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Manon Rheaume Joins PWHL as GM of Detroit Expansion Team
Rheaume, a trailblazing former Olympian, will help guide Detroit’s inaugural season as the league prepares for an expansion draft and free-agent signing period.
On Friday, May 15, 2026, the PWHL announced Manon Rheaume as the first general manager of its new Detroit expansion team, bringing her trailblazing hockey career into the league's ninth franchise front office.
Rheaume gained international fame in 1992 as the first woman to try out for an NHL team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and won a silver medal at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.
Joining PWHL Detroit after four seasons with the Los Angeles Kings in Hockey Operations and 11 years with the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club, the 54-year-old represents a homecoming with deep regional ties.
PWHL Executive Vice President Jayna Hefford praised the appointment, stating Rheaume's "experience at every level of hockey, combined with her leadership and vision, makes her the perfect person to lead PWHL Detroit into its inaugural season."
Among her first duties is preparing for expansion free agency beginning May 28, followed by the June 17 draft at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, supporting the PWHL's growth into a 12-team league for next season.