team. Meanwhile, Parker was still in love with teaching the game of hockey, but being a competitor was in her blood. She’d felt it as a player, coach, and scout and she missed the feeling of building towards “winning” and the uniquely rewarding culture that comes from being in a competitive environment.

When she looked into what working with the development staff might be like, she felt that connection return.

“It's a long-term vision that you have,” Parker said. “If this player, this piece of our future is having success that's going to drive us eventually to win here at the National Hockey League level and for Seattle.

“You're creating the next Kraken player, the next wing, or the center, the D, whatever it might be. That's the part that drives you every single day to be the best for your team and our team and player development staff, and for those players too. Eventually they're going to be the players that are (in the Kraken locker room).”

And so Parker dove into her new role. First task – get to know the rapidly growing prospect pool for the Kraken. Most of her days are spent watching videos of players, taking notes, and reading reports. Sometimes there are projects related to programming that will be rolled out to players in the future. Sometimes there is travel to watch players in person.

Parker, along with the rest of Tambellini’s staff are in constant communication to understand each player’s game inside and out, ensure that they are all on the same page as far as what the message is to each player and how that will be delivered.

And that’s where Parker’s superpower comes into play: her ability to connect.

“KP has had the ability of just when she gets into a one-on-one conversation with somebody, she presents different than I do or (one of the other development staff),” Tambellini said. “Because of that, we get different reactions, different responses out of players.

“We've had guys who have built a great connection with her immediately. Whether it's communication or they feel trust, she has brought a different element to a lot of the relationships, and for us, that’s so valuable on our staff.”

Tambellini says that ability is grounded in Parker’s vast hockey experience as well as the “different voice” she brings…something he likens to the skill set of Jessica Campbell – former Coachella Valley Firebirds assistant coach and current Kraken assistant coach.

So, is it that communication uniquely female?

Parker is thoughtful when the question is posed.

“I’ve learned communication is king…or queen,” Parker said with a smile. “It's a powerful tool that, when used appropriately, unlocks a lot of doors, and I think a lot of times people just assume things, versus actually having the ability to articulate or ask a follow up question. If you never ask that follow up question, it's really hard to get to the root of what actually could be, and I think that's a big piece of working with younger athletes.

“When you start to peel back the layers on them, you learn a lot more. But that takes time, that takes time to build a relationship, to build that trust that you're going to keep showing up, that you're on their side and in their corner.

“I also think nonverbal communication is a big piece of it. Reading body language and what they're doing. You learn a lot about someone by just observing them for a minute and actually listening to what they're saying versus focusing on what you need to talk about. We need to realize a conversation is going a different way, pivot, adapt, and then we can move into a different direction.

“I think we've got a lot of talented women (in the Kraken organization) that are very good at communicating, but I also think these women are in their positions because they had shown an ability to articulate their own thoughts and that brings value. If they can't do that, the door is already hard enough to get through…you have to be able to represent not only yourself, but a whole group army of people behind you that eventually want to be through that door too.

“I think we're really lucky. Our organization is built different than a lot of other clubs are, so it's just normal to have so many women in hockey-specific roles where it might not be that way in other buildings. I feel really lucky for that, and I think too, when you're accepted into a room and you have ideas to contribute and someone listens, that’s huge, and on our team, that's how I feel it is. Every opinion or voice matters.”

Parker says she hasn’t had any moments where a player has given her a double-take. While some rink security has given her “weird looks at first” when she pulls out her scouting card, she lights up as she describes post-game conversations when a prospect has listened to her suggestions and they are able to celebrate his improvement. Or seeing what it means to a player when they see she has traveled across the country to watch them play – knowing they have someone in their corner as they chase their NHL dream.

The tests in developing relationships have only been about the work – not her gender.

“Everybody gets tested at the National Hockey League level,” Tambellini said. “Male, female, old, young. The players are going to challenge you whether you know your stuff, and can you bring value to them? And if you can, they're listening. If you can't, they're moving on. There's too many people in their life. So, if you show you can help them, they're listening. And that's, that's what we look for people that can bring value and that allows you to connect. You better be able to communicate and connect, or there's no chance.”

Parker’s not the first woman to work in player development at the NHL level, but the overall pool is still small – and it’s not highly visible work like what Parker’s friend and colleague Campbell does standing behind an NHL bench. “We’re in the shadows,” Parker jokes. But it is meaningful nonetheless when it comes to changing the landscape of what hockey can look like.

Every year at Team USA camps, the coaching staff introduces themselves. Last summer, when Parker shared her title as a player development consultant, she saw campers realize just one more potential path for themselves in the game they all love.

“I think that's such a cool moment,” Parker said. “These are players that are going into the college game. Eventually, they're going to have to figure out what they want to do, whether that's in hockey or in the real world…but to showcase that (doing what I do) is possible, and that there's so many different options than what traditionally is probably thought about when you think about how a professional sports teams run…I just think it opens up the possibilities of thought and wonder for them and curiosity. Now they can start to ask those other questions when they start to ask ‘what do I want to do next?’”

As for Parker’s personal path – it’s ever-evolving. Tambellini says it can be anything she wants and he delights in seeing her fold more and more elements of the business of hockey into her knowledge bank. For now, Parker says she’s focused on continuously growing and perfecting her craft.

“These players, they want to do anything in their human possibly realm that they can to make the National Hockey League,” Parker said. “If I can help serve as an aid landing spot to help bounce them to the next level, then I think I'm doing my job.”