‘Say yes to those opportunities because they’re going to make you better’ It’s been a winding journey to the pros for PWHL’s first Manitoban bench boss By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 5:05 PM CDT Monday, Aug. 10, 2026

Christine Bumstead has never been one to spend much time wondering what might be on the horizon.

The Winnipegger has made a habit of focusing on the task at hand, leading to a wide variety of experiences behind the bench, culminating with her promotion to head coach of the PWHL’s Seattle Torrent in early June.

“I truthfully never look at things in (terms) of what is next or shooting for the next thing. I’ve never been someone with a five-year plan or anything,” Bumstead said during a recent telephone interview.

“I kind of laugh, five years ago I was in a classroom in Morden, Manitoba, teaching. So a lot can happen in five years that you can never really expect.”

It’s important to remember that Bumstead didn’t just stumble into the top job of the top professional women’s hockey league either.

The 30-year-old put in the work at every level, which is why Bumstead was given a promotion after serving as assistant coach during the inaugural season for the Torrent in 2025-26.

Bumstead went through an extensive interview process, which involved multiple meetings with the team, the PWHL and some of its stakeholders.

“Well, it definitely wasn’t just that quick and easy. I think it was a real pinch-me moment,” said Bumstead. “When the call came that actually offered me the job, I was kind of caught off guard. That wasn’t what I thought the call was going to be about. I was maybe taken aback a bit. But at the same time, I was honoured to be trusted with the organization and the team heading into this season.”

Bumstead prides herself on authenticity and she did her best to put that on display during that series of meetings.

“I kind of laugh, five years ago I was in a classroom in Morden, Manitoba, teaching. So a lot can happen in five years that you can never really expect.”

“The hockey and the Xs and Os and all of that stuff, that’s easy,” she said. “That’s what we as coaches live and breathe every day. But I was really (impressed) with the care that the league takes into the process. Sitting down with members of the league and talking about representation of our organization and the representation of the PWHL in general and all of those things. It was really special to think about that.

“I knew last year, when I was an assistant coach, that we were representing so much more than just the Seattle Torrent. We’re representing the PWHL and we’re representing the female game for young players and what this league is going to continue to grow into — as much as it already has grown in the first three years and moving into Year 4 here.”

Bumstead was part of the culture-building process with the Torrent and now she’s excited to watch the organization grow along with the league.

“Someone had said to me, do you feel like you’ve arrived now? I don’t feel that at all, truthfully,” she said. “I feel the weight of trying to continue to be worth it and the weight of rising to the expectations that other people are putting in me. That’s what drives me every day as a coach and that’s what drives me as a human being.”

Those expectations are high.

“We laid a good foundation last year and now it’s (about) building upon that and continuing to strengthen our culture and strengthen our identity as a group, both off the ice and on the ice,” said Bumstead. “We had moments of success on the ice and off the ice and we also had learning moments on and off the ice. Now it’s just taking those and forging forward.”

Bumstead played women’s hockey at St. Mary’s Academy, where her father Larry helped build the program.

She went on to play at Minot State University, earning her degree in Deaf/Hard of Hearing Education studies.

Prior to joining the Torrent last season, Bumstead spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team.

She also became the first female coach to work in player development with the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, then served as an assistant coach for Team Manitoba’s entry in the WHL Cup (which won the gold medal).

Bumstead was head coach of the Manitoba U18 national women’s team and also served as head coach and general manager of Canada’s women’s team at the 2024 World Deaf Ice Hockey Championship.

“I look at it that every opportunity that I’ve ever had, you say yes to those opportunities because they’re going to make you better,” said Bumstead. “Whether there are things you learn from, things you take away from other coaches and other people that you’re working with. I learn a lot from players.

“For me, I’m coming into this with a melting pot of experience and a melting pot of perspectives coming from a variety of leagues and levels of the game, working with different coaches and players and executives and all of those things.”

“When I left for Saskatchewan, I told my principal and my parents that it was only for six months and I would be coming back. I don’t think any of them believed me, only I did.”

Bumstead also has a connection to former Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice and served as a guest coach during the Florida Panthers development camp and training camp in 2024.

“When you meet him, you know that there’s something special there for sure,” she said. “From knowing him and talking hockey with him, he was someone who really pushed my hand, (saying) you could do this as a job or you could take the next step out of U15 AAA (after coaching the Pembina Valley Hawks) and see where it takes you.

“Knowing that there was someone in the game at a high level who believed in me and believed in my potential and what I was doing where I was at — and also was pushing me to go forward in it. There was an element of relatability between him and I, similar starting points in the coaching ranks and things like that. With how our playing careers ended and how we got into coaching at a really young age. We always had that unspoken thing between us.”

Bumstead relishes the support she’s had from her family throughout her playing and coaching journey.

“When I left for Saskatchewan, I told my principal and my parents that it was only for six months and I would be coming back. I don’t think any of them believed me, only I did. But for now, it’s been exciting. To have my dad (Larry) as the first coach I ever had and one of the most impactful coaches I ever had as a player and working with him for so many years and kind of getting to see what he’s done,” said Bumstead.

“To get to see him do it and now that he’s retired, he came on the road a couple of times with us last year and it was really special to know that he was in the building. I looked way up into the nose bleeds in Vancouver for the very first game (for the Torrent) and saw him up there. It was really cool to have him there and to be able to have him see me do this because I don’t think we ever thought this was part of my journey in hockey when I was little.”

Bumstead fully understands the responsibility of being the first Manitoban to be a head coach in the PWHL.

“For me, coming to this league, it was so exciting, beyond just being in the PWHL. But it was also (about) what this league means to so many people and recognizing this was never an opportunity for myself when I was younger as a player,” said Bumstead.

“Knowing now that as a coach, there’s an opportunity for representation for a young girl who may be inspired to get into coaching when her playing career is done, by seeing it on the biggest stage in women’s hockey, that’s an honour to be one of those people.”

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