The Toronto Maple Leafs announced the hiring of John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as senior executive advisor on Sunday, but the move quickly drew criticism. At Monday's introductory press conference, MLSE president Keith Pelley faced intense questioning, with most attention on Chayka, who hasn't worked in the NHL since resigning from the Arizona Coyotes in 2020.
Chayka became the youngest GM in NHL history at age 26 in 2016. After his resignation, the NHL sanctioned the Coyotes for illegal pre-draft testing, and in 2021, commissioner Gary Bettman suspended Chayka for one year for pursuing jobs while under contract. These issues dominated the conference, culminating in a question from Toronto Sun reporter Steve Simmons, who said 19 of 20 NHL insiders opposed the hire, calling Chayka a 'con artist,' 'liar,' and 'salesman.'
Pelley defended the hire, stating the team conducted thorough due diligence. Reporters also questioned Chayka's ability to balance his GM role with his restaurant business and raised concerns about team performance after a last-place finish in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs, who haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1967, fired previous GM Brad Treliving in March and declined to renew president Brendan Shanahan's contract.
Chayka expressed awareness of the franchise's weight and obligation, but already on Monday, reports emerged of a potential tampering investigation as he began assembling his staff.