Lace Bite

@Leafs1334 @mariezo34 This is the Leafs. Should they be entrusting a GM role to someone with a track record of 24th in the league? If you believe in his potential, let him show you what he has as AGM.

@Leafs1334 @mariezo34 Coyotes averaged 24th in the league under Chayka, after five years. And he doesn’t have a great drafting record or talent acquisition record. No sequence of stellar moves to speak of. Unlike the Sabres under Adams, it’s not as though the team was well set at his departure either.

HIGHLY recommend Leaf fans to listen to Chayka and Sundin on Kyper and Bourne away from that idiot Pelley and actually answering questions about hockey. Very good listen.

@CakeMcJabe He asked a good question: why no president?

Did you ask?

@Leafs1334 @mariezo34 Have I mentioned the combine at all? And also a) I wasn’t a big fan of Lou’s and b) Lou had won cups and had success. It would be silly to compare his resume with Chayka’s.

@LaceBite @mariezo34 Did you beg for Lou to explain what he learned after he screwed NJD of 3 million, a 1st and a 3rd because he wanted to hire Kovalchuk for 17 years? Weird how Chayka is getting more heat for asking for more information about players than Q and Bowman got for covering up assault

@Leafs1334 @mariezo34 Can you quote him on that? What I heard were many comments about how hard the circumstances were.

@LaceBite @mariezo34 He did in the 32 thoughts podcast IMO explained exactly what he learned

@Leafs1334 @mariezo34 I’d have more confidence in Chayka if he took responsibility and articulated how he’s improved and learned rather than pointing fingers at others.

@Leafs1334 @mariezo34 It is simply false to say that they were solid. All I hear are excuses about how hard it was to do his job because “The situation”. How about owning up to your decisions instead of blaming others and external circumstances.

@Leafs1334 @mariezo34 The Coyotes were not a solid team under Chayka. Really bad drafting and transactions. They made the playoffs once, I believe, under him. More importantly, their roster was not good.

@LaceBite @mariezo34 He was actually able to build a solid team in the midst of absolute chaos in Arizona. Individual transactions are a moot point. All I care about is the team he built. His team won a round before Matthews leafs ever did.

@mariezo34 @Leafs1334 Yes, I see Pelley as the main problem, particularly given that he hired Chayka. I think Sundin’s emphasis on “culture” is empty.

@LaceBite @Leafs1334 Listened to both interviews and thought he was fine. He gave safe answers. I have reservations about the Chayka/Sundin duo, but Pelley is my main concern. Every time he speaks, he puts his foot in his mouth.

@mariezo34 @Leafs1334 Don’t get why people found him impressive on Kipper and Bourne. Struck me as mostly empty phrases. And on 32 Thoughts, Chayka seems to only blame his unsuccessful tenure in Arizona on the chaos of the org, and rarely if ever takes responsibility for his transactions and results.

@Leafs1334 Pelley needs to stay away from the Leafs moving forward. Let the new front office do its job.

@joshbeleaf Yeah don’t get this Doan thing. Why is Arizona obligated to keep him?

The owner of the coyotes at the time told John Chayka to move on from Shane Doan and did not attend the lunch meeting and made John Chayka do this by himself. Chayka was a GM for a terrible owner who absolutely set him up for 0 success. I actually want to root for him.

@Takhar77 @MapleLeafs Yeah

@LaceBite @MapleLeafs That's what you get from a PR hire. My assumption is they knew Chayka was going to get ripped apart, so they brought Sundin in as a way to appease the market. I'm disappointed that it seems to have worked on so many. And I say that as someone who adored Sundin

The @MapleLeafs have a large PR problem, that only gets worse every time Keith Pelley talks. What a trainwreck of a presser. Still not sure what exactly Sundin's role is, but he should basically be the only one in the org doing media for the next few months.

@tddt_5115 Am critical of the Chayka deal, but agree that from what we know, it seems like Doan is sour grapes that Chayka wanted to move on, as was his prerogative.

So the Shane Doan/John Chayka thing is this: Instead of signing a 40 year old to ‘one more year’ (after a whopping 27 points), Chayka prioritized developing Domi, Keller, Perlini, Duclair, Fischer and Reider as his top 9 wingers. And Doan can’t get over it.

@thegoldenmuzzy From my POV, the critique is more about process. I can’t predict outcomes, but what I see is an unprofessional organization.

Pittsburgh clinched & immediately started pulling receipts on everyone who buried them 😂 Leafs better have an intern bookmarking every Chayka/Sundin take right now… Because if this somehow works, the receipts are gonna hit like King West in the summer 👀

@thegoat2112 He was a terrible GM but is he wrong in his comments today?

If you think Craig Button has anything of value to say, peruse his short tenure as an NHL GM, lol..

@NorthernLeafs73 He obviously means no experience working in a hockey front office

Did Craig Button just say Sundin has "no experience in hockey"? First the conversation is that the Leafs need to find a fresh new face and avoid the "old boys club" approach. Then they do that and now its an issue. Let the results speak for themselves, give the guys a chance

@mcclxskey Some fair points but Simmons main issue is with Pelley’s process and decision, so it’s understandable he would ask it to Pelley.

On Steve Simmons... I have no issue with the premise of his question, asked cordially. For example: "Based on my research, it seems John Chayka's a polarizing figure around the league. In fact, most of the people I talked to were surprised by your decision to hire him. Can you elaborate on your due diligence process and share your perspective on the incidents which led to punishment from the league?" I mean, that's a heater as written. I have an issue with calling John Chayka a liar and a con man, as corroborated by 19 of 20 anonymous sources. I have an issue with an experienced journalist hijacking the press conference, turning it into a spectacle about an uncommonly explosive question. Especially in this setting. I think it's a disservice to the staff and the fan base. The biggest issue I have, though, is that he directed the question to Keith Pelley. John Chayka is sitting right next to him. If you want to call the guy a liar and a con man, at least have the courtesy to say it to him directly. The problem is... it's a lot like when a Karen starts an argument with an employee at a Best Buy. Karen has no obligation to conduct herself in any particular way - she's free to fly off the handle. The employees are wearing a uniform. There are customers in the store. They don't have the same luxury. It's a gutless exchange. Par for the course from Steve Simmons.