The Toronto Maple Leafs’ offseason overhaul kept rolling with another round of front-office changes, this time cutting into the organization’s scouting and hockey operations structure.
Hayley Wickenheiser, an assistant general manager who had been with the club since 2018, said in an Instagram post that she is leaving the team. In her message, she said she and John Chayka had discussed her future role in recent days, but the two sides landed in different places.
“Over the last few days, John Chayka and I had several discussions about my role moving forward,” Wickenheiser wrote. “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.”
The team also moved on from director of amateur scouting Mark Leach, assistant general manager Darryl Metcalf and Dave Morrison, the senior adviser for player personnel. The Toronto Sun first reported those departures. People with firsthand knowledge of the terminations confirmed them on condition of anonymity because they were discussing private personnel matters.
Chayka addressed the shakeup in a statement that did not identify the employees by name.
“As part of our ongoing evaluation of the organization, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with some valued colleagues,” Chayka said in a statement that did not name those affected. “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.”
Morrison had spent more than two decades with the Leafs, joining the club as an amateur scout in 2004 before moving into more senior positions, including a long stint as director of amateur scouting. Leach was brought in two years ago by then-general manager Brad Treliving to handle that same draft-focused job, while Metcalf led the research and development department.
The changes add to a busy offseason in Toronto. Earlier, the Leafs let longtime vice president of media Steve Keogh go and also separated from several other staffers tied to previous regimes, including Brandon Pridham, Shane Doan and Derek Clancey.
The coaching side has also been turned over. Craig Berube was fired as head coach soon after Chayka and Mats Sundin were hired as general manager and senior executive adviser, respectively. Berube’s assistants, Mike van Ryn and Derek Lalonde, were dismissed earlier this week as well, with Daniel Alfredsson, Brad Werenka and John Gruden brought in as assistants on new head coach Jim Hiller’s staff.
Chayka also added Judd Brackett as assistant general manager, with player evaluation and the draft among his responsibilities, and Freddie Hamilton was hired as chief of staff in a newly created role.
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