Toronto Maple Leafs promote Hayley Wickenheiser to Senior Director of Player Development
Anthony Scultore
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Today the Toronto Maple Leafs promoted Hayley Wickenheiser to a prominent role and bring on Danielle Goyette to assist. This marks another milestone for women as they continue to make huge strides in the game of hockey.
Toronto Maple Leafs promote Hayley Wickenheiser
Hayley Wickenheiser and Danielle Goyette are now in charge of player development for the Leafs and their AHL affiliate, the Marlies. Dr. Wickenheiser is the Senior Director of Player Development and her old Team Canada teammate is the Director.
Wickenheiser has been with the Leafs since 2018 as an assistant director and current head coach Sheldon Keefe is thrilled with the promotion. “I worked with her a lot in my time with the Marlies when she was working in player development,” he said. “She really helped bring a lot to the player development program, and I learned a lot from having conversations with her. So to have her take a significant step into a leadership position now within the player development program is a huge win for our organization.”
The pair won women’s Olympic gold medals twice and eight world championships together.
Maple Leafs Press Release
The Toronto Maple Leafs released this statement on their website which reads in part:
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has elevated Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser to the role of Senior Director of Player Development and hired Danielle Goyette as the club’s Director of Player Development. Maple Leafs Player Development Consultant Darryl Belfry and Belfry Hockey Inc. will oversee the technical development of the club’s players and staff, while Will Sibley has been promoted to Director of Development Operations and Analysis.
Dr. Wickenheiser joined the Maple Leafs organization on August 23, 2018, as Assistant Director of Player Development. She has worked with players throughout the Maple Leafs development program since joining the club with a focus on prospects based in Western Canada, while also completing her education at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine in 2021.
Goyette joins the Maple Leafs after serving as head coach of the University of Calgary Dinos women’s hockey program since 2007, capturing the CIS Championship in 2012. Goyette has also served as an assistant coach of Canada’s national women’s hockey team on three occasions, winning a goal medal at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and the 2012 Women’s World Championships in Burlington, Vermont, while adding a silver medal at the 2013 World Championships in Ottawa.