On Thursday, general manager John Chayka announced in a statement released by the team that they would be parting ways with members of the staff.
“As part of our ongoing evaluation of the organization, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with some valued colleagues. These decisions were not easy and are not a reflection of the commitment of the impacted people. We are sincerely grateful for everything they have contributed to this organization and wish them nothing but the very best in the future,” Chayka said.
Assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser, who has been with the team since 2018, later announced that she was part of those changes.
“For the past eight seasons, it has been an incredible honour to work for the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Wickenheiser said. “Over the last few days, John Chayka and I had several discussions about my role moving forward. During those conversations, my expectation was that I would be in a position to continue to have a significant impact within the organization. However, it became clear that his leadership group envisioned a different path.
“Since joining the club in 2018, I have been immensely proud of the work our player development has accomplished. I want to sincerely thank the incredibly talented individuals, coaches, management, and players whom I have been fortunate enough to work alongside over the last eight years. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity, wish the team nothing but the best moving forward, and look forward to the next chapter.”
Wickenheiser, 47, is one of Canada’s most decorated hockey players, winning five Olympic medals, four of which were golds, between 2002 and 2014.
She retired from professional hockey in 2017 to pursue medical school, which she completed in 2021. She was hired by the Leafs in 2018 as the assistant director of player development and soon rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the team’s assistant GM in 2022 under former GM Kyle Dubas.