Kris Sparre has been named the first head coach of PWHL Hamilton, the league announced Wednesday afternoon. Sparre spent last season at the helm of the Boston Fleet.
“I’m thrilled to have Kris as the first Head Coach in PWHL Hamilton history, bringing a combination of hockey knowledge, leadership, and player development expertise that make him an ideal fit,” Meghan Duggan, PWHL Hamilton General Manager, said via the press release. “I wanted someone who aligns with my core values and can establish a culture and standard that players will want to be a part of, as we forge the foundation and shape the identity of PWHL Hamilton. I believe Kris is the right person to help lead this, with a strong understanding of what it takes to build an environment where players can thrive individually while competing as a team.”
The move is family-motivated for Sparre, who is from Mississauga, ON, which is about 30 miles from Hamilton. Sparre’s wife was pregnant with their second child for most of last season before giving birth on April 3. As a result, they remained close to family in the Toronto area last year while Sparre coached in Boston.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to build a foundation in Hamilton alongside Meghan, and moving closer to home and being near family makes this the right step for me personally and professionally,” Sparre said via the press release. “I’ll always be thankful for my time in Boston and the relationships built along the way. I’m incredibly grateful to Danielle Marmer for believing in me and giving me my first opportunity as a Head Coach with the Fleet, and to the staff and players for their commitment and passion that truly made it a privilege. The entire organization and fans in Boston showed me just how special it is to be a part of the PWHL community, and I’ll carry those memories and experiences with me as I begin this next chapter. I look forward to helping lead a new team that Hamilton can be proud of.”
Sparre joined the Fleet in July 2025 as the second head coach in the team’s history. The 2026 PWHL Coach of the Year finalist led the team to a second-place regular season finish with 62 points, tied for the PWHL’s points record with the Montréal Victoire. That marked an 18-point improvement from the 2024-25 season, which is a PWHL record. Boston then fell in four games to the Ottawa Charge in the semifinals.
Last season was Sparre’s first in women’s hockey. It was also his first as a head coach after spending nine years as an associate or assistant coach, primarily in the OHL and AHL, with two seasons spent across Austria’s EBEL and ICEHL leagues.
Sparre’s departure leaves Fleet general manager Danielle Marmer looking for her third head coach ahead of just the PWHL’s fourth season. Courtney Kessel was the team’s inaugural head coach before departing after Season 2 for Princeton women’s hockey.
Luckily for Boston, Marmer is no stranger to moving through the offseason without a head coach if necessary. She went through the entry draft and most of free agency without one last year. However, on the team’s May 12 breakup day, she spoke of her excitement to go through this offseason with Sparre, with whom she quickly developed a strong working relationship.
“I feel like we hit the ground running, really working together very quickly,” Marmer said of Sparre on breakup day. “…I’m excited. It gives me a lot of hope in this expansion process. It’s going to be heartbreaking to lose players from this team, and especially, there are gonna be players who’ve meant a lot to this team who won’t be here next year. But knowing that Kris, his ability to get the best out of players and what he was able to do with this roster that…knowing that, we can find people in this league who we think need just a little bit more love, a little bit more development, maybe more opportunity, and we can build another team that can try to go after a Walter Cup, it’s encouraging.”
Despite her desire to continue building the Fleet with him, Marmer shared her support and congratulations for Sparre in a statement released on Boston’s social media accounts earlier Wednesday. She also shared her commitment to finding another head coach who shares the Fleet’s team-first values.
“While transitions are never easy, they also create an opportunity to grow and expand on what’s been built over the past three seasons,” Marmer said in the statement released via the team’s social media pages. “As the Fleet, we have always championed a team-first culture and remain dedicated to building a team this city can be proud of. We are deeply committed to hiring a head coach who not only shares our values but will continue to elevate our team on and off the ice.
Boston is the first PWHL team to undergo multiple coaching changes. However, they are not alone in searching for a new bench boss this offseason. Last week, the Toronto Sceptres lost Troy Ryan to PWHL San Jose, where he will serve as both the general manager and head coach. In addition, the Seattle Torrent parted ways with Steve O’Rourke. Meanwhile, PWHL Detroit and PWHL Vegas are still searching for their inaugural bench bosses.
Outside of coaching searches, the PWHL offseason is kicking into high gear after the Montréal Victoire raised the Walter Cup. The league announced today that the six-phase expansion player distribution process will begin on June 2 and culminate in a league-wide “open signing period,” aka free agency, on June 19. In addition, the PWHL previously announced that 2026 Entry Draft will take place on June 17 in Detroit.