The Toronto Maple Leafs shocked the hockey world by hiring John Chayka as their new general manager. Now, NHL insider Chris Johnston claims the hire could be difficult for the Maple Leafs going forward and points out that the Leafs still haven’t received assurance from Auston Matthews about the upcoming season.
The 2025–2026 season was a huge disappointment for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They finished in 15th place in the Eastern Conference, just one point above the last-placed New York Rangers.
John Chayka as general manager
On March 30, the Maple Leafs fired their general manager Brad Treliving. Since then, speculation has run wild about who would take over. On May 3, the Maple Leafs shocked the hockey world when they announced that they had hired John Chayka as their new general manager and Mats Sundin as their senior advisor. While Mats Sundin is considered a true Maple Leafs legend who captained the team for ten seasons between 1997 and 2008, John Chayka is far more controversial.
READ MORE: Doug Gilmour shares candid thoughts on Auston Matthews
John Chayka career
At just 26 years old, John Chayka was hired as the general manager of the Arizona Coyotes in 2016. His tenure with the Coyotes was controversial. In January 2021, Chayka was suspended from the NHL for the remainder of the calendar year. The reason behind the suspension was that he had terminated his contract with the Coyotes and looked for jobs with other franchises while still under contract. It was also revealed that Chayka had held scouting combines for draft prospects, something that is forbidden by the NHL. This cost the Coyotes their 2020 second-round selection and their 2021 first-round selection in the NHL Draft.
Coming to a franchise like the Toronto Maple Leafs is not an easy task for anybody. Now, NHL insiders are raising concerns about how Chayka—who hasn’t worked in the NHL since his time with the Coyotes—will handle his new position. NHL insider and writer Chris Johnston shared his view on the controversial hiring.
NHL insider’s bold claim
“There are tensions between GMs all the time. You still have to find a way to do business. But I will say, he doesn’t have a lot of time here. The Leafs are talking about being competitive next season, and it’s May 4. He’s got to make some big decisions, as anyone would. He doesn’t have a lot of time to do it. At this point, he doesn’t have any assurances that his captain, Auston Matthews, wants to be back next season. That’s still a matter that has to be resolved,” Johnston said, and continued:
“There’s a lot to get done here, and it’s got to be a difficult spot to be in—especially if you haven’t been in that circle or in that world for the last five and a half years. I don’t know how that’s going to go for him. It’s a lot, and I’m sure the gravity of it kind of hit him like a ton of bricks today,” Chris Johnston said.
You can watch the interview below.
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