The Boston Fleet have named Kris Sparre the second head coach in franchise history ahead of the 2025-26 PWHL season, the team announced Wednesday. Sparre replaces Courtney Kessel, who recently left to coach the Princeton University women’s hockey team. Kessel coached the Fleet to a 27-19-8 record across two seasons as well as a Walter Cup Finals appearance in 2024. “I’m so excited to welcome Kris Sparre to the Boston Fleet as our new head coach,” Fleet general manager Danielle Marmer said in a r
Sparre replaces Courtney Kessel, who recently left to coach the Princeton University women’s hockey team. Kessel coached the Fleet to a 27-19-8 record across two seasons as well as a Walter Cup Finals appearance in 2024.
“I’m so excited to welcome Kris Sparre to the Boston Fleet as our new head coach,” Fleet general manager Danielle Marmer said in a release. “What makes Kris such a strong fit is his experience in the AHL, where coaches are constantly balancing the need to win now with the responsibility of developing players — a challenge that mirrors what we face in the PWHL.”
Marmer called Sparre a “relationship-driven coach” and an “elite communicator.”
“Our players need to grow and perform in real time, and Kris understands how to create that environment,” Marmer said. “He brings clarity, structure, and a deep commitment to helping players succeed.”
Welcome to Boston, Kris! ⚓️
Kris Sparre has been named our second head coach in franchise history.
📰: https://t.co/fQtniDx2XBpic.twitter.com/xh4Zo5GIsu
— Boston Fleet (@PWHL_Boston) July 23, 2025
Sparre, 38, most recently spent three years as an assistant coach with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and previously coached in the OHL and with Austria’s top professional league.
“I’m honored and thrilled to be named the head coach of the Boston Fleet,” Sparre said in a release. “This is an incredible opportunity to be part of a league that has experienced remarkable growth and momentum in recent seasons. Boston stands as one of the premier sports cities in the world, and I look forward to building a program that is capable of contending for a championship every season.”
The Fleet currently have 18 players under contract for the upcoming season.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
NHL, Women's Hockey
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Category: General Sports
