The New Jersey Devils' decision to trade Sunny Mehta out from under the Toronto Maple Leafs is looking like pure highway robbery, as the Leafs selected John Chayka as their new general manager on Monday.
Mehta was the leading candidate for the GM position in Toronto before the Devils promptly fired Tom Fitzgerald and hired his successor just 10 days later.
A smart move by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) forced Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) to pivot, hiring Chayka as their 19th GM in history and Matt Sundin as senior executive advisor of hockey operations.
The initial announcement shocked the hockey world.
Chayka – a man who hasn't worked in the NHL since he was suspended by Gary Bettman five years ago to pursue new opportunities around the league despite having three years remaining on his contract – comes in with a controversial background.
Ironically, he was in talks with the same ownership group that hired Mehta over interest in Chayka in 2021.
It is safe to say that it was a learning experience for HBSE.
Chayka's appointment is being heavily criticized in Toronto. One claim says the Maple Leafs are not acting like a serious hockey team.
This conclusion was reached because the Maple Leafs are heading into one of the most important offseasons in their franchise history – similar to the Devils – and can only come to terms with a manager who has been absent from an NHL front office for the past five years, and a fan favorite without front office experience.
Again allegations are coming from Toronto media
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun told Keith Pelley, "I've been in contact with about 20 people who work in the NHL, many of whom are major names we'll all know." "One of them supported and the other 19 thought it was a sham. Words like fraudster, liar and salesman were used."
Pelé could only respond to that claim with "talking to different people", while pointing to an overall process.
Suffice it to say, the Maple Leafs' new direction is a surprise.
Granted, there were reports that the Devils were also interested in Chayka, but sources indicated the interest did not amount to anything more than that, and was derived from Chayka's past history with HBSE.
Thus, it's Chayka's turn in Toronto, who hasn't had much to do in his first managerial stint with the Arizona Coyotes. And it certainly feels like the Sundin hire is partly to help win over the doubters with the nostalgia that comes with being a Hall-of-Famer.
While the devils went in a different direction. Of course, it's true that Mehta is a good fit because he was previously in the Devils organization.
However, Mehta's resume – which landed him the Devils GM position – has earned HBSE a universally A-grade in terms of recruiting.
He helped build the Devils' hockey analytics department, exposed Jesper Bratt in the 2016 NHL Draft, moved to the Washington Capitals — and also helped build their analytics department before being employed by the Florida Panthers and helping them win two Stanley Cups.
Certainly, Chayka – CEO of JKC Capital, a family-run business that reportedly owns 50 Wendy's franchises and five Tim Hortons franchises in Ontario and Quebec – has plenty of runway to prove us all wrong.
However, as it stands, the Devils appear to be the adults in the room with home run fare, while the Maple Leafs fanned the flames in Toronto despite their intentions to stop the burning.
