Under Further Review – Douglas Smith with Editor Bill Morphy. Regular contributors include Jordan Moss, Rob Wagner, Howard Steiss, Ian MacPhee, Dave Kittle, Peter Hucul, Ted Tait, Bill and Glen Myles, Frank Sullivan, Mark Hughes, Iqbal Grewall and Charlie Frenette.   

Spanning the digital ether to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition… This is Under Further Review.

In light of the bizarre developments of the last couple of days, we had no choice but to take the temperature following the uncomfortable front office announcement in Toronto. It had to be the most unsettling news conference in hockey history. The principles could have more fun being led to the electric chair. It was akin to a public stoning. What happens next? Just 24 hours later, Leaf fans were rejoicing in lottery ball heaven.

The Odd Couple – Officially, former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka is the Toronto Maple Leafs new GM with authority on all hockey-related decisions. Leafs legend Mats Sundin joins the circus in a largely ceremonial role as senior executive adviser of hockey operations, whatever that is. It’s an odd table setting.

Is this the best you can do? A former franchise icon who hasn’t been around the game in 20 years and a disgraced GM with a bad news reputation from his first go-round in the Arizona desert? Who are you trying to kid? More importantly, MLSE suit Keith Pelley still hasn’t replaced Brendan Shanahan, leaving a major void at the top of the food chain. How much can these guys possibly know about current players around the league?

It’s shocking the team set the bar so low. Reports indicate the Leafs asked for permission to speak with Tampa GM Julien BriseBois but were rebuffed. No effort was made to speak with Doug Armstrong. What about making a pitch to Lightning coach Jon Cooper and offering a senior front office position? Where’s the creative thinking?

The entire hiring soap opera was a study in dysfunction. Former Leafs pugilist Tie Domi somehow became king-maker for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. He and Sundin were teammates for 11 seasons in Toronto. Sundin is godfather to current Leaf Max Domi who has worn Sundin’s number 13 at various points in his NHL career.

It gets more incestuous. Chayka traces back to Max Domi’s junior days with the London Knights. In 2015, Domi even played a role in Chayka being hired as GM in Arizona. At age 26, Chayka would become the youngest GM in pro sports history.

Chayka quit the job in 2020 under a cloud of controversy. Thanks to Chayka, the Coyotes forfeited first- and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts for violating the league’s draft combine testing policy. The NHL would later suspend Chayka for conduct detrimental to the league. As the story goes, Chayka reportedly pursued a job with the New Jersey Devils while still employed by the Coyotes. You could not find a candidate with more questions surrounding his character and competence.

Chayka has been out of hockey for six years since his exile from the desert. His family owns over 50 Wendy’s franchises in Ontario and Quebec. In fact, he’s been serving on the board of Wendy’s Canada. Don’t forget, Brad Treliving’s old man runs Boston Pizza so Pelley clearly has an HR preference for experience in fast food. Maybe Pelley just wants access to some free burger coupons. Or to jump the drive-through line.

It’s a sordid mess by any standards. Treliving’s resume in Calgary was predictive of what was to come. Chayka did nothing in Arizona to scream success. Twenty-five general managers have been hired in the NHL since Chayka last had a job. Cloaking Chayka in Sundin’s smiling shadow is just a PR play. Nobody is buying it. For this to work, it will take nothing short of a miracle.

Get ready for some crazy times in Hogtown.

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