The Toronto Maple Leafs introduced their new front office Monday, and general manager John Chayka acknowledged it'll take plenty of work for the team to return to contention after a 28th-place finish.
"There's a gap right now between where we are and where we'd like to be," Chayka said. "It's upon us to go collect information and understand that better. I think the optimistic, hopeful side is, I really do believe that this team has a lot of latent upside. I think a lot of the players underperformed. I think there's lots of opportunity to get in there and find ways to do a better job with the internal group.
"Having said that, I think it's a reality that we're going to have to make some changes, we're going to have to fill some holes, and there's some fundamental ways in which we're going to have to change the team. I think that's what our goal is. Every season is sacred to our fans, to our players, to ownership. I think it's incumbent upon us to put the best team on the ice that we can. It's going to take a high hit rate, it's going to have to take some creativity, and we're going to have to have some things going our way, but we certainly feel like we're well-positioned with our core group."
Chayka takes over for Brad Treliving, who was fired in March after three seasons in Toronto. Chayka returns to the NHL after resigning from his position with the Arizona Coyotes in 2020. He was hired as the youngest GM in league history in 2016 and was at the center of plenty of controversy. He was suspended one year for pursuing another job while still under contract, and the team had to forfeit two draft picks for violations of combine testing policy that occurred during his tenure.
Despite Chayka's past, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley is confident he's the right person for the job after a weeks-long search in which the organization spoke to 27 candidates. The Leafs also made franchise all-time points leader Mats Sundin their senior executive adviser.
"We were incredibly impressed and encouraged by John's vision that he shared with us during the process," Pelley said, according to TSN. We conducted extensive due diligence that confirmed what we already believed about John's capabilities, and we are incredibly confident in where we landed. I remain impressed by John, and I think you will as well. One of the key characteristics that came through the entire process is he's methodical and he's measured. The combination between John and Mats is really, really, strong."
Chayka noted the Leafs are still deciding whether head coach Craig Berube will return next season and touched on the importance of contending again while captain Auston Matthews is under contract.
"I just came from an organization where we spent our entire existence looking for that exact player, so we're incredibly fortunate to have Auston," Chayka said, per TSN. He added, "It is our job to sell him on what we're capable of and reaching the ultimate goal, because I know that's what's most important to him. How do we do that is not a sales job, I'd say. It's more of what's the vision, what's the plan, and the concrete steps that we're going to take to get the team to where he wants it to be."
