The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ puzzling front-office hires have been met with mixed reactions. Even if some may view John Chayka’s arrival as iffy and Mats Sundin’s participation as positive, the fact is that questions abound regarding the very unusual direction Toronto has taken.
But there’s a simple explanation for that. It’s called “plausible deniability.”
If this were a political campaign, Chayka would be a frontman. Anyone with any solid reading of the situation would see that Chayka, if elected, would really be the person in charge. Someone else would be pulling the strings.
That someone else is Keith Pelley. The Maple Leafs CEO wanted someone he could keep at arm’s length. In doing so, Pelley could ensure his grip on the organization and its practices would remain strong.
Meanwhile, Sundin is the responsible adult in the room. If Chayka gets any bright ideas, Sundin can keep him in check. Most likely, Chayka will be working off a list provided to him upon arrival. Depending on his initial performance, he might be able to get a little more leeway.
But the precise plausible deniability lies in Chayka being ultimately the fall guy. Should the Maple Leafs completely tank this upcoming season, and there’s significant reason to believe that will happen, Pelley can turn around and say, “It’s on Chayka. We made a hire based on a data-driven individual who knows the game. He didn’t get it done. Now, we’ll have to move towards a full rebuild.”
Could that sort of attitude have been cool with a tenured executive like Julien BriseBois? Hardly.
Maple Leafs Hoping Bet on Chayka Pays Off
Chayka seems like a bit of a long shot at this point. He’s a bet the Maple Leafs are hoping will pay off. The organization is banking on Chayka translating a chip on his shoulder into a plausible path forward for the team.
Since he wouldn’t really be running the show, at least not initially, the organization can take a chance on him. With a path forward laid out for him, Chayka wouldn’t have to necessarily figure out what to do.
All he would need to do is execute the plan.
As for what that plan could be, it likely involves retooling on the fly in hopes of turning the Maple Leafs around next season. That could mean a combination of free-agent signings and trades this offseason.
And if all else fails, Pelley can always pivot to his next plan, whatever that may be.
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Toronto Delaying the Inevitable
It almost seems inevitable that the Maple Leafs will be heading towards a rebuild. There isn’t much indication that it will not be the case.
That’s why there has to be an escape hatch. If and when the Maple Leafs’ season tanks in 2026-27, Craig Berube will be the first to go. At that point, the organization can say, “We gave this guy a chance, and he didn’t deliver.”
Chayka will then be tasked with the teardown of the team. That includes trading Auston Matthews to wherever he chooses. By the end of the teardown, the club can tap another seasoned GM to oversee the rebuild.
A placeholder coach will babysit the team during the worst years of accruing draft picks and bringing up prospects through the system.
By the time the team is ready to contend, the Maple Leafs will look for a solid coach to guide them. The ETA on that plan could be anywhere from three to ten years.
That’s the harsh reality of rebuilds in pro sports.
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