On the same day news broke that Ken Klee had dismissed three members of last year's Walter Cup winning coaching staff, and roughly a month after the PWHL removed soon-to-be Hockey Hall of Fame member Natalie Darwitz from her role as Minnesota's general manager, the league posted a job listing for a new Minnesota GM.
"The General Manager will serve on the team’s senior leadership group and be responsible for the management and coordination of all hockey operations, including on- and off-ice requirements, and building a positive team culture on the ground in Minnesota," the posting on TeamWorkOnline read .
Ken Klee was well known to be at odds with Darwitz last season. He oiginally applied for the general manager job and head coaching position in Minnesota, but lost out on both. According to numerous reports, Klee, alongside Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield were central in acting to have Darwitz removed from her role.
Klee will now set about working with a new general manager who "oversees the Head Coach and works closely with the team’s head of business to promote a cohesive and effective senior leadership group."
The job posting mentions many key points that were alleged to be amiss in Minnesota's organization last year.
"A successful candidate will be an accomplished leader who will be integral to the team’s leadership group, while also leading, developing, and retaining a driven, experienced, and player-first staff. Priorities for this position include implementing a collaborative and aligned working environment for players and staff, driving process-oriented decision making and building the management foundation for the team’s hockey operations," the posting reads.
As numerous reports, including staff and players from PWHL Minnesota's 2024 Walter Cup winning roster told The Hockey News, this "player-first staff" will need to manage Minnesota's veteran leadership group who pushed to have Darwitz fired in favor of Klee, often dictated lines and ice time, and refused to participate in team workouts.
According to former staff of PWHL Minnesota however, they believe the organization already had this individual in Natalie Darwitz.
"I've never been around a more professional leader than Natalie Darwitz, the way she communicated, the way she spoke to you...I felt like a valued part of that staff," the former staff told The Hockey News .
Listed among the "key responsibilities" for PWHL Minnesota's new general manager are the ability to "Develop and ensure an inclusive, collaborative and positive working environment, working closely with both the hockey operations and business departments," and to "Support the Head Coach and their staff. Help develop and cultivate the staff to grow and learn, thus fostering a pipeline of young employees to aspire to become leaders within the organization."
Natalie Darwitz was among six inaugural general managers hired by the PWHL heading into this season, a list that also includes Gina Kingsbury (Toronto), Pascal Daoust (New York), Danielle Marmer (Boston), Daniele Sauvageau (Montreal), and Mike Hirshfeld (Ottawa). Darwitz was the lone general manager relieved of her duties, a decision the league handed out only days after her team won the Walter Cup, and days prior to the 2024 PWHL Draft.
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