On Friday, the PWHL made three U.S. Olympic appearances and New Jersey Devils Director of player development Meghan Duggan will assist the hockey operations department.

Duggan will serve as a special advisor to the six-team league, which is entering its second season, which opens Nov. 30. Without defining Duggan’s role, his responsibilities are expected to include input on potential rule changes, scheduling and player-personnel issues.

“Meghan is a long-time advocate for women’s hockey, a proven leader and an accomplished executive at the highest levels of the sport,” PWHL executive vice president Jayna Hefford said in a statement. he said. “As we continue to prioritize advancement and innovation in our game, Meghan will leverage her competitiveness, character and long list of hockey accomplishments to help move our league forward.”

The league’s innovations include the “Get Out of Jailbreak” rule, under which the minor penalty ends if a team scores a short-handed goal. The PWHL also launched a plan last month to expand to two teams for the 2025-26 season.

Duggan, from Massachusetts, previously worked as a guest coach in the PWHL and was hired by the Devils in May 2021 after completing her playing career by winning the Olympic gold medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. He also became a member of USA Hockey’s board of directors and the first member of the NHL’s player participation committee.

“I am excited about the opportunity to join the PWHL to continue to impact women’s soccer and help advance it,” Duggan said. “This league and its players are still in the early stages of what they can do, and I look forward to advising and helping in any way I can.”