Boston Fleet Bench Boss Reportedly Departing For New Role

The Boston Fleet are undergoing sweeping changes, both behind the bench and on the ice.

Just weeks after losing captain Hilary Knight to PWHL expansion, Boston is parting ways with head coach Courtney Kessel, who is expected to take over as head coach of the Princeton women’s hockey program.

A team source, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not been finalized, confirmed Kessel’s departure, according to Emma Healy of the Boston Globe.

Kessel will return to Princeton, where she spent four seasons as an assistant coach (2019-2023). Her jump to the professional ranks helped guide the Fleet to a Walter Cup Final appearance during the PWHL’s inaugural campaign. The source said she now hopes that experience will help Princeton’s players bridge the gap from NCAA play to the pros.

The Tigers finished the 2024 season with an 18-12-2 overall record and reached the ECAC quarterfinals before falling to Colgate.

Kessel’s move comes amid broader changes across the PWHL landscape. She steps into a role vacated by Cara Gardner-Morey, who left Princeton to become general manager of the new PWHL franchise in Vancouver.

That same Vancouver team, along with expansion club Seattle, has yet to name its first head coach, meaning three PWHL teams are now active in head coaching searches this offseason.

The Fleet are also navigating a reset on the roster. Knight, the most decorated player in women’s hockey history and Boston’s inaugural captain, signed with PWHL Seattle after being left unprotected in expansion. Boston will prioritize rising star Alina Müller as the centerpiece of its forward core.

After finishing 9-6-5-10 and missing the playoffs this year, Boston’s next head coach will inherit a roster in flux, and a team eager to reclaim its footing.