Kori Cheverie returns to N.S. after joining Pittsburgh Penguins as guest coach

It may not be a full-time NHL coaching gig, but Kori Cheverie made Nova Scotia hockey history.

The 36-year-old from New Glasgow became the first woman from the province to be invited to serve as a coach with an NHL team. She was recently invited to Pittsburgh's development camp as a guest coach and will join the team for training camp and during the regular season on occasion.

"I was in Pittsburgh for five or six days and stayed at a hotel right across the street from their practice facility," said Cheverie, now back in her New Glasgow home. "The next step will be to go to the team's main training camp in September."

Cheverie played university hockey in Nova Scotia with Saint Mary's University, where she was team captain and an academic All-Canadian. From there she played several seasons in a professional women's league. 

She then became the first woman to be hired as a full-time coaching role in U Sports men's ice hockey history when she took a job with the Ryerson Rams.

She later became an assistant coach with Canada's national women's team — a role she still holds. She is also the head coach of the national women's development team.

Cheverie says there really isn't any difference between coaching men and women.

Long list of accomplishments

"I try to approach my coaching the same, regardless of gender," said Cheverie. "I try to tailor it to each player's individual needs. To me, that's something that's really important."

Cheverie made Canadian hockey history last year when she served as an assistant coach with the all-male Canadian team at the IIHF under-18 championships played in Germany. 

This winter, she was the head coach of the Nova Scotia girls' team that went to the final at the Canada Games in P.E.I.

Cheverie's latest role in Pittsburgh, where she's working with Nova Scotia superstar Sidney Crosby, is another proud moment in what is already turning out to be an illustrious coaching career.

"I'm obviously pretty proud of this opportunity and it's an exciting new challenge and chapter for me," said Cheverie.

Cheverie says she hopes she can help other young female coaches who have aspirations to move up the ranks.

One thing that Cheverie has not done is attend the Olympics. She was an assistant with the 2022 Canadian women's team, but was unable to travel to Beijing because she got COVID-19 a week before the event began.

She still coached the team virtually as the team won Olympic gold.

Cheverie says going to the 2026 Olympics in Italy would be a career highlight.