Meghan Duggan departs from the Devils to take a GM position in the PWHL

Meghan Duggan Takes New Role as General Manager in PWHL

Meghan Duggan, a three-time U.S. Olympian, is stepping down from her position in player development with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils to become the general manager of the PWHL’s expansion team in Hamilton, Ontario.

The announcement came on Friday, marking a significant milestone as it fills three of the four general manager roles for the league’s new expansion teams. Notably, the PWHL also planned to reveal the general manager for its San Jose franchise that same day, rounding out the hiring process.

At 38, Duggan carries a wealth of experience to the PWHL’s fifth Canadian franchise. Prior to this role, she was already serving as a special consultant in the league’s hockey operations.

Over the last five years with the Devils, Duggan has been actively involved, culminating in her role as director of player development for four years.

With the addition of these four franchises, the PWHL will expand to 12 teams next season, effectively doubling its size since launching in 2024. The league has also included new teams from Detroit and Las Vegas.

One of Duggan’s immediate tasks will be hiring a coaching staff, as well as beginning the process of assembling the Hamilton roster, a task that’s set to kick off in about two weeks with the expansion contract process. The league’s draft is scheduled for June 17th.

A native of Danvers, Massachusetts, Duggan earned silver medals at the Olympics in 2010 and 2014, serving as team captain during the 2018 PyeongChang Games when they claimed gold. Throughout her illustrious career, she also garnered seven gold medals and one silver in eight world championship appearances.

Interestingly, while she has deep American roots, Duggan also has connections to Canada. She’s married to Gillian Apps, a former Team Canada rival, who hails from the Toronto area—a place not too far from Hamilton.

Duggan paved her way in hockey through her time at the University of Wisconsin, where she won the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, recognizing her as the MVP of women’s college hockey in her senior year.