Why Tuesday’s game in Utah is significant for Maple Leafs GM John Chayka

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Let’s assume John Chayka wasn’t expecting a returning tribute video Tuesday night in Salt Lake City before the Maple Leafs met the Utah Mammoth. 

Most locals certainly wouldn’t know the general manager of their team’s previous incarnation as the Arizona Coyotes, while it’s a chapter in Chayka’s hockey life he’d prefer to move on from. 

Chayka was a boy wonder a decade ago, named assistant GM of the Coyotes in 2015-16 and then promoted to the big chair the following season at age 26, making him the youngest GM in NHL history.

He took the club president’s title in 2017, but on the eve of the team’s return to playoffs in 2020, what should have been a rewarding moment for his work ended in murky resignation.  

It involved the level of interest Chayka had shown in overtures by another club, believed to be the New Jersey Devils, with the NHL suspending Chayka through the calendar year 2021 for conduct detrimental to the league. 

Chayka was just part of the saga, given Arizona’s longstanding ownership woes, its arena situation and the franchise’s long-term stability were also in question at the time. The team eventually shifted to Utah for the 2024-25 season.  

How does Chayka feel about the Coyotes today?

“There are moments I’m proud of and I’ve made mistakes I’ve learned from,” Chayka said of his Arizona adventure upon being hired by the Leafs this past May.

Earlier, in a column for the business site Sportico, Chayka wrote: “I’ve learned that leaders who embrace competition in healthy ways — without losing sight of humanity and grace — can help teams achieve.

“Leadership is hard. And that’s OK. It’s also true that, like any good leader, I needed to make a hard decision, and (resignation) was the right one for myself and for my family. While leaders are ultimately judged by their wins, they also must recognize the time to move on, and that’s what I did.”

Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton remain from the Chayka-Coyotes era.

Chayka has repeated that he has grown as a GM and that getting married and having three kids also has been a game-changer for how he approaches life today. During his wilderness years after 2020, he also worked at building Stathletes, the sports analytics company co-founded with sister Meghan in 2010. The siblings operated a corporate restaurant group that included many Wendy’s fast-food franchises in Ontario and Quebec.

He was a surprise choice to many when MLSE president Keith Pelley took the recommendation of a head-hunting firm. But Pelley and his board had wanted a data-centric exec and Chayka — along with Sunny Mehta, who was leaving the Florida Panthers — met that criteria. Mehta eventually took the opening in Jersey. 

Chayka quickly took a machete to the Leafs masthead, including complete restructuring of the hockey office. New executive assistants arrived, along with heads of scouting, conditioning and the selection of Jim Hiller as head coach with all-new assistants.

On the ice, through trades and free agency, the Leafs opened the season with 10 new faces — not counting Gavin McKenna, the first overall pick that Chayka lucked into right after his hiring.

What’s the latest on the Leafs?

The Leafs entered the game in Utah with a record of 3-2-1, all their defeats by a goal with a chance to get five of six points on their first trip.

As Chayka said, if they can get through a second swing through Western Canada at the end of the month in good shape, they’re set up for success with six straight home games to open November. 

Lineup changes for late start on Tuesday included Anthony Stolarz in net, Nick Blankenburg remaining on defence after Chris Tanev was put on injured reserve following Saturday’s game in Colorado and John Tavares restored to second-line centre after missing the weekend to be with his wife after she gave birth to their fourth child. 

Hiller told media in Salt Lake City after the morning skate that Tanev remains with the team with no update, which is likely to come after team doctors see him in Toronto this week. Hiller predicted Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s minutes would be bumped up as he’s now playing with Blankenburg, while Tanev’s regular partner, Jake McCabe, will be on the top pair with Darren Raddysh. 

How did former Leafs GMs do in their first game against previous employers? 

Brad Treliving: Returned to Calgary on Jan. 18, 2024, a 4-3 win over Flames.

Kyle Dubas: Returned to Toronto as Pittsburgh Penguins GM on Dec. 16, 2023, a 7-0 loss to Leafs.

Lou Lamoriello: Returned to Toronto as Islanders GM, Dec. 29, 2018 , a 4-0 win. Returned to New Jersey as Leafs GM on Dec. 27, 2016, a 3-1 Leafs victory.

Brian Burke: Returned to Anaheim on Oct. 26, 2009, a 6-3 Leafs win.

Pat Quinn: Returned to Vancouver as Leaf GM on Jan. 17, 2000 a 5-4 Leafs OT win. Lost his first game as Toronto coach the year before. 

Cliff Fletcher: Returned to Calgary as Leaf GM, Oct. 17, 1991, a 6-4 loss to the Flames. 

Punch Imlach: Returned to Toronto as Buffalo GM on Nov. 18, 1970, a 7-2 Sabres win.

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby  

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