Elliotte Friedman predicts Mats Sundin-John Chayka combo to run Maple Leafs, awaiting Sundin’s decision

“We are waiting for Mats Sundin’s decision. I believe if he says yes, it’s going to be a Mats Sundin/John Chayka combination.” Friedman said on Oilers Now.

Completely unlike the path the Maple Leafs took when they hired Brad Treliving after Kyle Dubas’ departure, hiring Sundin for a front office role would certainly be an outside-the-box path to take. Sundin has never held a managerial role before, but he’s a beloved figure in the Toronto community and has long been one of the better people to represent the Leafs.

Chayka, on the other hand, was the youngest general manager hire in NHL history to this day and was talked about similarly to how Dubas was when he was hired. He admittedly has some controversy under his name, due to a private draft combine the Coyotes held in 2021, along with a suspension from the NHL after he explored other opportunities while still under contract with the organization, and then terminating his contract with three years remaining. This may come off as a red flag, but there’s an argument to be made that the Coyotes’ dysfunctional ownership share the blame for how his tenure went, and that perhaps there have been some lessons learned in his time away from the NHL.

Regardless of whether there’s fire to this smoke, the Leafs’ next general manager will have their hands full with the temperature hotter than ever as they navigate their first offseason without a playoff run in a decade.

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