When the Seattle Kraken announced that Jessica Campbell would not return to their bench for the 2026-27 season, it didn’t just mark the end of a two-year stint — it signaled a turning point for women in NHL coaching. Campbell, who made history as the first full-time female assistant coach in the league when she joined the Kraken in July 2024, now enters a new chapter with her future in the NHL uncertain.

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Full name: Jessica Eve Campbell ·
Role: First full-time female assistant coach in NHL history ·
Team (2024–2026): Seattle Kraken ·
Instagram followers: 152,000+

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • First full-time female assistant coach in NHL history (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
  • Left Seattle Kraken after two seasons (NHL.com)
  • Contract expired at time of departure (ESPN)
  • Previously coached AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley (The Athletic)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact reason for leaving beyond “explore other roles” (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
  • Current relationship status with Isaiah – no public confirmation (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
  • Exact salary with the Kraken – not disclosed (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
  • Next coaching destination – still unknown (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
3Timeline signal
  • July 2024: Hired as assistant coach (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
  • April 30, 2026: Announcement she won’t return (NHL.com)
4What’s next
  • Actively seeking another NHL coaching role (Sportsnet)
  • Continues running JC Power Skating (The Athletic)
  • Remains prominent advocate for women in hockey coaching (Sportsnet)

Eight key facts about Campbell’s profile and career reveal a pattern: her trajectory from player to pioneer spans just over a decade.

Attribute Value
Full name Jessica Eve Campbell
Date of birth June 24, 1992
Place of birth Moosomin, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Playing career 2008–2019
Coaching career start 2019 (JC Power Skating)
NHL coaching tenure 2024–2026 (Seattle Kraken)
Instagram @soupy08

The implication: Campbell compressed a full playing career and a historic coaching breakthrough into fewer than two decades.

What happened to Jessica Campbell?

Departure from the Seattle Kraken

On April 30, 2026, the Seattle Kraken announced that Jessica Campbell would not return behind the bench for the upcoming season (NHL.com). The team stated that she was leaving to explore other coaching roles in the NHL (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken). Her contract was expiring, making the departure a mutual parting rather than a dismissal (ESPN).

Reasons for leaving the organization

Campbell herself framed the move as a career opportunity. According to the team’s press release, she wanted to pursue new NHL coaching opportunities (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken). Sportsnet reported that she planned to continue working in the NHL after leaving Seattle (Sportsnet). The move was not a retirement from coaching — it was a calculated step toward a broader NHL career.

Bottom line: Campbell left the Kraken because her contract expired and she wants to advance her NHL coaching career. For the Kraken, it means losing a historic figure. For Campbell, it’s a bet on herself.

The pattern: She traded the security of a known role for the uncertainty of a search — a gamble that defines the pipeline for women in NHL coaching.

Why did Jessica Campbell retire?

Retirement from playing, not coaching

Campbell retired from professional playing in 2019 after a career in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and Sweden (The Athletic). She did not retire from coaching — her departure from the Kraken is a lateral move, not an exit from the sport.

Transition from player to coach

Immediately after retiring, Campbell founded JC Power Skating, a skating development company, and worked with the Kraken’s AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley before being promoted to the NHL club in July 2024 (The Athletic).

Why this matters

Campbell’s ability to move from player to AHL to NHL coach in under five years is a model for the fragile pipeline of women in professional hockey. The Kraken invested in her development, and now she’s taking that experience elsewhere.

The catch: The same pipeline that produced her first NHL opportunity now demands she prove she can land a second one.

Is Jessica Campbell still with the Seattle Kraken?

Current status with the team

No. Campbell is no longer with the Seattle Kraken as of May 2026 (NHL.com). She served as an assistant coach for the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 seasons (Russian Machine Never Breaks).

Timeline of her tenure

Campbell joined the Kraken’s coaching staff in July 2024, worked two full seasons, and her contract expired at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. The departure was mutual and amicable, per multiple reports (ESPN).

The implication: Her tenure was exactly as long as the contract — no extension was announced, suggesting both sides evaluated and chose to move on.

Does Jessica Campbell have a husband?

Marital status

Jessica Campbell is not married. No public records confirm a spouse or husband. She has been in a long-term relationship with a man named Isaiah, but their current status is private (Yahoo Sports).

Relationship with Isaiah

Reports indicate the couple has been together for several years, but neither Campbell nor Isaiah have publicly confirmed a breakup or engagement. The uncertainty is typical for personal details of a relatively private figure.

What this means: Campbell keeps her private life out of the public eye, and any speculation about her relationship status remains unconfirmed.

What happened to Jessica Campbell’s brother Josh?

Josh Campbell’s accident

Jessica Campbell’s brother Josh Campbell died in a car accident in 2019 (The Athletic). The tragedy deeply affected her and played a role in her decision to retire from playing and focus on coaching.

Impact on Jessica’s career

She has spoken publicly about honoring her brother’s memory through her work. The loss reframed her priorities and accelerated her transition from player to coach (Sportsnet).

The trade-off

Grief can be a catalyst, but it also raises the stakes: Campbell’s next NHL role must provide the stability and support to sustain a long coaching career — something the Kraken could not offer past two seasons.

The pattern: Personal tragedy and professional reinvention arrived in the same year, making 2019 a pivot point in her life.

What is Jessica Campbell doing now?

Current coaching pursuits

Campbell is actively seeking a new coaching role in the NHL (Sportsnet). She continues to operate JC Power Skating, her skating development company (The Athletic).

Future NHL opportunities

Multiple outlets report she is a strong candidate for assistant coaching openings around the league. Her historic status as the first full-time female assistant coach gives her a unique profile, but her experience with the Kraken and AHL makes her a credible candidate beyond the novelty (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken).

The catch: The novelty fades — her next job will be judged on results, not history.

Timeline

  • 2008 – Began playing with Hockey Canada.
  • 2019 – Retired from professional playing; founded JC Power Skating.
  • 2019 – Brother Josh died in a car accident (The Athletic).
  • July 2024 – Hired as assistant coach by Seattle Kraken, becoming first full-time female coach in NHL (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken).
  • April 30, 2026 – Departed Seattle Kraken to explore other NHL coaching roles (NHL.com).

Clarity: Confirmed vs. Unclear

Confirmed facts

  • First full-time female assistant coach in NHL history (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
  • Left Seattle Kraken in May 2026 (NHL.com)
  • Not married
  • Brother Josh died in 2019 (The Athletic)

What’s unclear

  • Exact reason for leaving beyond “explore other roles” (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)
  • Current relationship status with Isaiah
  • Exact salary with the Kraken
  • Next coaching destination

Notable quotes

“I want to continue to grow and develop as a coach. I’m excited about what’s next.”

— Jessica Campbell, via Kraken press release (NHL.com / Seattle Kraken)

“We thank Jessica for her contributions and wish her well in her pursuit of new opportunities.”

— Seattle Kraken GM, NHL.com

Campbell’s departure leaves a void in the Kraken coaching staff but also signals that the NHL’s first female assistant coach is not done yet. The path she carved in Seattle may be just the first chapter. For the league, retaining talent like Campbell is essential to making gender equity in coaching a permanent fixture rather than a one-time milestone.

The implication: If Campbell lands another NHL role, the pipeline holds. If she does not, the milestone becomes an outlier.

Additional sources

on3.com, reddit.com, en.wikipedia.org, instagram.com, youtube.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is Jessica Campbell’s age?

She was born June 24, 1992, making her 32 years old as of 2025.

What is Jessica Campbell’s Instagram handle?

Her Instagram handle is @soupy08.

Does Jessica Campbell have children?

There are no public records or reports indicating she has children.

What is Jessica Campbell’s connection to Marvel?

There is no known connection; this may be a confusion with another person or a fan reference.

Who is Jessica Campbell’s partner?

She has been in a long-term relationship with a man named Isaiah, but their current status is private.

What is Jessica Campbell’s salary?

Her salary with the Seattle Kraken has not been publicly disclosed. NHL assistant coach salaries typically range from $150,000 to $300,000 per year.

What is Jessica Campbell’s family background?

She was born in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, Canada. Her brother Josh died in 2019. No other public details about her parents or extended family are available.