As a born and raised Calgarian, hockey was something Laurenne Mercier knew well. She laced up her skates for 13 years of minor hockey in the rinks of Okotoks, AB, but never imagined the game would lead to a career – especially not one with the Boston Bruins, one of NHL’s most storied franchises.
Laurenne’s journey began with a cross-Canada move to small town Antigonish, NS, arriving on StFX's tight-knit campus ready to pursue a sociology degree and settle into life away from home. By her third year, a conversation with a close friend about hockey culture on campus would set her on an unexpected path.
"We started talking about the way hockey is idolized in Canada and the reasons behind that," she recalls. "The more we talked, the more I realized there was likely research and literature around the topic, and it was something I wanted to further explore."
With the support of her professor, Dr. Lynda Harling Stalker, she developed her honours thesis, Look Out For Him, He's a Hockey Player, which earned the Canadian Sociological Association Award and ultimately opened her eyes to the "behind-the-scenes" side of sports.
BREAKING THE ICE WITH THE NHL
After graduating in 2016, Laurenne knew the best path to enter in the sports industry was via an internship. Wanting to combine her love of Nashville with her career goals led her to the Sports Business Management program at Durham College in Ontario, which offered an internship component. Within her first week, Laurenne had secured an internship with the Nashville Predators in their community relations department and kickstarted her career in sports.
That year, the Predators made it to the Stanley Cup Final, giving Laurenne two extra months of experience. "I shadowed as many departments as possible and got to know as many people as I could," she says. One area that stood out was Team Services, where she was mentored by the director of the department and fellow Canadian, Brandon Walker. "I knew that doing a role like Brandon's was my ultimate goal," she reflects.
From Nashville, Laurenne moved back to Canada to join the Edmonton Oilers in their Hockey Programming department before returning to Calgary to be closer to family. There, Laurenne took a bold step: founding her own company, Treadstone Sports Agency.
The agency focused on helping athletes build an authentic personal brand with a philanthropic approach. While she loved the work of Treadstone and the connections she built with players, agents, and teams, she missed being on the team-side of sports.
Networking remained central to Laurenne's journey, and being based in the NHL city of Calgary, she jumped at every opportunity to connect with personnel from incoming teams. A chance meeting with Boston Bruins' Team Services employee, Ali Mitchell, turned into a lasting friendship and eventually, Laurenne's ticket to Boston.
When Ali's position opened up in 2022, Laurenne seized the chance to ask for an interview. "I went through a rigorous interview process, received an offer, and a month later was shipping up to Boston!" she says.
A WOMAN IN HOCKEY OPERATIONS
As one of only a few women in her role across the NHL, Laurenne is conscious of the barriers that still exist for women in sport. From facility designs that overlook women's needs to stereotypes that question a young woman's intentions in player-facing roles, challenges remain.
At the same time, she has seen real progress. "More and more, we're seeing women in management and executive positions, most recently a coaching position," she observes. "I feel like the conversation has shifted to a more equal playing field for women in sports."
Among her peers and cohort of Team Operations staff across the league, she has never felt a lack of equality or respect, allowing her to have an equal voice in conversations.
REFLECTIONS & GRATITUDE
Laurenne's work with the Boston Bruins is demanding, yet rewarding. A special moment came at the end of last season when then-captain, Brad Marchand, took the time to express his gratitude for her work with the team. "To him, it was a small compliment, but to me, it was extremely rewarding and went a long way," she says.
During her Treadstone days, she recalls a lot of moments that felt like "big wins", such as the massive success of NHL defenceman Colton Parayko's inaugural charity golf tournament and Josh Morrissey starting his own charitable impacts around mental health.
Looking back, Laurenne emphasizes the importance of relationship building. Her support network is wide, from her parents and brother to mentors in the industry, all cheering her on wherever she goes.
"My main piece of advice to all students is to always be networking, but more importantly, to be networking genuinely," she advises. "It isn't about the end game or how someone can get you to your next goal. It is about a community of people helping others and to be your authentic, genuine self throughout the process."
Laurenne credits her time at StFX for allowing her to learn the value of genuine connection, something she has taken with her from Antigonish, to Nashville, Edmonton, Calgary, and now Boston.
