Will Mats Sundin, John Chayka Turn Maple Leafs Into Contenders?

The Toronto Maple Leafs confirmed the hiring of new general manager John Chayka and Mats Sundin, who will take on the role of Senior Executive Advisor. 

While MLSE CEO Keith Pelley believes the tandem will be formidable, the broader hockey community has greeted the decision more with skepticism and doubt than hope and optimism.  

Will Sundin, Chayka Turn Things Around for the Maple Leafs? 

Sundin obviously has a ton of influence in the city, being the Maple Leafs’ all-time scoring leader and one of the most legendary captains in team history. 

His hockey sense is second to none, and you can’t fault him for never bringing a Stanley Cup to the city, as nobody has since 1967. 

However, Sundin has never held a front-office role, and he’s been out of the mix since retiring and moving to Sweden. 

As a hockey man who understands what is required to build a winning team, even though he was never part of one, his front-office inexperience wouldn’t bear as much weight if he were being paired with a seasoned, well-established general manager. 

Unfortunately, for Maple Leafs fans, that is not the case.

What Happened to Chayka? 

Chayka became the youngest GM in NHL history when he took the helm of the Arizona Coyotes at 26 in 2016. 

The age alone tells you how highly he was touted. 

Things quickly unravelled, though. Regarded as one of the best analytical minds, Chayka steered the Coyotes to just one playoff berth in his four years (2016-20) as GM and president of hockey operations. 

And he resigned, unexpectedly, on the eve of those playoffs. Under his watch, the Coyotes violated the scouting combine policy. 

Said to be responsible for conduct detrimental to the league and the game, Chayka was suspended for one year by the NHL in 2021. The potential hire is all the more perplexing, considering Chayka has not held another position with an NHL team since that transgression.  

Why Might Chayka, Sundin Make a Good Combo? 

Chayka and Sundin’s relationship has a solid foundation, connected through Tie Domi, one of Sundin’s best friends. Chayka helped Tie’s son, Max, with his strength and conditioning during his junior hockey days. 

Max also played in Arizona under Chayka’s stewardship. 

Their friendly relationship is one of the primary reasons the Maple Leafs brought both on board as a package deal. 

I hope the Maple Leafs have more to go on than their tight-knit relationship because the thought of two individuals with no NHL front-office experience over the last six years running the world’s most valuable hockey franchise is scarier than the scariest Stephen King novel.   

It certainly doesn’t give you the impression that the Maple Leafs would recapture their place among the Stanley Cup odds contenders at the BetMGM online sportsbook.

What’s Chayka’s Track Record For Trades, Draft Picks? 

Clayton Keller and Jakob Chychrun were Chayka’s two best picks, both selected in the 2016 draft. 

However, Chayka had just stepped into his new role a month before the draft, so it’s unclear how much impact he had on those decisions. 

His other first-round picks were flops, and Chayka had the opportunity throughout his tenure to pick the following players: Ryan Poehling, Jake Oettinger, Morgan Frost, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard, Matt Boldy, and Cole Caufield. 

Nobody can predict the future or make all the right choices, but seeing a list that includes a Norris Trophy winner, a Norris Trophy contender, a player who has eclipsed the 40-goal mark, and one who scored 50 goals, along with an elite goaltender, is more disconcerting than the Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 season. 

He also drafted Matias Maccelli, who, at least for now, is a Maple Leaf.

Maple Leafs fans will hope their team wins the draft lottery. That way, the decision will be taken out of Chayka’s hands, given how short the Gavin McKenn odds are. 

Chayka isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on trades, making about 40 during his tenure in Arizona. His conviction in the trade market could be another factor in his hire. 

Here are some of the players he acquired: Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse, Taylor Hall, Phil Kessel, Peter Holland, and Alex Galchenyuk.

Some of the players he shipped off: Kevin Bahl, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, and Max Domi, along with a first-round draft pick. 

His trade reputation, like most things, is mixed, but what will the pair do about Auston Matthews’ future? 

Should Maple Leafs Fans be Excited About Chayka, Sundin Combo?

The feel-good factor is there for Sundin, but not so much for Chayka. With his sordid track record in his lone GM stint, it’s hard to get behind the hire.

He was, however, young and more prone to making impetuous, costly mistakes. With six years to reflect on his time in Arizona and on how he will do things differently, Chayka could represent a Disney-like redemption story. 

But I’m a see-it-to-believe-it kind of guy, and until he redeems himself in practice, I’m dubious. 

It doesn’t feel like the right move for a franchise in need of stability. Then again, the Maple Leafs went with stability when they hired Brad Treliving, and we all know how that worked out.