Chayka: Leafs aiming to earn fans’ love for team

TORONTO – John Chayka knows what the Toronto Maple Leafs mean to a rabid and tortured fan base.

The club’s new general manager — 19 weeks into a job that kicked off with blistering criticism in some circles — used to be among them.

“I’ve loved this team for as long as I can remember,” Chayka said in a recent interview. “I think ‘love’ is the key word. The love that fans have for their team is really unique. Love is complicated in our personal lives. When you think about loving a team, there’s the euphoric highs. And if there’s downs, people are upset.

“Their days can be made or broken on the results of a game … with that comes a real obligation.”

Alongside senior executive adviser of hockey operations Mats Sundin — a franchise legend also brought back in the fold following Toronto’s spring housecleaning — Chayka believes the Maple Leafs have taken positive steps over the last four months coming off their first playoff-less campaign in a decade.

“The hockey capital of the world,” Sundin said as he sat beside Chayka on the same video conference call with The Canadian Press. “With that comes responsibility. It’s a privilege.”

But before the pair could get to work, the 37-year-old Chayka came under intense fire at an awkward and uncomfortable introductory press conference where his character, reputation, integrity, pedigree and resume were all called into question.

He had been out of the NHL since 2020 and some of his dealings as a peach-fuzzed, analytics-driven GM for the Arizona Coyotes had left much to be desired, including an 11-month suspension for “conduct detrimental to the league” after he sought employment from another team while still under contract.

Chayka took the criticism in stride.

“It wasn’t the season anyone wanted and changes were made,” he said of an Original Six franchise that’s won two playoff rounds in the salary cap era and hasn’t sipped from the Stanley Cup since 1967. “You’re communicating those changes. I wish I could say I was surprised there were hard-hitting questions or there were people that wanted to ask followups and dig in.”

The product of Jordan Station, Ont., added being under an intense microscope is part of the gig.

“The media plays an incredibly important role in this entire ecosystem,” Chayka said. “That connection to fans is really important to me. I have no issues or problems. I’m always happy to be a pro, answer any questions.

“But the focus is building a team and putting the players in the best position to have success. The rest is not really my concern.”

Chayka and Sundin had as many conversations as possible — players, coaches and management — after arriving on the scene to get a feel for the organization from top to bottom.

“To really understand what’s gone well,” Chayka explained of the process. “What should we maintain? What shouldn’t we change? What are some opportunities? The group’s been through a lot, and in a good way. They’ve seen a lot of different things. They have a great perspective.

“That’s important to the story and moving forward.”

The Maple Leafs’ new brain trust, which was basically drinking from a firehose of information early, quickly went to work on a drastic reshaping following a last-place finish in the Atlantic Division.

Head coach Craig Berube was fired, while four assistant GMs, including Canadian women’s hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser, were either let go or agreed to mutually part ways. Other members of the backroom and scouting staffs were handed walking papers in a wide purge.

“Get some momentum and wind in the sails,” Chayka, whose team opens training camp Wednesday with medicals, said of the exercise. “You always have all the best laid plans, but ultimately you have to convince some other people to jump on board.

“We’re really fortunate. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than clever.”

Luck bounced the Maple Leafs’ way when they beat the draft-lottery odds and won the right to select winger Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 pick in June.

Jim Hiller, who has familiarity with captain Auston Matthews and fellow veterans John Tavares, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly from his time as an assistant on Mike Babcock’s staff in Toronto between 2015 and 2019, was hired as the club’s 41st head coach.

The Maple Leafs then added a number pieces, including two-time Cup-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and defenceman Darren Raddysh, while netminder Joseph Woll and blueliner Brandon Carlo were among the players sent packing.

“The plan was to be nimble, but also opportunistic and aggressive,” Chayka said. “We feel fortunate to have been able to execute some of these things.”

Toronto will need Matthews much closer to his 69-goal stat line in 2023-24 after combining for 60 total over the last two campaigns — the latter cut short by a torn MCL — to make a playoff return.

“Sometimes an injury like that allows you to get dialled in and focused,” Chayka said. “He’s always looking for new ways to improve. Watched him the other day shooting pucks for three hours. He’s full green-light.”

Chayka, meanwhile, was given the keys to lead the team he grew up rooting for just down the road.

The assignment is clear. Many before him, however, have failed to deliver.

“There’s no question fans will love the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Chayka said. “The question becomes, ‘Can we be deserving of that love?’ You don’t do that overnight. You don’t do that by winning a game. You do that through consistent efforts over a long period of time.

“It’s our obligation to earn that love.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2026.