Hayley Wickenheiser
Hockey Athlete - Inducted 2004
At the tender age of fifteen, Hayley Wickenheiser made her debut on hockey’s national stage, being chosen for the Canadian Women’s National Team in 1994. At 5’9 and 175 lbs, Hayley is strong and skilled; a natural with a lethal slap shot, and rightfully described as the greatest female hockey player in the world. Since her appointment to the Canadian Women’s National Team, she has led the squad to five gold medals at the Women’s World Hockey Championships, a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics at Nagano, and a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Time and time again, Hayley has proven to be an elite athlete. She has been named the Most Valuable Player at numerous Esso Women’s Hockey Championships and a First Team All-Star in four of her World Championship appearances. She participated in two Philadelphia Flyers’ rookie camps in 1998 and 1999. Throughout her career, Hayley has earned the praise and admiration of players and coaches alike.
As a member of the Edmonton Chimos and the Calgary Oval X-Treme, both members of the National Women’s Hockey League, Hayley honed her skills to the point where she was ready to compete in the men’s professional ranks. On January 11, 2003 Hayley took an enormous step forward in her on-ice career when she skated into history as the first female hockey player to notch a point in a men’s professional game. Playing in the first of a three-game tryout with the Kirkkonummen Salamat of the Finnish second division, Hayley said her main goal was not to make history, but rather to challenge herself and sharpen her abilities.
Aside from a phenomenal hockey career, Hayley has mastered a number of sports. As an elite softball player, she participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics as a member of Team Canada. No matter what sport she’s playing, Hayley Wickenheiser’s personal motto is “Excellence and Professionalism”.
After Induction
2011 - Named the Canadian Interuniversity Sport player of the year in women's hockey.
2014 - Elected to the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission.
2017 - Announced her retirement from professional hockey.
2018 - Hired as the Assistant Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
2019 - Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
2021 - Collaborated with Verbero Hockey in developing the "Wick Stick", the first time a hockey stick was constructed specifically with her input, as part of a program to create branded equipment targeted toward women.