Torrent promote Christine Bumstead to head coach
One of the coaches already established in the PWHL is moving up in the world.
On Thursday, the Seattle Torrent announced that the team has promoted assistant coach Christine Bumstead to become the second head coach in franchise history.
Bumstead replaces the Torrent’s first bench boss, Steve O’Rourke, with whom the team parted ways after just one season. Bumstead is excited for the chance to be at the helm in the Emerald City.
“Season one in Seattle was special, and I am humbled and honored to continue building on it,” Bumstead said in a release. “I believe Seattle is the best city in the world for women’s sports. Our fans showed up night in and night out, and it has been a privilege to be on the bench representing them. I am beyond grateful for the trust placed in me to help lead this organization. Thank you to Meghan and the players for believing in me and for pushing me to be a better coach every single day. … The best is still ahead for Seattle Torrent hockey, and we can’t wait to continue growing.”
Bumstead has a lot of work to do in the Pacific Northwest. From the get-go, the expansion Torrent were one of the worst teams in the PWHL. The team struggled on almost every front, including losing several games by just one goal. It led to the Torrent setting league records for most regulation (16) and total losses (21) in a single season. Despite finishing last in the standings, Seattle was unable to capture the first-overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Draft, despite entering the Gold Plan first, as the Vancouver Goldeneyes were able to accumulate the most draft points.
Prior to joining the Torrent, Bumstead was an assistant coach for the University of Saskatchewan’s women’s hockey program, while also working in player development for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League.