By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter/X @alexiscaines_
The Boston Fleet announced that they have officially hired François Méthot as Head Coach. He has spent the past three seasons as both the Head Coach and General Manager of the NAHL’s Rochester Jr. Americans.
The move comes about a week after the departure of Kris Sparre, who led the Fleet to one of the best regular seasons in Professional Women’s Hockey League History. Prior to Sparre, Courtney Kessel spent two seasons as Head Coach of the Fleet.
Méthot is 48 and hails from Montréal. He was taken 54th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1996 National Hockey League draft, but never saw a game outside of the pre-season. He then played six seasons in the American Hockey League and 11 overseas in Germany.
According to the NAHL, he has coached at every single level of the organization, including his time as General Manager and Director of Hockey.
“I’m [here] to win, but win the right way,” he said during his introductory press conference on Thursday morning. “I really believe in building organizations from the top and have people aligned and contribute equally.”
Méthot’s hiring still comes with a good deal of skepticism, similar to what Sparre once faced. The North American Hockey League is Tier II Junior Hockey, a far jump to the PWHL. Despite his NHL and AHL experience as a player, his coaching is limited to junior hockey.
He helps run camps and clinics that a few PWHL players attend, so he has a certain level of familiarity with the league. Players who attend his program include Fleet Rookie of the Year finalist Haley Winn.
When Sparre was first hired back in July of 2025, he had never held a head coach role, nor had he coached women. Méthot has more experience in leadership roles, but less with professional hockey.
As Sparre quickly proved to the PWHL, his lack of experience did not impact the success he reflected on the ice. Fans can only hope that Méthot does the same.
“To me, male, female, does not matter, never did. It’s all about the level of commitment,” Ménthot said to the media.
With only Phase One of the Expansion Distribution Process complete, it’s unclear what the Fleet roster will look like come pre-season. They have Haley Winn, Megan Keller, and Aerin Frankel all locked in, but what’s outside of that remains unknown.
Méthot’s opening remarks prove his commitment to taking this next step in his coaching career, and the Fleet will look to build on the momentum they’ve created with him at the helm.
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