IIHF Hall Of Fame Induction 2024
Mel DAVIDSON
Builder
Born Eagan, Minnesota, United States, October 13, 1983
Mel Davidson was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2024 as a Builder.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Andrea Cardin
There is no name more synonymous with women’s hockey in Canada than Mel Davidson. She was part of the Hockey Canada program for more than a quarter century, and as a head coach she was behind the bench at all three levels of play. Over the course of a decade as head coach, Davidson lost a grand total of two games, leading Canada to four gold medals and two silver. To look at the players whom she guided over the years is to look at the team’s greatest stars, from Hayley Wickenheiser to Marie-Philip Poulin and everyone in between.
It all began in 1994, when Davidson served as an assistant coach to Les Lawton at the 3rd Women’s Worlds. Victory that year in Lake Placid led to the head coaching job in 1997 at the 4 Nations Cup, at which time Davidson also became coach at Connecticut College, a job she held for three years.
Davidson’s first major tournament was the 2000 Women’s Worlds in Mississauga, Canada, and thanks to a Nancy Drôlet goal in overtime it produced a gold medal. Davidson stepped away from head coaching for several years in order to focus on her new job as head coach at Cornell University, but she was an assistant again in 2002, when Canada won its first Olympic gold.
She was back behind the bench as head coach at the 2005 WW, one that produced a silver medal after a shootout loss to the U.S. in the climactic game. She stayed with the team during its most dominant era, taking Canada to gold at the 2006 Olympics and the Women’s Worlds next year where the Canadians shut down their arch-rivals Americans, 5-1, their most resounding gold-medal triumph against the U.S. in 15 years.
It all began in 1994, when Davidson served as an assistant coach to Les Lawton at the 3rd Women’s Worlds. Victory that year in Lake Placid led to the head coaching job in 1997 at the 4 Nations Cup, at which time Davidson also became coach at Connecticut College, a job she held for three years.
Davidson’s first major tournament was the 2000 Women’s Worlds in Mississauga, Canada, and thanks to a Nancy Drôlet goal in overtime it produced a gold medal. Davidson stepped away from head coaching for several years in order to focus on her new job as head coach at Cornell University, but she was an assistant again in 2002, when Canada won its first Olympic gold.
She was back behind the bench as head coach at the 2005 WW, one that produced a silver medal after a shootout loss to the U.S. in the climactic game. She stayed with the team during its most dominant era, taking Canada to gold at the 2006 Olympics and the Women’s Worlds next year where the Canadians shut down their arch-rivals Americans, 5-1, their most resounding gold-medal triumph against the U.S. in 15 years.
Mel Davidson shares a gold-medal smile with Caroline Ouellette (left) and Meghan Agosta.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation
Davidson also helped Canada establish its fledgling U18 program and took over head coaching duties at the first ever Women’s U18 championship, which produced another silver medal. Two years later, she coached Canada to victory on home ice at the unforgettable Olympics in Vancouver. And again during these years, she coached at the league level as well, joining the Calgary Canucks team in the (men’s) Alberta Junior league as an assistant.
Davidson retired from coaching at this point, but her role in the day-to-day operations of Canada’s women’s program only got stronger. As a scout and general manager for all levels of women’s competition, she assembled teams that won a fourth straight gold at the 2014 Olympics and a silver medal four years later in PyeongChang.
Davidson’s work with the IIHF has overlapped her work with Hockey Canada and continued past her time with that program. She has served on the IIHF’s Female Committee since 2010, and a year later joined the Mentor Program, an important means of developing women’s hockey outside North America.
Davidson retired from coaching at this point, but her role in the day-to-day operations of Canada’s women’s program only got stronger. As a scout and general manager for all levels of women’s competition, she assembled teams that won a fourth straight gold at the 2014 Olympics and a silver medal four years later in PyeongChang.
Davidson’s work with the IIHF has overlapped her work with Hockey Canada and continued past her time with that program. She has served on the IIHF’s Female Committee since 2010, and a year later joined the Mentor Program, an important means of developing women’s hockey outside North America.
