Connecticut Whale name Bray Ketchum as general manager

The NWHL announced today that Riveters and Yale Women’s Hockey alum Bray Ketchum will be the Connecticut Whale’s general manager for the upcoming season.

She played for Metropolitan from 2015 to 2018 and finished her NWHL career with 29 points in 43 games played and an Isobel Cup. She also played for the Boston Blades in CWHL in 2011-12 and 2014-15. Ketchum is among those who have won both an Isobel (2018, Riveters) and a Clarkson Cup (2015, Blades).

“I am honored for the opportunity to represent the Connecticut Whale and the NWHL,” Ketchum said in the league’s press release. “I have been passionate about women’s hockey my entire life and I am confident this is going to be an incredible year for the sport. The NWHL provided me with three of the best years of my playing career and I am excited to support those players who are now living their dream.”

Ketchum will be the fifth GM in the Whale’s history, and the first since the 2016-17 season, when Lisa Giovanelli held the role. The league has not had general managers across the board since that season, but all NWHL teams will have a general manager this year.

Ketchum is the second to be announced, after Kate Whitman Annis was named general manager of the Riveters earlier this month. Like Whitman Annis, Ketchum has both hockey and business experience to draw upon in taking on her new role. She co-founded a startup, Upwild, with her brother three years ago where she is still the Head of Sales and Partnership. Ketchum will also continue to work with Yale as co-President of the Yale Hockey Association and also as co-founder and director of the Mandi Schwartz Foundation.

NWHL Free Agency is set to begin in May, and all returning players will be unrestricted free agents. Naming general managers is an important step for each team to begin the recruitment and signing process in pursuit of a strong 2019-2020 roster.