Emilie Castonguay knew she wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be an anomaly for long.

The former player agent made history in January when she became the Vancouver CanucksB次元官网网址� first ever female assistant general manager B次元官网网址� and a rare women working in an NHL front office.

B次元官网网址淪ometimes thereB次元官网网址檚 just one domino that needs to fall and I think the glass ceiling was broken there,B次元官网网址� Castonguay said. B次元官网网址淎nd I knew that after that, the floodgates would open.B次元官网网址�

She was right.

At the NHL entry draft on Thursday and Friday, there were several women on the floor, including five female AGMs.

Cammi Granato, who joined the CanucksB次元官网网址� front office in February, sat next to Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin, discussing players and, at one point, looking at a photo AllvinB次元官网网址檚 kids sent of the early-morning sky from their home in Sweden. Castonguay sat next to Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford, carefully studying the teamB次元官网网址檚 list.

Over at the Toronto Maple LeafsB次元官网网址� table sat Hayley Wickenheiser, who was promoted Tuesday to assistant GM of player development. Meghan Hunter of the Chicago Blackhawks and Kate Madigan of the New Jersey Devils were also on the draft floor after being elevated to assistant general manager positions earlier this month.

B次元官网网址淭here were times I didnB次元官网网址檛 think this was an option for women. Growing up, there was no representation, so it wasnB次元官网网址檛 something that I thought would happen in my lifetime,B次元官网网址� Granato said.

GranatoB次元官网网址檚 long been breaking down barriers for women in hockey.

She captained the U.S. team that beat Canada to win gold at the 1998 Nagano Olympics and remains the all-time leading scorer for the American womenB次元官网网址檚 team. She and Canadian Angela James became the first women to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010. Then she became the NHLB次元官网网址檚 first female scout when she was hired by the Seattle Kraken.

B次元官网网址淚 think the mindset that is changing is that women are qualified,B次元官网网址� Granato said. B次元官网网址淚 think before it was like B次元官网网址榃ell, women canB次元官网网址檛 do this job, women arenB次元官网网址檛 qualified, women donB次元官网网址檛 know hockey.B次元官网网址� But thatB次元官网网址檚 not true.B次元官网网址�

Front offices arenB次元官网网址檛 the only area women are breaking into the NHL.

The Montreal Canadiens recently brought on three-time gold medallist Marie-Philip Poulin as a player development consultant and the L.A. Kings have added Canadian Olympian Manon Rheaume as a hockey operations and prospects adviser. In the American Hockey League, the Coachella Valley Firebirds will have Jessica Campbell behind the bench as an assistant coach when they begin their inaugural season.

The wave of women sweeping into positions across the league has long been building, Hunter said.

B次元官网网址淵ou could almost feel it. The timing was so right and itB次元官网网址檚 so awesome,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 could just see it was happening, that we weB次元官网网址檙e starting to break down some barriers.

B次元官网网址淲omen bring diverse opinions into the different organizations so itB次元官网网址檚 really awesome that weB次元官网网址檙e finally getting the opportunities.B次元官网网址�

Coming out of the University of Wisconsin, Hunter women working in hockey operations. Instead, she worked behind the bench, even coaching Castonguay at Niagara University.

B次元官网网址淚 naturally just gravitated into coaching female hockey, and just started in that avenue,B次元官网网址� Hunter said. B次元官网网址淢y path definitely wasnB次元官网网址檛 linear. I didnB次元官网网址檛 really know where I was going post playing career.

B次元官网网址淚 just kind of did what I enjoyed and I worked really hard at it and IB次元官网网址檓 just thankful that these opportunities are coming at the time that they are.B次元官网网址�

The NHL broke another barrier last week when the San Jose Sharks hired Mike Grier as the leagueB次元官网网址檚 first Black general manager.

Having more diversity in front offices is B次元官网网址渇abulous,B次元官网网址� said Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland, a longtime NHL executive.

B次元官网网址淭o bring minorities and women into our sport, you think about all the, women hockey players on the Canada team, the U.S. team and other countries too, but theyB次元官网网址檝e been playing the game of hockey since they were little girls just like the little boys.

B次元官网网址淪o I think itB次元官网网址檚 great for our league, and I would expect itB次元官网网址檚 going to continue more and more.B次元官网网址�

Folks that are moving into these NHL jobs deserve them not because they tick a box but because theyB次元官网网址檙e talented, Castonguay said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e said it from the beginning B次元官网网址� for me, itB次元官网网址檚 just about hiring the right people and the most competent people, whether theyB次元官网网址檙e male or female,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淎nd I feel like thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e doing. So as long as it keeps going in that trend, and weB次元官网网址檙e doing it for the right reasons, IB次元官网网址檓 all for it.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press