Leafs announce promotions and new goalie coach

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Interesting to note, the day they announce the new goaltending coach a bunch of speculation floating around local radio that they might start the season with Mrazek & Kallgren or Woll. Which is exactly what I said they might do the day they fired Briere. It now seems to be all about PR for this upper management because they know they screwed themselves with the roster.

Yeah good call

 

[capfit9]

Yeah good call

Not the one who signed him to that horrendous deal might have cost first round win. bucko

btw, how many goalies you got right now ?

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Leafs have a new goaltending coach. Now they just need a goalie

With Petr Mrázek off to Chicago, Jack Campbell returning to Toronto to work with new coach Curtis Sanford is looking more likely.

www.thestar.com

MONTREAL - The Maple Leafs might not have a No. 1 goalie under contract for next season, though the return of Jack Campbell is looking more likely. And whoever it is, they have a coach waiting for him.

Curtis Sanford is taking over as goaltending coach from Steve Briere, who held the post for the past seven seasons.

“We ultimately just decided that getting a new voice and a fresh perspective in that position could serve us well,” said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, who was among the team’s delegation at the NHL draft this week.

“First and foremost, he knows the position extremely well. And I really like his ability to communicate what his expectations are and what he’s trying to accomplish with the goaltenders in a very clear, concise way. He has the ability to reinforce the fundamentals that are required to play that position.”

Sanford, a former NHL goalie, knows what it’s like to play in a Canadian market, having backed up Roberto Luongo for a couple of seasons in Vancouver. And he helped develop Thatcher Demko in the Canucks system.

“All these kind of things add up and then there’s the personality,” Keefe said. “I think he’s just a really good fit for our coaching staff and our organization.”

 

[Daisy Jane]

Lol.. why do people never do research before posting. She is legitimately a doctor of medicine. I think emergency medicine. She was at one point doing her residency at a Toronto hospital while also doing player development during her off days or after work. Quite impressive if you ask me.

and to add to this - even if she did get her doctorate as a PH.d vs. being a doctor of medicine, she'd still legitimately be a doctor and have every right to be known as one. it wouldn't be pandering in the very least.

congrats to these guys.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Dubas trying to screw the team?

 

[hockeywiz542]

Leafs’ Hayley Wickenheiser marries hockey with medicine in groundbreaking role

In many ways, this has been the year the NHL woke up to what women can offer in front-office roles. Wickenheiser, striking a mind-boggling balance between her Leafs work and a medical residency, is now one of five female assistant GMs.

www.thestar.com

Beyond the work ethic and resumé lined with gold, Wickenheiser’s ability to communicate sets her apart. Minten, a centre drafted 38th overall this month, is only getting to know her, but admires how she ran his first development camp.

“She’s awesome,” Minten said. “She knows what she’s talking about, commanding respect.”

The Leafs hired Wickenheiser in 2018 and promoted her to director of player development in 2021, around the same time they signed forward Alex Steeves out of the University of Notre Dame. Now in the running for a job with the Leafs — after a season with the Marlies and a three-game call-up that included his first NHL point — Steeves gives a lot of credit to the work Wickenheiser did with him that first summer in the organization.

“For someone who’s as busy as she is, and who’s had so much success as she has, it’d be super easy if you’re having a bad day to get short with people, be cranky,” Steeves said. “But with her, she’s always got the same level of positivity and excitement."

“When (I’m making progress) she’s just excited as I am. So, I really just appreciate her positive energy that she brings in, and her vision and belief for what I can become.”

Hockey can also be a jocular sport, and Wickenheiser keeps up with the best of them in that way, too. Knies, a top forward prospect, found that out recently during a challenge related to Wickenheiser’s commitment to better nutrition, in which players had to make and name some healthy smoothies.

“I had to tell (Knies) it tasted, really, actually really good but with a terrible name,” said Wickenheiser, who didn’t disclose the name. “So that’s why (he) lost.”

Said Knies: “She knows what she’s talking about. She gives it to me a little bit too much, obviously in good fun.”

For Wickenheiser, it’s all part of the game.

“With a lot of these young guys, it’s nice to develop a rapport where they know that you’re here to help them,” she said. “It’s not rocket science. At the end of the day, we challenge them. But at the same time, we try to praise their development and we’re here when they need us.”