Jamie Nye: Wickenheiser’s hiring a long time coming

When you hear that Hayley Wickenheiser has been hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in their hockey operations department, you wonder what took so long.

NHL is one of the major sports leagues that have been slow to see women break through in roles traditionally dominated by men.

But with Wickenheiser, there is no doubt the wealth of knowledge and experience she can bring to player personnel. Wickenheiser has been the face of women’s hockey in Canada but has also been one of the big icons in the sport overall.

She is also a tremendous communicator and someone who has worked on the international level dealing with the International Olympic Committee.

The Leafs will benefit in having a smart, hockey savvy, big picture person working alongside GM Kyle Dubas and President Brendan Shanahan.

And hopefully, other organizations in the NHL notice the capable women who have starred at their highest level that could contribute in hockey’s top league.