Las Vegas’ brand-new Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise has its first bench boss, and she is arriving with a serious résumé. Kim Weiss will lead PWHL Las Vegas into its inaugural 2026-27 season at T-Mobile Arena, stepping behind the bench with experience that stretches from NCAA rinks to AHL video rooms and NHL development camps.
The hire was announced Monday by the club and league, which named Weiss the expansion team’s first head coach as Las Vegas continues building out its roster and staff, according to PWHL. Local coverage quoted Weiss praising how “Las Vegas has embraced hockey in a remarkable way and built a passionate sports culture,” and highlighted general manager Dominique DiDia’s nod to her track record of player development and culture-building. Those statements were published by KSNV.
Weiss's coaching climb
Weiss joined the Colorado Eagles as a video coach in August 2024 and was elevated to assistant coach earlier this year, a promotion the organization framed as a historic step for women behind professional benches. She has also worked as a guest coach at Colorado Avalanche development camps and spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant with the Trinity College men’s program, where she previously played alongside current Las Vegas GM Dominique DiDia. Her background and rise through the coaching ranks have been detailed by the Colorado Eagles and Trinity College’s athletics department.
What Las Vegas is building
PWHL Las Vegas has been busy working the league’s expansion signing rules, using its foundational offer and Phase 2 and 3 signings to lock in veteran talent. Early additions include established names such as Erin Ambrose and Hayley Scamurra, while the club used an Expansion Foundational Offer on Hilary Knight in Phase 2 before reports of a sign-and-trade. The league’s transaction logs and team announcements spell out the details, which fans can track through the team’s news and transaction hub on the PWHL site.
Why the hire matters
Weiss stepping into a PWHL head coaching job adds another chapter to the gradual shift in professional hockey staffing, where women are increasingly landing top roles on pro benches. National coverage has noted that moves like this, alongside other recent coaching hires around the league, help widen the pathway from youth and college programs into the professional game for women in coaching and development roles. Outlets such as The Washington Post and Yahoo Sports have spotlighted that trend this week.
The team and league have not yet announced a date for Weiss’s formal introduction in Las Vegas, with reporting noting the timing was coordinated around the wrap-up of her AHL duties. In the meantime, local fans will be watching the roster board, the expansion draft and the next waves of signings as Weiss prepares to take the reins for the 2026-27 season.
