by Staff Writer MapleLeafs / MapleLeafs.com
August 23rd, 2018
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has elevated Scott Pellerin to the role of Senior Director of Player Development and Stéphane Robidas to the club's Director of Player Development, in addition to hiring Hayley Wickenheiser as the club's Assistant Director of Player Development. The Maple Leafs have also hired Noelle Needham as an Amateur Scout based in the Midwestern United States and Victor Carneiro as an Amateur Scout based in Ontario.
Pellerin has been with the Maple Leafs Player Development department since November 2014 when he was hired as the club's Assistant Manager of Player Development, prior to being promoted to Director of Player Development on June 5, 2015. Since Pellerin joined the Maple Leafs organization, 19 players have graduated from Toronto's player development system to make their NHL debut with the team.
Robidas joined the Maple Leafs Player Development department in September 2017. He was named the Maple Leafs' Assistant Director of Player Development after concluding his NHL playing career, which spanned 937 games over 15 seasons, with the Maple Leafs organization.
Wickenheiser joins the Maple Leafs organization as Assistant Director of Player Development after announcing her retirement from hockey in 2017. Over the course of her 23-year hockey career, Wickenheiser was a seven-time World Champion, five-time Olympic medalist and four-time Olympic Champion as a member of Team Canada, in addition to serving as Canada's flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. She retired with the most goals, assists and points ever recorded for the Canadian Women's National team and as the all-time leading scorer in the Olympics' women's hockey tournament. She also participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics as a member of Canada's softball team. In 2011, Wickenheiser was named to the Order of Canada, which is one of the country's highest civilian honours and recognizes "a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation." She served as a guest coach at Maple Leafs Development Camp in 2018.
Needham joins the Maple Leafs as an amateur scout in the Midwestern United States region having spent the past nine years running Legend Hockey in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She is also the co-founder of the Sioux Falls Power Tier I hockey club, which has teams ranging from the U14 to U18 levels. Needham played collegiate hockey at Minnesota State University, Mankato from 2004-07 following six years at Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep School in Faribault, Minnesota.
Carneiro comes to the Maple Leafs as an amateur scout in Ontario after spending the last five seasons as the Director of Player Personnel for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. Carneiro also spent three seasons as a Toronto Area scout for Sault Ste. Marie before being promoted to Director of Player Personnel in July of 2013. Prior to joining the Greyhounds organization, he spent 14 seasons working as a scout for the London Knights (OHL).