Hayley’s hire makes history with Leafs
Former Team Canada star joins NHL club’s front office
TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs realized how much of an effect Hayley Wickenheiser was having as guest coach at their June prospects camp, how youngsters heeded her advice and the respect she was accorded.
While the idea of her one day breaking into the NHL’s boys club in hockey ops was idle chatter at the time, Kyle Dubas was already formulating a bold move.
On Thursday, the 32-yearold Leafs general manager rocked old-school rules and hired the former national women’s team star as assistant director of player development, convinced people will see past gender to her gold medals.
In a further move to make the Leafs’ office more inclusive, the club hired Noelle Needham as a regional scout for the U.S. Midwest.
“We’re looking for the best people, period,” Dubas said, though he added “research shows the more diverse your organization, the better your decision-making, the better your operation in general. If you’re only hiring white males — and I say this as a white male — you’re probably leaving a lot on the table in terms of where your organization can go, can think and how it can develop.
“In this case, I thought Hayley was certainly the best candidate because of her expertise in hockey, her experience in being an elite player at every level.
“At our development camp, getting to know her and talk to her, I just felt the way she thinks about hockey and life could be a massive benefit to player development, our program in general and all players who are in it.”
Wickenheiser, 40, will be working under Scott Pellerin, who was elevated Thursday to senior director of player development, and director Stephane Robidas, who also was promoted.
It’s likely the historic move also had some push from president Brendan Shanahan, who is trying to create a modern identity for the franchise in its second century, and head coach Mike Babcock, who shares Saskatchewan roots and a national program history with Wickenheiser.
“What the Leafs are doing is forward-thinking,” Wickenheiser said.
“I’m pretty confident I can help players get better or have them understand what it takes to get better.
“Every time you step on the ice, whether it’s with a player or a coach, you can always take something away and it’s about being able to translate that to a player, to help him or her get better with their game.”
Wickenheiser grasped some tenets of player development from her friendship with skills coach Darryl Belfry, another member of the Leafs staff who likely influenced Dubas.
She is the first woman the Leafs have put to work in such a capacity. As Dubas spoke from the Mastercard Centre, skating coach Barb Underhill was at ice level working with early arrivals at Toronto’s camp, having helped many advance their pro careers. Last week, the Leafs added Dr. Meg Popovic as director of athlete well-being and performance to their growing sports-science team.
The New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild have hired women in hockey operations posts already, but Wickenheiser is the highest-profile catch.
“Fortunately, I’ve been around the NHL for probably 20 years and know a lot of people in the league and lot who worked in player development,” she said.
“I’ve also played and trained with some of the best players in the game, so I know how they approach the game day in and day out.”
She will be based near the University of Calgary, where she is working on her medical degree and can monitor the three Western Hockey League prospects Toronto has in the area. About three times a month, she’ll come east to discuss players with upper management.
Needham spent nine years running Legend Hockey in Sioux Falls, S.D.
She is also the co-founder of the Sioux Falls Power Tier I hockey club, which has teams ranging from 14- to 18-yearolds.
She played college hockey at a branch of Minnesota State from 2004-07 after six years at Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school.
“She came highly recommended and we moved ahead with the hire,” Dubas said.
Pellerin has been with the Leafs since November 2014 as assistant manager of player development, becoming director a year later. Since he came aboard, 19 Leafs have made their NHL debuts.
Robidas joined the hockey office after his retirement following 937 career games in 15 seasons, concluding with the Leafs.The club also added Victor Carneiro as amateur scout in Ontario. Carneiro spent the last five seasons as director of player personnel for Dubas’s old junior team, the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
The way she thinks about hockey and life could be a massive benefit to player development, our program in general.