Frost hire Olympic gold medalist Brianna Decker as assistant coach

One of the best players of her generation is back in the pro ranks – this time in a different capacity.

On Monday, the Minnesota Frost announced that the team has hired Olympic gold medalist Brianna Decker as the team’s new assistant coach.

Decker joins a coaching staff, led by head coach Ken Klee, that has helped guide Minnesota to back-to-back Walter Cups.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with the Minnesota Frost and to be surrounded by professional athletes who are committed to growing their game every single day,” Decker said in a release. “It’s inspiring to be part of a league that sets the standard for women’s hockey and a team that has been at the top of the league two years in a row. I’m excited for what’s ahead and proud to contribute to a culture of excellence.” 

Decker steps in after former Frost assistant coach Mira Jalusuo was hired to be the head coach at St. Cloud State. Since her playing days wrapped up, Decker has been coaching at Shattuck’s St. Mary’s in Minnesota, while also serving as an assistant coach for Team USA at the last two IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championships, winning gold in 2024 before taking home the silver this past January.

Decker is one of the most decorated players in the history of women’s hockey. She burst onto the scene in 2008 at the inaugural U-18s, helping the United States win gold in the first two editions of the tournament. From there, she starred at the University of Wisconsin, winning an NCAA championship in 2011 before taking home the Patty Kazmaier Award the following year.

During her time with the Badgers, the Dousman, Wisconsin native became a star with the senior U.S. National Team, helping her country win gold at the IIHF Women’s World Championship six times, including being named the tournament MVP in 2017. Decker also played a key role in the Americans winning Olympic gold for the second time in 2018.

Professionally, Decker played for both the Boston Blades and Calgary Inferno of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, and the Boston Pride of the Premier Hockey Federation (then known as the National Women’s Hockey League). She won Clarkson Cups with the Blades (2015) and Inferno (2019), while also captaining the Pride to the Isobel Cup in 2016.

Decker was part of the famous group of Olympians who participated in the 2019 NHL Skills Competition. She beat out eight NHL players in the premier passing drill, including Leon Draisaitl, but wasn’t awarded the $25,000 cash prize since she wasn’t an NHLer. However, CCM stepped up and awarded Decker $25,000 after beating Draisaitl’s time by three seconds.

Her career was ultimately cut short. In the United States’ first game of the 2022 Winter Olympics against Finland, Decker suffered a broken left fibula and torn ankle ligaments. She never played again.

Decker, a U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer, was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025.