Kendall Coyne Schofield has first-hand look at what women’s hockey is missing

For U.S. women’s hockey captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, the resources she lacks as a female hockey player aren’t some unknown quantity. They are tangible benefits she provides other athletes on a regular basis.

“I live it every day with the Chicago Blackhawks,” Coyne Schofield told On Her Turf. “Just how many player development coaches, just how many scouts there are, just those resources and the amount of support that the players have.”

As a player development coach for the Blackhawks — a full-time role Coyne Schofield has held since 2020 — she is responsible for scouting NHL prospects, watching their games, breaking down film, and then calling the players up to provide feedback.

But after one of Coyne Schofield’s PWHPA games? There is no phone call about what she did well or what she could improve on. And ahead of USA Hockey training camps, who is watching to determine which players are invited?

“Something that I struggle with is that there’s not a head scout, a full-time head scout for the women’s national team, someone who (does) that as their full-time job,” she said.

Coyne Schofield pointed to this month’s USA Hockey Festival, where invited players competed for spots on the U18 and Collegiate select teams, as well as the 23-player world championship roster.

“You could ask, ‘How did these 116 players get here and get invited? Who’s watching them on a regular basis? Who’s watching college hockey? Who’s watching youth hockey? Who’s watching pro hockey?'”

“If Kendall has one thing, it’s vision,” said U.S. alternate captain Lee Stecklein. “Vision on the ice and vision for a future of women’s hockey.”

Back in 2017, U.S. women’s hockey players threatened to boycott that year’s World Championship if USA Hockey didn’t