Newark, NJ July 11, 2023 -- Meghan Duggan, Devils Director of Player Development, participates in the NJ Devils 2023 Development Camp for young players and coaches at their RWJ Health Hockey House practice facility in Newark. The camp runs through Friday.
Newark, NJ July 11, 2023 -- Meghan Duggan, Devils Director of Player Development, participates in the NJ Devils 2023 Development Camp for young players and coaches at their RWJ Health Hockey House practice facility in Newark. The camp runs through Friday.
Meghan Duggan is trading New Jersey for Hamilton. The former Devils executive will serve as the first general manager for the PWHL's newest expansion franchise.
Hamilton is the league's fifth Canadian-based team, which is set to play in the 2026–27 season. The 38-year-old left her position as Director of Player Development with the Devils.
Meghan Duggan has been working in the hockey operations department in New Jersey for about five years, as per the New York Post. She now faces a big challenge, which is building a new team from the ground up.
Hamilton is one of four expansion teams that are entering the league this season. It is now making it a total of 12 franchises. Meghan, now the GM, was an Olympic gold medalist, a former national team captain, and much more, proving her credible leadership skills.
Newark, NJ July 11, 2023 -- Meghan Duggan, Devils Director of Player Development, participates in the NJ Devils 2023 Development Camp for young players and coaches at their RWJ Health Hockey House practice facility in Newark. The camp runs through Friday.
Newark, NJ July 11, 2023 -- Meghan Duggan, Devils Director of Player Development, participates in the NJ Devils 2023 Development Camp for young players and coaches at their RWJ Health Hockey House practice facility in Newark. The camp runs through Friday.
Duggan joined the Devils in May 2021 as Manager of Player Development. Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald credited Meghan for bringing her expertise early on to develop their organization.
Alongside her role in the Devils, Duggan opened an additional position in 2024 for a Special Consultant to Hockey Operations for the PWHL.
In Hamilton, she will be responsible for building the entire hockey operations staff and the roster. She will also be helping with establishing the franchise's culture and identity before they start playing.
The PWHL Draft of 2026 is set to be held in Detroit on June 17 and will be one of her first major tests as a General Manager.
Duggan’s Five Years with the Devils
When Duggan moved to New Jersey in 2021, the Devils were already in the middle of rebuilding their roster.
Their roster was built around Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes, who were the top picks in the 2017 and 2019 drafts. The organization was really working hard to develop these young, talented people into a competitive NHL team back then.
The Devils made good progress with themselves during her tenure. New Jersey returned to the playoffs in 2022-23 after being away for years, helping them rebuild the roster.
For Duggan, those five years really gave her a hands-on exposure to how to manage an NHL team.
Her playing experience even adds more to her already strong record. She played in over 14 seasons with Team USA, won three Olympic medals, including gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Games as team captain, and seven IIHF Women's World Championship gold medals. She was also an NCAA champion three times and a Patty Kazmaier Award winner at Wisconsin.
That record she holds has a lot of power as she steps into her position as the GM in Hamilton.
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Written by
Aadhya Nalla
Edited by
Sagnik Bagchi