Maple Leafs confronted at John Chayka’s introductory press conference as hire draws criticism

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced the hire of John Chayka and Mats Sundin on Sunday, with Chayka set to join the team as general manager and Sundin set to become a senior executive advisor of hockey operations.

But it took little time for the hire, specifically of Chayka, to receive significant pushback. Chayka

Chayka’s controversial hire led to a very tense introductory press conference on Monday, where Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) president Keith Pelley was peppered with skeptically-posed questions.

Little of the focus was on Sundin, a franchise legend who spent 13 seasons with the Maple Leafs and has a statue outside Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. Instead, most of the conference was about Chayka, who hasn’t worked in the NHL since resigning as the Arizona Coyotes’ GM in 2020.

Chayka had been hired by the Coyotes in 2016, becoming the youngest GM in the league at age 26. A month after his resignation, the NHL sanctioned the Coyotes for illegal pre-draft testing for more than 20 Canadian Hockey League prospects, which violates the league’s combine testing policy. And in 2021, Chayka was suspended for one year by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for “conduct detrimental to the league and game” for pursuing jobs with other teams while still under contract with Arizona.

All of that hung over the conference, which hit a climax with a question from the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons. Simmons confronted Pelley on the hire, saying that he had spoken to 20 people who work in the NHL, and 19 of them had not been supportive of the Chayka hire. Simmons added that some of those sources had called the hire a “sham,” describing Chayka as a “con artist,” “liar” and “salesman.”

Pelley’s initial answer was simple: “I must’ve talked to different people.”

When pressed by Simmons, who said that the hockey world was “astounded” by the hire, Pelley said that he and MLSE had looked thoroughly into Chayka.

“We’ve conducted due diligence, and it was deep due diligence. It was a thorough process and I’m quite happy with where we’ve landed,” Pelley said.

Simmons’ question was the most confrontational, but the rest of the reporter pool didn’t hold back. One asked how he will balance the GM position with his company, JKC Restaurants, which owns 50 Wendy’s franchises and five Tim Hortons’ franchises throughout Ontario. More than one person asked about the sanctions against Chayka after the combine testing with the Coyotes, which Chayka dismissed as “a really complicated situation.”

Later, another reporter asked whether Chayka or Sundin would be the official head of hockey operations, but Pelley danced around the question of who would be considered senior. Reporters also raised concerns about the team itself, who finished last in the Atlantic Division, well below preseason expectations.

In general, the Maple Leafs are a difficult fan base to keep happy. The storied franchise has a fervent base that is continually disappointed as Toronto falls short of the Stanley Cup, which it last won in 1967. That unfortunate trend continued in the 2025-26 season, leading the Maple Leafs to fire GM Brad Treliving in March.

The team also declined to renew the contract of president Brendan Shanahan in 2025. When asked on Monday if they were going to hire a new president, Pelley said that they were going to stick with their current structure, which he believed was “a winning structure.”

Chayka had given a statement prior to the questions, noting that his wife and children were in attendance. Chayka painted himself as a hometown hire, with the new GM being born and raised in nearby Jordan Station.

“Being the general manager of the Maple Leafs carries enormous obligation — to the team, community, alumni, the players, our partners and the millions of fans across the world,” Chayka said. “I understand precisely how much this organization matters to this city and our country. I understand the weight of our long wait.”

However, it’s unclear if Chayka can stay out of controversy as his tenure in Toronto gets underway: Already, reports on Monday indicate that the NHL looked into a potential tampering claim as Chayka began bringing on his staff, per Hockey 24/7’s Frank Seravalli.