Hayley Wickenheiser, Canada's all time leader in nearly every statistic, calls Hockey Canada 'disgraceful'

Hockey Canada has been absolutely HAMMERED with bad news today.

Sponsors have pulled funding, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has threatened to shut them down and provincial hockey associations across the country are refusing to pay registration feeds. In many ways Hockey Canada is being bled dry, yet they refuse to face the reality that they've created.

It's clear at this point that Hockey Canada's executives are complicit in helping to cover up sexual misconduct, yet the organization feels they've done nothing wrong. CEO Scott Smith remains in charge and interim Chair Andrea Skinner maintains that the entire Hockey Canada board has done a fantastic job and that it should remain in place. If sponsors, the Prime Minister, partner associations and the general public can't force Hockey Canada to enact change, who can? Enter Captain Canada herself, Hayley Wickenheiser.

Wickenheiser, the greatest female player of all time, is Hockey Canada's all-time leader in nearly every statistical category including games played, goals and points. She wore Hockey Canada's maple leaf on her chest for 23 years and was a member of five Olympic squads. If there's anyone out there who you think would be "ride or die" with Hockey Canada, it's Wickenheiser, but earlier today she described Hockey Canada's actions as "disgraceful."

Check it out:

Gotta love Wickenheiser's "lights on" comment, which is a clear shot at Skinner who, in full sincerity, asked earlier this week if "the lights will stay on" at rinks across the country if the board were to resign. It was a ridiculous show of hubris and I appreciate Wickenheiser openly mocking it in such a public way.

After all, this is a woman who absolutely personified Hockey Canada for nearly a quarter of a decade. To me, I'll always remember Wickenheiser for delivering the most cutting, emotional post-game speech I've ever heard. After guiding Canada to gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics over USA in Salt Lake City, in a game that featured some ridiculously lopsided officiating, Wickenheiser gritted her teeth and threw this bomb out to Team USA:

How's that for passion? How's that for leadership?

If Hockey Canada won't listen to outside sources, maybe they'll listen to Wickenheiser? She's got an intimate knowledge of Hockey Canada's inner workings and has been a member of the organization for longer than anyone else on the board. Maybe they'll listen to her? I'm not holding my breath though...