John Chayka’s approach has already set him apart from Brad Treliving, according to Sportsnet analyst Justin Bourne. While discussing Toronto’s new general manager, Bourne pointed to Chayka’s willingness to make moves and try different ideas as one of the things he liked about his work in Arizona.
Bourne made the comments on the Barn Burner podcast after host Ryan Pinder asked him about Chayka’s arrival in Toronto and the criticism that followed him from Arizona.
Bourne made the comments on the Barn Burner podcast after host Ryan Pinder asked him about Chayka’s hiring and the criticism surrounding his time with the Coyotes.
“It’s funny how much we want people to get a second chance, and this guy had all those learning lessons, and all of a sudden, everyone just beating him down before seeing what he would do. But I think the one thing I liked about his time in Arizona is that he was active. You know, you need to be creative, and you need to be proactive in this era of being a general manager.”
Bourne then compared Chayka’s approach with that of Treliving, who spent three seasons as Toronto’s general manager.
“He (Chayka) seems to be looking at different avenues and ways of doing things,” Bourne said. “This guy has some new ideas, he’s brought in new people.”
Bourne described Treliving as “a great guy and a smart hockey guy,” but said he did not see the same level of activity from the former Leafs GM.
“He was not proactive. That really hurt the Leafs at times.”
Toronto hired John Chayka on May 3, 2026, after firing Treliving in March. The Leafs finished last season with a 32-30-13 record and missed the playoffs.
John Chayka has already made several changes to the Leafs’ hockey operations department since taking over. Toronto will get its first chance to see how those changes work once the new season begins.
John Chayka’s return comes after a controversial exit from Arizona
John Chayka’s return to an NHL general manager’s office comes six years after his time with the Arizona Coyotes ended in controversy. He was only 26 when Arizona hired him in May 2016, making him the youngest GM in NHL history at the time.
His four seasons in Arizona produced a 131-147-38 record, but his exit in 2020 became the biggest talking point surrounding his tenure. Chayka stepped down in July, just one day before the Coyotes were scheduled to begin their playoff run.
Reports later revealed that Chayka had been exploring opportunities with other teams while still under contract with Arizona. The NHL eventually suspended him in January 2021 for the rest of the year, citing a breach of his obligations to the Coyotes and violations of league rules.
There were other issues during his time in Arizona as well. The Coyotes were punished for breaking NHL rules related to pre-draft testing of CHL prospects and lost two draft picks as a result.
John Chayka has not shied away from what happened. Looking back on his time with the Coyotes, he acknowledged that some of his decisions did not work out while speaking about what he learned from the experience.
“I’ve made decisions I’m proud of, and I’ve also made mistakes that I’ve learned from,” Chayka said. “I’m human. I own all of it, and I’m better because of it.”
He also described Arizona as the toughest challenge he had taken on, while saying the experience brought plenty of rewards.
“Arizona was a really complicated situation,” Chayka said. “It was the biggest challenge I ever took on in my life, and it was honestly the hardest thing I ever did, and also in a lot of ways the most rewarding.”
Edited by Sonali Verma