Wickenheiser’s departure from Maple Leafs
Hayley Wickenheiser, formerly the assistant general manager of player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced her departure from the organization on Thursday. In a social media post, Wickenheiser indicated that new general manager John Chayka “envisioned a different path” for her role within the team.
Wickenheiser joined the Maple Leafs in 2018 as the assistant director of player development and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2022. She stated that she had several discussions with Chayka regarding her future role, expecting to continue making a significant impact. However, it became clear that the new leadership had different plans.
During her eight years with the club, Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic gold medallist with the Canadian women’s team, worked with prospects and participated in the team’s development camp as recently as last week. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity and wished the team well in its future endeavours.
Broader front office changes
Wickenheiser’s departure is part of a series of front office changes within the Maple Leafs organization. Reports indicate that the team has also parted ways with other key personnel. These include Darryl Metcalf, assistant general manager of hockey research and development; Mark Leach, director of amateur scouting; and Dave Morrison, senior advisor of player personnel.
The Maple Leafs confirmed these organizational departures in a statement from Chayka, though specific names were not mentioned. Chayka stated that these decisions were difficult and were made as part of an ongoing evaluation of the organization, emphasizing that they do not reflect on the commitment of the individuals involved.
John Chayka assumed the role of general manager in early May, following the dismissal of Brad Treliving near the end of the regular season. The team missed the playoffs in the 2025-26 season for the first time in nine seasons, finishing with 78 points, their lowest full-season total since 2015-16.
Impact of the changes
The changes extend beyond Wickenheiser, Metcalf, Leach, and Morrison. Since Chayka and Mats Sundin were hired, the organization has brought in a new assistant general manager, Judd Brackett, and a chief of staff, Freddie Hamilton. Additionally, the entire NHL coaching staff and parts of the AHL staff have been overhauled, alongside numerous player personnel moves.
Dave Morrison had a long tenure with the Leafs, joining in 2004. He served under several general managers and was instrumental in drafts that included players such as William Nylander, Nazem Kadri, and Morgan Rielly. His extensive experience within the organization spanned over two decades.
Darryl Metcalf joined the Leafs in 2014, helping to establish and build the team’s analytics department. He was promoted to assistant general manager of hockey research and development in 2022. The organization has invested significantly in analytics, though the direct impact on definitive trade wins has been a subject of discussion.
Mark Leach, who was the director of amateur scouting, had been with the Leafs for two drafts after previous stints with the Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings. His departure was noted as potentially surprising, especially given that Chayka had indicated Leach would run the most recent draft. The Leafs selected Gavin McKenna as the consensus first-overall talent in that draft.
The question remains whether all these vacated roles will be filled. The organization previously had multiple assistant general managers, leading to speculation about whether the front office might be streamlined. These changes follow a period where the Maple Leafs have not developed many players through their system, particularly defencemen, and only a handful of forwards like Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson, both of whom have since departed.
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Source: tsn.ca
