Toronto Maple Leafs front office Credit: Toronto Maple Leafs
By Sean Keeley on

The Toronto Maple Leafs introduced new general manager John Chayka on Monday. Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons set the tone with some intense questions around the thinking behind that decision.

As a franchise, the Maple Leafs have been heading in the wrong direction. Two seasons away from going 60 years without a Stanley Cup, Toronto has fallen short in recent playoff runs and missed the postseason this year for the first time in a decade. Keith Pelley, the president and CEO of MLSE, which owns the franchise, has said that his next front office hires would be “the most important decision that I will likely make in my tenure.”

His decision, then, to hire Chayka, who has been out of the league since he was suspended by the commissioner five years ago after he “breached his obligation to the club” following an ineffective run with the Arizona Coyotes, was considered baffling by many.

That includes Simmons, an outspoken columnist who has covered the franchise for years. He was granted the first question at the presser, where Pelley introduced Chayka and the senior executive adviser of hockey operations, Mats Sundin. And boy, what a welcome he provided.

“You talk about the due diligence that you did on John prior to hiring him, and now hiring him. In the past three to four days, I have been in contact with about 20 people who work in the National Hockey League, many of whom are prominent names that we would all know. Of the 20 people I spoke to, one was supportive of his hiring, the other 19 thought it was a sham, to be perfectly honest,” said Simmons. “Words were used like ‘con artist,’ ‘liar,’ ‘salesman.’ “How did you come to a different conclusion than I was able to come to in a very short time?”

“I must’ve talked to different people,” dryly replied Pelley.

“That’s it?” asked Simmons. “Because the hockey world today is astounded by this announcement.”

“Okay,” offered a smiling Pelley.

“And your response to that?” asked Simmons.

“We’ve conducted due diligence, and it was deep due diligence,” Pelley replied. “It was a thorough process, and I am quite happy with where we’ve landed.”

Helluva way to start the John Chayka era.

The directness of the question caught the attention of many people in the hockey and sports media worlds.

The expectations for the Maple Leafs have been sky-high for a long time, and they’ve failed to meet them for just as long. If this experiment goes the way many seem to think it will, it might not take too long for the fanbase and media to turn up the volume on their discomfort and frustration with the hires. And questions like these could end up seeming rather quaint.

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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