Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser is one of three front office promotions to Assistant General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Curtis Sanford becomes the team's new goaltending coach.
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, Ryan Hardy and Darryl Metcalf have been promoted to Assistant General Manager roles with the Toronto Maple Leafs, while Curtis Sanford was brought on as the club's new goaltending coach.
Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas made the announcement in a team release on Tuesday.
Wickenheiser will serve as Assistant General Manager, Player Development. She originally joined the club as Assistant Director of Player Development in August 2018 before she was promoted to Senior Director of Player Development in May 2021.
A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Wickenheiser is the first woman to become a general manager in team history.
Hardy will serve as Assistant General Manager, Minor League Operations. Hardy was originally hired as Senior Director of Minor League Operations last June following three years as General Manager of the USHL’s Chicago Steel.
Metcalf will serve as Assistant General Manager, Hockey Research and Development. Metcalf enters his ninth season with the Maple Leafs after beginning his tenure as an Analyst with the Hockey Research and Development department in 2014. He became Director of Hockey Research and Development in 2016 before he was named Special Assistant to the General Manager in 2018.
Brandon Pridham will continue in his role as the primary Assistant General Manager with the Maple Leafs while Laurence Gilman role has changed to serve as Governor and Senior Vice President of the Toronto Marlies, the club’s American Hockey League affiliate.
Sanford joins the Maple Leafs following five seasons as Goaltending Coach with the AHL affiliates of the Vancouver Canucks. Sanford spent time in the KHL, AHL and NHL, where he played 144 regular season games with St. Louis, Vancouver and Columbus.