John Wroblewski, most recently an AHL coach, has been named head coach of the U.S. women’s hockey team for the world championship in August and September, succeeding Joel Johnson, who coached the team to silver at the Olympics in February.
USA Hockey did not provide a reason for Johnson’s departure, but in the past it has chosen national team coaches on a yearly basis. The last time an Olympic head coach remained head coach for the following world championship was 2004 (Ben Smith).
Johnson is the head women’s coach at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.
Wroblewski, a 41-year-old former minor-league player, led the Ontario Reign of the AHL the last two seasons. In March, he and the club announced in a mutual decision that he would no longer be its head coach after he took a leave of absence in December.
Wroblewski was head coach of the U.S. men’s national team development program from 2016-20 and was head coach of the U.S. men’s U18 team at world championships in 2017 and 2019.
At worlds in Denmark, the U.S. will look to keep Canada from winning a third consecutive global title (Olympics or worlds) for the first time since 2001, 2002 and 2004. It will be the first women’s world championship held in a Winter Olympic year.
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