ST PAUL, Minn. — Saying her career in professional hockey set her up for success, new PWHL Minnesota General Manager Melissa Caruso is hitting the ground running and preparing for a hockey season that's just weeks away.
Caruso and PWHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford met with reporters via Zoom Wednesday to introduce the new GM and share her hockey background and what lies ahead for a team trying to repeat as league champions.
After detailing her 15-year path through the American Hockey League and what she learned as an administrator and executive, Caruso was asked to address the elephant in the room - how she will replace former GM Natalie Darwitz, a Minnesota hockey legend who helped construct a championship roster and led her club to the first-ever Walter Cup.
The new GM told reporters she was fully aware of the drama that unfolded in the days following the championship, with Darwitz's ouster and reports of a divided locker room with some backing Darwitz and others head coach Ken Klee.
When asked about Klee and his standing with the organization, Hefford said Klee is coming back as the team's head coach. "I am not concerned at all about any issue around the General Manager's role," Hefford insisted. "We selected Melissa as an ideal candidate to lead this team, and Ken will lead the team on the ice as he did last season."
"As Billy Jean King (league co-founder) says, 'pressure is a privilege.' I think it's no secret that what Natalie built here during season one was an incredible foundation for this team. She is so believed here in the state of Minnesota and I know all eyes are on me starting yesterday." Caruso acknowledged. "I'm ready to take on that challenge."
Hefford said there was an "incredible amount" of candidates who applied for the GM job, but didn't say if Klee was one of them. She said Caruso had been on the league's radar for some time, and that the more league executives spoke with her it became clear she was "ideal" for the job.
Caruso, who moved to St. Paul two years ago when her husband took a position, has been working for the AHL remotely while in Minnesota. She said she has been keeping her eyes open for an opportunity locally, and followed the PWHL through its inaugural season.
When asked about her lack of GM experience, Caruso said she is a quick study and is prepared for the learning curve involved in dealing with personnel issues. She told reporters there is work to do with only 16 players signed for 23 roster spots. Caruso will meet with Klee and the coaching staff next week to discuss the 2024-25 roster.
The topic of PWHL Minnesota's home ice also came up, with Hefford saying a lease agreement is almost complete for the coming season. While she didn't say definitively that the club would play games at Xcel Energy Center and practice at the Wild's TRIA Rink, the Operations VP said she anticipated "no changes" for 2024-25.
