'Great young team that is hungry to win': Canucks' hire first-ever female assistant general manager
Emilie Castonguay never let being a woman get in the way as she blazed a trail through the hockey world - and she doesn't expect gender to be an issue as she continues her journey.
On Monday she became the first female assistant general manager in Vancouver Canucks history.
“I never really thought about gender when I was going through my journey. I had a very non-binary approach to it in the sense that I wanted to do something in hockey and I wanted it to mean something to me. I never thought, 'Hey, there's only men in this industry, I can't do this,”' said Castonguay, who in 2016 becamethe first female NHLPA-certified agent in Canada.
“I just kind of got all the knowledge that I thought I could get to get where I am today and I just put my head down and did the work. I think if you let gender get in your way or let it intimidate you, that's when it will do that. And I never really let that happen to me in my journey.”
While Castonguay hasn't let gender impact her career, she knows her new role will mean a lot to others.
“Obviously it is a big day,” she said. “I think it's a historic day. It goes to show that women have a place in sports and in hockey.”
Castonguay has a deep knowledge and love of hockey.
The Montreal native played four years at Niagara University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in finance. She went on to earn a law degree from the University of Montreal and become a member of the Quebec Bar Association.
She comes to the Canucks from the Momentum Hockey agency where she represented a number of high-level players, including Alexis Lafreniere, the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL entry draft, and Team Canada's Marie-Philip Poulin.
Castonguay's hiring is the latest move in a series of sweeping changes for the Canucks.
Vancouver fired head coach Travis Green, general manager Jim Benning and several other front-office staff on Dec. 5 after a dismal start to the season. Bruce Boudreau was hired as head coach and Jim Rutherford took over as president of hockey operations and interim GM.
“Emilie has extensive experience, is driven to succeed, and has a strong reputation in hockey for her intelligence and work ethic,” Rutherford said in a statement.
With the Canucks, Castonguay will play a lead role in player contracts and negotiations, and manage the collective bargaining agreement, he added.
“She will be a key member of our leadership team and we are pleased to welcome her to Vancouver,” Rutherford said.
A move to Vancouver has been on Castonguay's vision board for many years. She has also worked with the Canucks as an agent, including negotiations over a four-year, US$12-million contract for then-free agent Antoine Roussel in 2018.
So when Rutherford approached Castonguay about a job, she was intrigued.
“For me, Vancouver was a no-brainer,” she said. “I feel they have a great young team that is hungry to win. And I'm just really happy to be part of their journey now.”
When Rutherford called, he said he believed she could fill the role and be great at it, Castonguay added.
“I just felt that what he wants is quality people with quality vision and that can have a quality impact,” she said. “And he thought I was one of those people.”
Deciding to move from representing players to working with an NHL club wasn't easy, though. Castonguay said the conversations she had with her clients before taking the Canucks job were “emotional.”
“I can never thank them enough, the entire group, just for believing in me and allowing me to be that person for them,” she said. “But they were so happy for me and they were so supportive. They know the type of impact I want to have on the game, they know the changes I want to bring.”
As she joins the Canucks, Castonguay wants to make a human impact on the team's players.
“Hockey players are humans. The product that's on the ice are human beings. And that's important,” she said. “It's super important not to forget that you need to put the players first and you need to listen to them and make sure they have everything they need to succeed.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.