Chayka talks Maple Leafs GM role, Matthews, McKenna in NHL.com exclusive

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made more than two dozen changes in personnel on and off the ice since last season, when they missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs and finished 15th in the Eastern Conference, none more significant than the hirings of John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as senior executive adviser. With training camp set to begin this week, NHL.com sat down with them in a two-part series that provides an inside look.

Today, Part 1: John Chayka.

TORONTO -- John Chayka said Auston Matthews is pretty much “100 percent ready to go physically” for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first on-ice training camp session Thursday, six months after their captain and top center had surgery to repair a torn MCL in his left knee.

It’s the latest development in what has been a seemingly endless news cycle for the Maple Leafs since Chayka was hired as general manager and franchise icon Mats Sundin as senior executive adviser of hockey operations on May 3. Consider, for example, that just two days after their appointments Toronto won the NHL Draft Lottery and the opportunity to select Penn State forward Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. 

It was the start of an assembly line of activity that has continued to churn entering this week, when the on-ice product finally will be on display. It’s a time when this new brain trust is full of optimism, other than the news that forward Max Domi remains out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury.

“It’s been pretty much nonstop in the 16 weeks Mats and I have been here,” Chayka said. “And that’s fine, because we’re committed to do whatever it takes to make this team better.”

Included in the makeover: a new coach (Jim Hiller), a new goalie and two-time Stanley Cup winner (Sergei Bobrovsky) and a new power-play quarterback (defenseman Darren Raddysh).

But perhaps the most important development during the offseason involved Matthews, who has two seasons remaining on the four-year, $53 million contract ($13.25 million average annual value) he signed on Aug. 25, 2023. There was plenty of speculation the Maple Leafs captain needed reassurances about the direction they were headed, something Chayka said was really never an issue.

“It's funny … like, you're always selling players on your (plan), and, you know, we recruited free agents and stuff,” Chayka said. “And Auston had never felt like we're getting him to buy in. If anything, it was more like he's getting us to buy in and what's the right thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Like, that's always been our discussion. That’s how we talked about all of it.

“Obviously, he has a unique perspective, being in the locker room and going through the ups and downs and being the captain of the team. And so, from Day 1 it was always like, what’s best for the team (and) what's best for the organization? Total, you know, commitment to doing whatever it takes to win.

 “I think at this point in his career he's made all his money, he's got all the personal accolades, he's won an Olympic gold medal. I think he's really at a point where there's only one thing that matters -- success with the Maple Leafs.”

There was little last season when Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division (32-36-14), 15th in the 16-team Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16. Brad Treliving was fired as GM on March 30.

The ensuing hiring of Chayka did not come without controversy.

He was the youngest GM in NHL history -- one month before his 27th birthday -- when hired by the Arizona Coyotes in 2016. He quit on July 26, 2020, just one week before Arizona played its first postseason game in the Edmonton bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, the Coyotes said, "The club is disappointed in his actions and his timing as the Coyotes prepare to enter the NHL's hub city of Edmonton, where the team will begin postseason play for the first time since 2012. Chayka has chosen to quit on a strong and competitive team, a dedicated staff, and the Arizona Coyotes fans, the greatest fans in the NHL.”

For his part, Keith Pelley, CEO of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment who had the final say in his hiring, said he has no issues with Chayka’s past.

Here is our Q&A with Chayka ahead of training camp:

First, what are your expectations for this team? There’s been no shortage of moves. After everything, do you think this roster can contend for the Stanley Cup?

“In the end, that’s up to the players. It’s a talented group. They’ve gone through a lot. They’ve had their ups and downs. We added some important pieces -- a Vezina-winning goalie in Bobrovsky, Raddysh on the back end. I think Mats and I want to make sure we put our best foot forward every season. We think we owe it to the fans, the ownership and the players. More importantly, to put the best players on the ice and put them in the best environment. And then they drop the puck and then it's up to them.”

Was there a mandate for change from ownership when you were interviewed and subsequently hired? The makeover of the roster and the front office seems to suggest that.

“No, there was no mandate for change. I think the mandate was to go in, assess things, be strategic about it, and then have a vision of what this team looks like in the future. (Ownership) wants a really world-class organization, and that that was the mandate not only for this season, but into the future. And through that, we talked to everybody, all the players, coaches, you know, ownership. And then we landed on making some key changes. Some of that was, you know, after we had had some discussions; some of that was honestly just opportunistically, you know, the ability to attract. It just kind of came together that way.”

How have you changed and what have you learned from your mistakes from your time in Arizona?

“I was incredibly young when hired by the Coyotes. The issues and problems there were significantly different than this situation here, which is a good problem to have, honestly. I'd say the biggest change for me is to have a partner like Mats that not only had the playing career he did and success he did, but also just his knowledge of the Toronto Maple Leafs -- the market, the media, being in the dressing room, players' perspective, facilities, team dynamics. I think having that partner that you bounce ideas off of, to say, ‘Hey, I'm thinking about it this way, or I'm thinking about that way,’ and he gives you honest candid feedback is, for me, it's an incredible asset. And as I think about going into Arizona and a lot of moving parts, a lot of noise, a lot of things going on, and trying to build a team versus, you know, this, it's just a bunch different set of circumstances. I’ve grown. I have a family now. You learn, you grow.”

There was a lot of white noise and mixed reaction in this market when you were hired, including at your introductory press conference. How did and do you block that out?

“I’m not super reflective on any of that. Like, it's not about me; it's about the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's about the team. There is a lot of white noise, no doubt. I mean, if there wasn't the white noise, there wouldn't be the fan passion, the fan love, affinity for the brand and the team and the logo and the crest and the importance of every game. I welcome all of that. Like, that's what I'm here for. If I didn't want that, I wouldn't do this. The other part, I have an amazing family, amazing wife, three kids. There's nothing about me that's looking for any external validation. I'm not looking for anyone saying, ‘that’s a good move, a bad move.’ We’re going to do what’s best for the organization as much as we can, and the results are the results. That’s pro sports. So, for me honestly, it hasn’t entered my thought process at all.”

You mentioned Auston Matthews earlier. Any thoughts of locking him up long-term down the road, or is it a bit early in your tenure for that?

“We have, what, 10 months for that? And a lot can happen in 10 months (laughs). Let’s get through our first regular-season game. Now, having said that, we have a great relationship with Auston. We have a great relationship with Judd (Moldaver), his representative. I know (Auston’s) family a bit from being around Arizona, so there’s a lot of shared interest. Right now, let’s deal with the business of winning. When it’s time for business, we’ll deal with it.”

You’ve made some tough personnel decisions off the ice this offseason, making major changes that have included the departure of popular figures such as former assistant GM Hayley Wickenheiser. Some call it “ruthless,” others refer to it as “just business.” Where do you stand on that?

“I know it can be an emotional topic. But again, it’s not about me; it’s about what we feel is the best process to be successful. I’ve been around enough businesses, bought businesses, sold businesses, to know there’s almost always changes when someone comes in, whether it be ownership or management. And I always thought, when I was a younger businessperson, that ‘they must not like that person; that person must not have performed.’ But then you go through it and you realize that changes are pretty normal in these situations. In some instances, it’s the employee themselves saying, ‘I've been here for a while, what's the path? Is there opportunity for me in different ways?’ If not, there are opportunities for others. So, with all the changes we made, in some cases really talented people will go on and do great things in other situations. We’re just trying to put a puzzle together here. Some fit, and honestly some don’t. And while that's a hard decision to make or it's misunderstood, we're just trying to do the right thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.”

Regarding Gavin McKenna, what is your plan for him? Do you immediately put him in high-pressure situations or slowly nurture him and let him learn? Obviously, he has plenty of people to lean on, living with John Tavares and having previous No. 1 picks to lean on like Tavares, Mats, Auston and team ambassador Wendel Clark.

“I think we take it very seriously. We want to be as strategic as we can be, but we also don't want to over-engineer anything at the same time. So, where do you start him? How does he play? How many minutes? Special teams. I think it’s fluid. You see how he plays, you get feedback and you adjust. It’s going to be a journey for him, and I think you have to be flexible. What I do know? He’s a humble, hungry, passionate person coming into your organization. And with the skill that he has, it’s always you know a good starting point. And having been up to his hometown of Whitehorse (Yukon) and meeting his family and knowing his representatives at CAA led by (agent) Pat Brisson, he has a great foundation.”

Finally, we discussed the support system McKenna will have within the organization to help him handle the spotlight in Toronto. How difficult do you think the constant attention in this market is for some players to handle? When pursuing talent, do you have to specifically look for individuals who embrace such notoriety, given that some players are potentially scared coming to a place where you are constantly under the microscope?

“The player selection part is the main driver, and you have to be really thoughtful about that. But then there's the second part, which is the environment that you create as a part of being in the organization. And to have Mats Sundin as part of the management team, letting guys know what the demands are of playing here and communicating the positives, it makes any challenges they have easier to cope with. There's an incredible value to that. He’s done it here, he knows the operation of a dressing room. I think it really helps us create an environment because you have all different types of personalities and you can't always craft the perfect player or person, so then it's up to you to try to put them in positions to have success. I think that's really helped us through all that.”