On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs introduced their new executive leadership team led by new general manager John Chayka as well as franchise icon and former captain Mats Sundin, who is coming back to the club as a senior executive advisor for hockey operations.
But during the press conference in Toronto introducing Chayka and Sundin, there was an extremely awkward and controversial moment following a pointed question at Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley regarding the past of Chayka with the Arizona Coyotes.
Not only did the line of questioning and the subsequent response go viral all over social media, but it became a prime example of how press conferences can quickly turn awkward and uncomfortable.
Fallout Continues From The Toronto Maple Leafs Press Conference Introducing John Chayka And Mats Sundin
Journalist Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun made things awkward during the presser when he cornered Pelley over what went into the hiring process of Chayka and said he received damning reviews from outside sources of the hire.
“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.
The fallout on social media was quick, with many users taking sides in the debate.
One user defended Simmons, saying, “People chirping Simmons, you realize he’s the only one that had the balls to ask what nobody else had the balls to ask?”
Keeping in that vein, this user said, “Poorly run companies should have to answer for their poor decisions. This is especially relevant to sports franchises, where fan bases deserve answers, not softball questions.”
This user felt differently, saying, “Steve Simmons is a f****** disgrace… Journalists should ask difficult questions, but the questions shouldn’t include backstabbing character assassinations.”
Finally, this fan said, “Steve Simmons only stick left is to throw out horrible takes like this for attention. He’s always been awful.”
John Chayka Is The New GM Of The Maple Leafs
Chayka, who previously served as general manager of the Arizona Coyotes, has joined the Maple Leafs as the official successor to Brad Treliving, who was let go by the team on March 30.
“Today is an important day for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization,” MLSE CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement. “I’m thrilled to welcome John and Mats to their roles, two great hockey minds that will strengthen our entire hockey club. From the start of this process, it’s been about building a championship-calibre team for our fans and our city and today is an important step towards that goal.”
Sundin, who spent several years as captain of the Maple Leafs and registered nearly 1,000 points in a Leafs uniform, spoke passionately about his desire to provide a winning product for the fans who supported him during his playing days.
“This fan base deserves greatness, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help this team, organization and city achieve that,” Sundin said. “My love for the Maple Leafs and the city of Toronto is an important part of who I am and who I will always be.
“I look forward to working closely with John as we both recognize the incredible opportunity and responsibility to win here in Toronto.”
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