Former U.S. Olympian, Harvard Captain and NWHL All-Star Joins League Office
BROOKLYN – NWHL Commissioner Dani Rylan today announced the appointment of Michelle Picard as the league’s Deputy Commissioner/Director of Player Development. Picard was a longtime member of the U.S. National Team, served as captain at Harvard, and was a top defender on the 2018 Isobel Cup-winning Metropolitan Riveters.
“The opportunity to accelerate the progress of women’s professional hockey and make the NWHL one of the best hockey leagues in the world is inspiring to me,” said Picard. “This game is a big part of my life, and my experience with the Riveters and at every level of the sport will inform the work ahead. I look forward to collaborating not only with the NWHL’s players and leaders, but all stakeholders in hockey driven to take our game to higher levels.”
Picard’s responsibilities as Deputy Commissioner include player development, free agency, game and event scheduling, grassroots programs, and building on the league’s relationships with national governing bodies and collegiate hockey programs. Picard – who starts in her new role today – succeeds Hayley Moore, who was named President of the Boston Pride.
“Shelly Picard is one of the most respected leaders in hockey and the ideal person to help build our league as Deputy Commissioner,” said Rylan. “She is a determined, creative, focused and passionate leader with deep connections across the sport. Her addition is a proud and very important moment for the NWHL.”
With the U.S. National program, Picard was a member of Team USA that captured silver at the 2014 Olympics, and won gold in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019 at the World Championships. She played three seasons in the NWHL with the Riveters, winning the Isobel Cup in 2018 and serving as team captain in 2018-19. She was also the captain of Team NWHL – a collection of top players who played the U.S. Olympic Team in two exhibition games in 2018 – and a recipient of the NWHL Foundation Award.
Picard was a team captain as a junior and senior at Harvard. In her senior season, she was named All-Ivy League first team and was an ECAC defender of the year finalist. A Massachusetts native, Picard is Director of Girls’ Hockey with the New Jersey Colonials and is a volunteer coach with Hockey in New Jersey, which provides children the opportunity to play hockey for free.
