The Arizona Coyotes have left the desert. However, one of Phoenix’s most well-connected insiders has reacted angrily to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ decision to name former Coyotes executive John Chayka as their new general manager.
John Gambadoro watched the spectacular press conference announcing Chayka in Toronto and tweeted on X (Twitter), detailing some of the supposed misdeeds that the league’s youngest GM committed.
This is fantastic. Chayka was a complete scam here (in Phoenix). Cost the Coyotes their first and second round selections for cheating. Quit the team right before the bubble. To obtain the position here, he stabbed Don Maloney in the back. The way he treated (legendary Coyotes player) Shane Doan was disgusting—he wanted him GONE and would not even consider allowing him play one final year on the third line—just envious of him. Chayka is a fraud. The only thing that landed him this position is his friendship with Leafs alumni Tie Domi.
Wow.
Chayka was the NHL’s youngest GM when he took over the Coyotes in 2016 at the age of 26. He was gone four years later, and some of his infractions not only cost the Yotes draft choices, but also resulted in a year suspension from commissioner Gary Bettman.
Former Coyotes official questions Chayka’s qualifications.
But Gambadoro didn’t stop there. He then detailed Chayka’s terrible drafting record while in Arizona. He overlooked some excellent players when making the team’s NHL Draft selections
.
And Maple Leafs supporters don’t look at his previous selections. While he did design (Clayton) Keller, let us not forget 2017, when he picked Pierre-Oliver Joseph over Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson, or 2018, when he selected Barrett Hayton and passed over Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard, and Noah Dobson. In 2019, you asked—we got Victor Sodestrom but might have had Matt Boldy, Cole Caulfield, Thomas Hartley, Connor McMichael, or Shane Pinto… Enjoy him, Toronto! His drafts were awful!!!!
Gambo clearly does not paint a bright picture of Chayka’s draft selections. To be honest, five other teams passed on Quinn Hughes, while two more passed on Bouchard (nine teams in total) after Hughes was picked, and 11 teams passed on Dobson. The year before, in 2017, at least 25 teams passed on Oettinger, while Jason Robertson was not selected until the second round.
To be sure, no GM has a perfect draft record. Far from it. However, it is obvious that Chayka’s stay in Arizona was anything from fruitful. Or all is above board.
Many people in the sport are criticizing the Leafs’ recent front office selections. And they have continued to pile on since the formal introductions to the press corps.
But, as they say, the evidence will be in the pudding. Chayka is ten years older now than when he lived in Phoenix. He’s learned a few lessons the hard way (at least MLSE hopes he has), so we have to wait and see how things play out.
However, there are definitely some tense nerves among Leafs Nation. Insider Chris Johnston described Monday’s press briefing as “uncomfortable. “
